Gonar's Drink of the Month

Gentle Drinker,

It is one of the greatest pleasures to be at a party and pull out a large bottle of beer, only to see the eyes of another guest light up with glee. Such was the experience I had a week ago at the season's first Christmas party. And the culprit? The 50 ounce bottle of Anchor Brewing Christmas Beer, and this month's Drink of the Month!

Anchor Brewing, based out of San Francisco, brews a different Christmas beer every year. So, this year's beer is different from last year's and will be different from next year's. There's something kind of cool about that...in a month I will never be able to have this beer again, so I darn well better enjoy it now! As is Drink of the Month tradition, I am drinking one right now as I write this (it also comes in 12 ounce six-packs) and sitting by the fire with my wife. This is a beer that she likes, too, even though she does not like dark beer, which is nice because then I can use it to get her drunk and you know what that means. The flavor is complex, with a layer of roasted hoppiness on top of a layer of sweet caramel, with a subtle, deep layer of warm spice. This is a beer that is unique in flavor as well as unique to the 2009 Christmas season, but not so esoteric that you can't find it anywhere. So go out and fetch yourself a quart-and-a-half bottle and take it home to the family! This beer is complex with many layers, not unlike a Christmas family reunion. Which reminds me, there is another factor that makes the Anchor Brewing Christmas Beer an appealing accompaniment to your holiday family get-together...the BFF.

The Bar Fight Factor, or BFF, should be considered in any responsible beer review. The Bar Fight Factor is a scale of 1 to 10 in which a beer bottle is rated according to its handiness in a barroom brawl. And the 50 ounce Anchor magnum rates at least a nine and a half; the ample neck provides a good grip, while the thick glass walls create a full-bodied finish which pairs nicely with whatever you wish to dish out! So watch out, Uncle Bill, because the boys are packin' Anchor magnums this year!

Enjoy, and I'll see you when the moon is full again on New Year's Eve!

Gonar