Alright folks, despite my best intentions the hustle and bustle of the holiday season kept me from blogging about all of the holiday beers that I procured over a month ago. I have finally had the chance to try all of them and thought I would give you a sampling of what I thought was good and unique this year!
Best New-to-Me Winter Seasonal
Drum roll please.....this award goes to Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice! This delicious brew gives you a bright maltiness not to mention warms you up at 6.9% ABV. The finish on the beer is the big surprise, an extraordinarily smooth cream soda finish. Cream soda taste in a beer? Delicious! I drank it while chowing down on my favorite holiday treats but could have also done a few really fantastic cheese parings!
Most Unusual Seasonal
This has to go to the Spoetzl Brewery with their Shiner Cheer. This was like drinking a peachy fruit cake! Part of you wants to like it and part of you wonders why on earth anyone ever decided to make a fruitcake a holiday tradition. It's claim to fame is the combination of peach and pecan flavor. Well it certainly has the peach part down, the aroma of this beer is like cracking open a can of cling peaches and breathing in the overly sweet nectar. You have to think pretty hard about the nutty flavor but it is there hiding in the distance. There was something appealing about the brew, however. I found my glass empty quicker than most holiday tastings this year as I enjoyed this sweet substance.Yearly Must Haves
All of this being said, I do have a few bottles that I must pick up each year. As you have read before New Belgium's Frambozen is still firmly at the top of my list and 2 Below gets an honorable mention. I also always have to try Anchor Christmas Ale. After touring Anchor Brewing in San Francisco and being in the presence of Fritz Maytag's creation I have a fondness for that brewery and have yet to find a beer there that isn't worthy of being enjoyed with friends.
Finally, I hope that if you are reading this you have had a chance to enjoy a beer with those you love. After all, the friends we keep, the family we treasure and the ability to celebrate the season in each others company is really what the holidays are about!
