Day 5 of the 2nd Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 5: Shiner Christmas Cheer
The first dunkelweizen of the group! Shiner is a brewery we don’t drink enough of and we don’t know why. They make great beers and they stick to (mostly) classic styles and they excel at it. With that being said, we don’t see too many holiday dunkelweizens out there, at least not on our list. Dunkels are usually malty and flavorful, great for a winter beer. According to Shiner’s website: “this holiday dunkelweizen practically unwraps itself with hints of Texas peaches and pecans.”
REFLECTIONS
Beard & Broad:
Beard: Full disclosure, I still kind of feel like garbage today and was not looking forward to having any beer this evening. We cracked this open right when I got home and aside from the literal intoxicating scent of beer, there was a rush of peaches and nutty maltiness. This beer is just fruity enough, with just enough maltiness to balance it out. I don’t know if I could drink a bunch of these, but this one is a nice departure from most super heavy Christmas beers that are out there.
Broad: I have mixed emotions going into this one. Just from reading the description, I’m hesisitant to think I would like this, not a fan of pecans, espeically in my beer! But I do love Shiner beers so I’m excited to try a new one. Oh boy was I wrong, I LOVE this! Its light, flavorful and malty. You can really smell and taste the peach which may not be typical of holiday beers but I very much welcome it. The warm maltiness reminds me of what I love in holiday beers.
Adam & Alex
Adam: Every time I have this beer I’m blown away because I don’t think Shiner makes any other really special beers (that I’ve had, anyway) but Cheer is spectacular. It has a nose full of peaches and the flavor is entirely Cherries and peaches to me. There isn’t the generic holiday spices in this and it’s 5.4 ABV means you can have more of these than other holiday brews. Admittedly, these tend to be in our fridge every December.
Alex: I always enjoy Shiner Cheer. It’s different from most holiday beers, without the array of holiday spices that are normally present. It’s easy to drink and tastes like peaches and sunshine.
Scott & Christa
Scott: To quote the true spokesman of Christmas, Buddy the Elf, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!” And if there’s a Christmas beer I’d sing about its Shiner Cheer! The blend of spices is wonderfully fragrant and it goes down smooth. It may be beer #5, but it’s #1 in Christmas spirit.
CT: Shiner’s unique blend of peaches and pecans doesn’t sound like a holiday brew but man, it sure is and it’s one of my all time favorites. The sweet, nutty flavor goes down smooth and manages to be refreshing while warming my soul during this cold snap. I might be drinking Scott’s half but don’t worry, we love it so much we have a few on reserve.
Lou & Jen
Lou: This beer was a pleasant surprise for me. The peach nose and taste come through very strongly, and it is much lighter than other dark, malty Winter/Christmas ales. Perhaps a tad bit too sweet, but this is a nice change up for the Holiday season.
Jen: I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. Upon smelling it I noticed the peach aroma right away. The taste of it is light and fruity with minimal hops. I didn’t get a strong aftertaste which I can appreciate. I only want to taste my beer when it’s in my mouth. I have a hard time drinking heavier beers because my stomach feels full, but I could see myself drinking this beer while having a meal and not getting too weighed down. It’s also a nice change from the more traditional seasonal brews.
one more because he’s too cute