Shiner Commemorator

Call me sentimental, but I still remember the old days of Shiner Bock beer. Sure, I wasn't actually old enough to drink the stuff, but there was something intriguing about the yellow paper label and the heartiness of the beer itself that first challenged my ideas about what beer should taste like.

Shiner Bock in its original incarnation helped open my palette to such life-changing beers as Guinness and Spaten Optimator. Since those early days of beer drinking I have tried countless beers, for better or worse. Yesterday, a good friend of mine raved about the virtues of Shiner Commemorator, the latest beer from Shiner, Texas' Spoetzl Brewery. It was created to pay homage to 100 years of brewing in the small town of Shiner.

As of yet, I still haven't really decided how I feel about Shiner's newest creation.

It started when I twisted off the cap and attempted to smell the beverage awaiting me. A slightly sweet smell greeted my nostrils, which is not what I was expecting given the dark label and old English lettering. I figured I’d give it a whirl in the old mouth hole to see if I was mistaken at what I had thought would be a hearty and robust beer.

My first taste was bitter, which I normally don't mind-but this was not a hoppy bitterness. Rather, it actually tasted to me more like I would imagine the bottle cap I had just removed would taste if I had had the inclination to leave it in my mouth. Rather than leaving any distinct flavors, the beer overpowered my senses, leaving no discernable subtleties to describe.

Not a good first impression.

So I decided to smoke a cigarette. I admit that it’s not the best way to open your palette, but it seems to make me a better beer drinker at times—so I thought I’d give it the true test of social drinkability.

Honestly, I must say at this point that I didn’t really think that the flavor of this latest Shiner creation intrigued me at all. Actually, this was one of those rare cases where I looked at the five remaining beers in my fridge and actually cringed at the idea of having to finish the six-pack. That rarely happens, but sometimes the flavor is so specific that enjoyment goes right out the window and becomes a chore.

Keep in mind that I’m not trying to be a Shiner hater; it’s just that the beer has changed over the years. Nowadays, Shiner is like my cheap beer of choice when it comes to tap beers. At the Waterloo Ice House near where I live, it’s $2.50 a pint during happy hour, just a tad more than Miller Lite, which I refuse to pay for. It’s all right for washing down twenty-five cent wings and Jagermeister shots, but that’s about it.

I ended up pouring out the remnants of the bottle and decided to try pouring one into a frosted glass. The metallic taste when away, but was replaced by that same sickeningly sweet Shiner aromatic that comes forward when Shiner is poured into a glass. Commemorator is definitely not going down as one of those can’t miss beers this season. Last year’s 99 Shiner Helles was a good enough summer beer, but the only really great Shiner beer as of late has been Shiner Black. Even that one can only be appreciated between one or more friends, and then it’s time to move on.

In all, Shiner Commemorator is a beer that I wouldn’t pick up again, even though I’ve only given it a couple of tries. I’d rather drink Independence Brewery’s Austin Amber or Bootlegger Brown if I’m feeling like having a Texas beer these days. Maybe next time I’ll write about one of those—if I’m so inclined.