3 Nations Texas X-Mas Ale

I can't find much information about the Texas X-Mas Ale from 3 Nations Brewing, but holy cow was it tasty!  From what i can ascertain on the brewery's facebook page, there appear to be two varieties of this fantastic brew, a creme brulee and coffee version and a Mexican chocolate and coffee version.  I had the latter.  Pouring a dark, dark brown, the Texas X-Mas pairs Christmas ale spices, chocolate, and coffee in a light-bodied stout.  The spice and coffee aromas are most prevalent, but give way to some chocolate notes and some very subtle hints of fruit in the flavor.  I believe it comes in around 8% ABV, and i sure hope i can find more of them.

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Lakewood Punkel

With pumpkin ale season reaching its end (though Christmas ale season is beginning!), here's one last review on a tasty brew from Lakewood Brewing, the Punkel, a pumpkin spiced take on a Dunkelweizen.  What's a little different about this beer is that there is no actual pumpkin in it, the brew being inspired by the pie more so than the gourd.  Pouring a dark and malty brown, aromas and flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice abound.  The beer smells and tastes like pumpkin pie, albeit with an extra kick from its 5.5% ABV.  This is a great one to finish off the month to.

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Infamous Foghorn Redhorn

Collaborations are a good thing, and not just with beer, but especially with beer.  Infamous Foghorn Redhorn is a delicious coffee amber ale created by the fine folks at Austin's Infamous Brewing and Cedar Park's Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing.  This 5.5% ABV concoction pours a murky, cloudy amber and smells of subtle spices and coffee.  The flavor is fantastic, a smooth and crisp amber ale with hints of sweetness and a very fine coffee bitterness.  Nothing overpowers.  Everything meshes beautifully.  Find these while you can.

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Austin Beerworks Con Beer

A couple of weeks ago, i made it out to Mondocon III, the third annual festival of pop culture art put on by the good folks from Mondo.  Aside from all of the wonderful and awesome prints and soundtrack LPs available from a plethora of great artists, the convention also garnered up a specially made brew from Austin Beerworks, the Con Beer.  This hoppy lager comes in at 5.5% ABV, and kicks it like a lighter, smoother version of an IPA.  Aromas and flavors of citrus and hops dominate, but in a sessionable kind of way, a great beverage for these endless central Texas summers.  Mondocon is over until next year, but the remaining kegs of beer have made their way to local Alamo Drafthouses here in the Austin area.  Get to it.

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