Shiner - Blonde; Light Blonde; Old-Time Alt; Holiday Cheer; Hefeweizen

Shiner beers come from the Spoetzel Brewery in Shiner, Texas (pop. 2,070).

Blonde - This beer pours a light and sparkling gold in color, very clear, with a small white head that rapidly dissipates.  The aroma is slightly sweet grain, a touch of floral, with a lightly grassy bitterness.  The taste is the slightly sweet grain with some apple and just a touch of bitterness.  The beer is well carbonated and stings the tongue.

Light Blonde - This 99 calorie beer pours a very pale golden, like the color of champagne.  There is a large white foamy head that leaves sticky lacing of light to medium thickness down the glass.  The aroma is malty grain, straw, a bright and fresh grassiness.  The taste follows the aroma.  This is very light drinking, but flavorful for the genre.  One of my new faves for a light beer.

Holiday Cheer - This is a dark wheat beer brewed with peaches and pecans.  It pours medium brown, ruby and garnet in color.  There is a half-inch of thick and foamy head which is off-white in color.  The aroma is peaches and light pecans, hint of caramel.  The taste is peaches, nutty, bit of caramel.  This is the beer equivalent of eating peach cobbler.  This is different, but really good.

Old-Time Alt - Part of their Brewer's Pride Selection of limited edition brews, this beer pours a dark copper to burnt orange in color with a quarter-inch of off-white to light brown foam. The aroma is malty, somewhat roasted, a bit of caramel. The taste is very malty, caramel, a touch of yam, with a slightly bitter finish. If you like a malt bomb, this is a good one for you.

Hefeweizen - This wheat beer is brewed with orange peels, lemon peels and honey.  The beer pours a hazy orange-golden in color.  There is a tall head of thick white foam.  The aroma is wheat malt, yeast, and light honey.  The citrus peels are not prevalent in the aroma.  The taste is yeast forward, honey on wheat toast.  It is well-carbonated and stings a bit on the mouth.  The citrus peels are most evident in the aftertaste.

 (The Family Reunion six pack)