Every year, Spoetzl Brewing of Shiner, Texas, gives us a new beer. 2016 is no exception, and for this trip around the sun we get Shiner  Birthday Beer 108: Cold Brew Coffee Ale. Shiner’s new brew gives new meaning to the term having a cold brew, since it’s brewed with cold brew. Try saying that five times fast.

Shiner, of course, hasn’t been brewing birthday beers for 108 years (meaning there have not been 108 of them). They did recently start celebrating, though, first that I can recall with Shiner Commemorate Doppelbock for their 100^th anniversary, Shiner Birthday Beer to celebrate their 106^th, and Shiner Birthday Beer 107 Hoppy Pilsner last year. Most impressive for me was the 106^th, a chocolate stout brewed to taste like chocolate birthday cake, and you know, it really did. I wish I still has a bottle to go with this year’s offering. Cake and coffee go so well together, dontcha know.

From the Shiner website:

For our 108th birthday, we’ve brewed up something special. Our first coffee ale, crafted in collaboration with Austin’s own Chameleon Cold-Brew, made with dark-roasted specialty malt and Chameleon’s beloved cold-brewed coffee, it’s sure to wake up your tastebuds. But it won’t be here forever, so pour yourself a fresh cup while you can.

Shiner 108^th Birthday Beer: Cold Brew Coffee Ale has an alcohol content of 5% by volume with 15 IBUs. It runs $8.99 a six-pack here in Georgia.  For our 108th birthday, we’ve brewed up something special. Our first coffee ale, crafted in collaboration with Austin’s own Chameleon Cold-Brew, made with dark-roasted specialty malt and Chameleon’s beloved cold-brewed coffee, it’s sure to wake up your tastebuds. But it won’t be here forever, so pour yourself a fresh cup while you can.

Shiner Birthday Beer 108: Cold Brew Coffee Ale pours to a dark brownish black color with a medium head of short lived tan foam and an intense coffee grind nose. Taking a sip, I’m getting that same intensely grindy coffeish-ness in the palate, along with some subtle roasted malt notes, and a dry coffee finish. The weakness on this one for me is the weakness-in body. All the while sipping, it just seems a little thin. Still and all a good beer at a good price, but would be much better with more body methinks.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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