Miasmatic Review

Give Shiner Holiday Cheer!

Due to all the fun activity around the house this last week, I’m a day behind in my beer review. To make up for it I promise that I’ll do another next week… Okay, so I do one most weeks, but that’s the best you are going to get out of me. Tonight I’m reviewing Shiner Holiday Cheer by Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX. I found a six pack of this hidden in a Christmas display at the local grocery store stuffed between a cases of domestic mass brewed beer.

We have our standard 12 oz bottle. The label is a festive red, white and green. The label has a white oval that has “Give Shiner Holiday Cheer”; of course Shiner is the largest name in red. On the back label states the following, “’Tis the season for cheer. Happy holidays from the “Little Brewery” in Shiner, TX. We hope you enjoy your shiner cheer, an old world dunkelweizen brewed with Texas peaches and roasted pecans. The malty flavor of this dark wheat ale are enhance through the use of malted barley and wheat. And Krausening ensures a smoothness that makes the subtle peach and pecan flavors all the more satisfying. May your days be merry and bright and your Shiner be cold* Prosit!”

When poured into a glass, an inch thick tan head forms over the dark brown with ruby accented body. The head fades slowly to a ring around the edge of the beer. A nice lacing forms in the glass and lasts all the way until the beer is finished.

The smell is an interesting combination of peaches, pears and nuts. There is a nice hop background to it, which really brings out the sweetness to the scent. It’s not so sweet that it deters an avid beer drinker from wanting to drink it. The smell sets up the taste. A smooth combination of Malts, peaches and apricots crosses the tongue. A nice nutty finish of pecans rounds off the flavor. The flavor lingers after you’ve finished drinking.

This is a medium bodied beer that is light on the carbonation. It’s smooth and very easy to drink.

Normally I’m not a fan of fruit beers, but this one was really enjoyable, surprisingly so actually. When I first smelled the beer and the sweetness to it, I figured it would be like drinking fruit juice mixed with beer. It was nothing like that. I found this rather enjoyable to drink. Overall I give this 6.5 out of 10.