I’m a huge fan of Shiner, and have been closely following the annual beers they have been releasing as a lead-up to their 100th year anniversary. My favorite has so far been the 98th year edition, though I never got a chance to try Shiner 96, the first in this centennial series.
It goes without saying that I’ve been really anticipating the final chapter in this delicious saga, the aptly named Shiner Commemorator (or Shiner 100), which was released in Dallas a few weeks after the New Year. After years of build up, I had (perhaps unreal) expectations of this beer being the absolute pinnacle of Texas beer-dom.
It is with profound sadness that I so write this judgement: Commemorator is a big let-down. I’m not going into the milieu used to “professionally” break down beer, but will describe some of my impressions. I found the first malty sip enjoyable, but with each successive drink there was a growing metallic, boozy after-taste that left me cringing. In a weird way, it reminded me of that lingering taste you get when drinking a Miller High Life, except it’s a darker. This is not a good thing. The impression only strengthens the farther you get into a bottle, and the final swigs were almost a chore.
I like Shiner enough that I had moral reservations about writing this post, but my disappointment was too overwhelming. I think it’s the worst of the beers I have tried in the series. Even more damaging was that it didn’t even come close to challenging a different beer I love brewed in the same Doppelbock style, called Ayinger Celebrator.
I’m hoping Shiner releases some sort of “sampler” pack with all of the anniversary edition beers, 96 through 100. It would be a fun way to make a final judgement on which beer rules this series. It’s a shame the finale turned out this way though.
Got a thought on the Shiner centennial series? Let’s hear it -
