PHOTO COURTESY OF STEFAN NITSCH

Stefan Wolfgang Nitsch knows all about Krampus — maybe a little too much.

While growing up in a small, Austrian village, Penn Brewery’s heavily inked, metal-lovin’ owner lived in constant fear of the cloven-hoofed beast who, according to European folklore, emerges from his cave every December 5th to capture, beat and eat naughty kids. People celebrate Krampusnacht by dressing up like the hairy goat-man and march through the streets terrifying small children.

“It was a lot of hitting and whipping and chains,” he says, looking haunted. “You’d go up to Krampus and get smacked. Luckily, I was beyond the age where I could be taken away in a basket.”

On Dec. 5, Nitsch will face his yuletide fear by hosting Sleigher Krampus Fest at the North Side institution, which has been brewing German-style lagers since 1986, adhering to the strict quality standards of the 16th century Bavarian Reinheitsgebot purity laws.

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The Krampi will emerge from their “kave” behind the building to wreak havoc on the holidays.

Rest-assured, the family-friendly event menu doesn’t include children. Revelers will find bratwurst and kielbasa baguette meals, pretzels with bier cheese and Zweibel Chicken Schnitzel sandwiches.

Sleigher, a local Krampus-inspired metal band, will rock cityview terrace seasonal favorites such as “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (to the tune of Van Halen’s “Panama”) and “Jingle Bells” (in the style of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades”).

In true headbanger fashion, they’ll follow up the performance by tapping a keg of their namesake beer. The limited-edition Sleigher Krampus Band Black IPA, which debuted in 2023, will be available in cans and on tap at the brewery. The company’s airport location will also pour the demonically festive suds.

In addition to beer, attendees can sip hot apple cider and hot chocolate. Spiked versions will be available since the silver-tongued Krampus favors schnapps. There also will be a vendor market and Krampi parade.

Mark Menold, founder of Menold Entertainment, got Pittsburgh into the Krampusnacht spirit in 2018 by organizing a Krampus bar crawl through the South Side. As the event grew, it moved to Market Square, Downtown, and became a popular alternative to Sparkle Season. Penn Brewery was the main sponsor of last year’s event.

Since Pittsburgh is considered the Zombie Capital of the World, it’s no surprise that Krampus culture struck a chord with yinzers. This town was happy to welcome another flesh-eating monster to the fray.

When Menold had to relocate, Penn Brewery seemed like a logical place to have Krampus Fest given Nitsch’s personal connection to the mythical creature. Despite his own childhood trauma, the Austrian has been taking his daughter, Elin, to Menold’s Krampus party since she was a baby.

If you want to feast with Santa instead of his cannibal counterpart, Penn will hold a firkin-tapping of St. Nikolaus Bock Brewer’s Reserve on Friday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. The jolly, old elf will do the honors himself, alongside head brewer Chris Rudolph. On Sunday, Dec. 8 the brewery will host a Santa Brunch consisting of prime rib, an omelet bar and more.

Menold thinks Krampus is going to give Santa a run for his money in America, but Nitsch says there are more horrific holiday mascots in his homeland, including devilish figures known as Perchten.

“That’s a whole other level of gruesome,” he says with a shudder.