Third Beer Of Christmas

Continuing my Christmas beer tour, we come to a seasonal favorite. A local restaurant and brewhouse, Sweetwater Tavern, makes a great beer called St. Nick's Weizenbock.

Strong, dark wheat beers. Weizenbocks typically have a high ester profile, with more malt and alcohol than is typically associated with a wheat beer.

This dark wheat beer has an incredible banana fragrance when you first open the growler. The beer itself is like a slice of bread mixed with spicy clove. Slightly more malty sweetness than you'd expect.

This is the second year I've tried St. Nick's Weizenbock. Last year the recipe came out with more definite wheat bread flavor; this year the brewmaster went a little heavy on the clove. The banana nose is really outstanding though. The mouthfeel is full and creamy. Definitely something to warm your insides on cold winter nights.