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Winter Beers

Every holiday season breweries all over the world bring out very special beers to celebrate the brewer's crafty creativity.

 

The Wines

Quality key:  * = decent beer   ** = very good beer   *** = superb beer   ****= elite

VALUE = exceptional quality for the money

Shiner Holiday Cheer, Texas 5.4% abv  *1/2

Double weizen made with peaches and pecans, unlikely but festive

Sam Smith Winter Welcome, England 6% abv ***

Best Sam Smith in years, strong English hops, great body

Victory Winter Cheers, Pennsylvania 6.7% abv **

Hazy hefeweizen style, hoppy with seasonal spice notes

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2019, California  6.8% abv ***

Always a strong contender, fresh floral hops, firm bitterness, roast malt

Anchor Christmas Ale 2019, California 6.9% abv  **1/2

Another strong effort from Anchor, classic brown ale

Saint Bernardus Christmas Ale, Belgium  10% abv  ***

Abbey Ale, powerful, deep velvety brown with fruity notes, spicy finish

 

All of these beers can be purchased at Kenilworth Wine and Spirits.

Click on the bottle for direct ordering and home delivery.

Al Spoler, well known to WYPR listeners as the wine-loving co-host of "Cellar Notes" has had a long-standing parallel interest in cooking as well. Al has said, the moment he started getting serious about Sunday night dinners was the same moment he started getting serious about wine. Over the years, he has benefited greatly from being a member of the Cork and Fork Society of Baltimore, a gentlemen's dining club that serves black tie meals cooked by the members themselves who are some of Baltimore's most accomplished amateur cooks.
As General Partner of Clipper City Brewing Company, L.P., Hugh J. Sisson is among Baltimore's premier authorities on craft brewing and a former manager of the state's first pub brewery, Sissons, located in Federal Hill. A fifth generation Baltimorean, Hugh has been involved in all aspects of craft brewing.