Shiner Holiday Cheer
It was a long day. I stayed up until about 5am tweaking a Filemaker database for a client then after a quick one hour snooze finished some updates on another database for a different client. When I only get a little sleep my legs tend to cramp up. Mrs. Dan lacks the sympathy gene. This is not the person you want caring for you when you’re sick. I jumped out of bed and danced around in pain. All I got was “buck it up dude.” When I’m sick she’s like R. Lee Ermey, the former Marine Drill Instructor in the Geico commercial working as a therapist. “Maybe we should chug on over to namby-pamby land where maybe we can find some self confidence for you ya jackwagon.” That’s Mrs. Dan when I’m hurting or sick. Only when Mr. Ben is sick does she muster the ability to show some sympathy.

I actually impressed myself with some really nice lean programming despite the lack of sleep. So it was time for the Jolly Old Beer Elf to bring me my 10th Brew of Christmas. I had Shiner Cheer last year,having consumed a six. But for some reason I never posted my thoughts. When Brett and Mark saw it in the fridge they both commented how they liked it.

So I sat down and started sipping. It was a wee bit of heaven. Nice and dark, malty, nice balance of flavors that speaks of the holidays. I was trying to coordinate what my palate was sensing, what my brain was thinking and what my fingers were typing. The three were not communicating. All I know is I was tasting a nice brew. So as I tried to reign control of my brain I read the label as I am prone to do.

“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 flavors of this dark wheat ale are enhanced through the use of malted barley and wheat. And Kräusening 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!“

I’ve always enjoyed a Shiner Bock. I just don’t like forking out the money for it. But around Christmas this is a reasonably priced brew. Right now I can’t remember what I paid and don’t care. I’m just enjoying a nice brew. It saddens me that I just finished the last sip. There is a lingering finish that is kind of a roasted fruity taste.

I really couldn’t have said it better and thought what a nice was to wrap it up and enjoy snuggling in a nice warm bed surrounded by a snorting little white dog and a cat who can’t seem to get enough body contact and Mrs. Dan. All and all, a pretty nice day.
peaches and pecans Bavarian style dark wheat ale.
From: Shiner, Texas
Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery
Size: 12oz

12 Beers of Christmas (plus 3)

Day 10: Shiner Holiday Cheer