12 Beers of Christmas; Number 4

Beer #4 on my “12 Beers of Christmas & Beyond” List accompanied Christmas dinner.

It just so happens that this was the “4^th” year we have hosted Christmas dinner at the house.

For the last 4 years we prepared a relatively formal dinner for the family, but we have always felt like we were missing the mark, as if our vision for the holiday wasn’t being fully realized.

Things always seemed rushed at best and we simply couldn’t wrap our minds around the issue at hand.

This year we decided to scrap the formal “traditional” style sit down dinner for heavy hors d’oeuvres and a  casual “come as you are” vibe through-out the day.

It worked, dinner was a hit, and everyone seemed relaxed, in the moment, and satisfied to be with family.

Finally…

So to try and pair beer #4 with a specific food would be an exercise in futility, so think of it as an addition to the eclectic yet scrumptious menu.

The feast included the following homemades;  

-          Seared- smoked then slow cooked venison BBQ sliders

-          Mini- Crab cakes with tartar sauce

-          Grilled Prosciutto wrapped asparagus

-          Herbed goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers  

-          Mini-Shrimp stuffed mushroom caps

-          Bacon wrapped- BBQ shrimp

-          Tortellini & mozzarella skewers

-          Grilled potato skins

-          Two types of roasted pork tenderloin (Thanks to Sarah)

The beginning of the seared & smoked Venison BBQ before it went into the crock pot 

In at #4;

Shiner Holiday Cheer

Fruit Beer/ Dunkelweizen

Spoetzl Brewery/ (Gambrinus Company)

5.4% ABV

Light brown in color, fruity in aroma, taste of peaches with malt and spices.  Mellow but you definitely get the fruit and wheat.  

Stephen