# sez: a can of Budweiser that has gone flat. I accomplish that by leaving it open overnight. The resulting beverage has a delicate nose and is not in the least pretentious. It is best served with cold beans on toast. I give it an 8/10.

It's really good for killing snails in your garden, too....

---

As for me, I try to sample as many different Christmas ales as I can find. I couldn't find Trader Joe's buck-a-bottle Winter Brew last year, but it's back in good form this year. It's a dark double bock lager, and it's darn good.

At San Francisco's Camp New Harmony every year, we celebrate New Year's with the "Triple Crown." We start with a John Barleycorn workshop, sampling Anchor Christmas Ale from as many years as Charlie Fenton can find (usually 10-20 varieties). After that is a free-for-all beer sampling, and then Pub Songs and Sea Songs workshops (well-lubricated, of course). A perfect way to end the year.

-Joe-