Making Merry: Samuel Adams Merry Maker

There is one thing I love about this time of year more than anything else: the beer.  Sure, I could have mentioned family, food, fellowship, or presents, but let’s be serious for a minute.  There are some pretty amazing beers on the shelves right now, and Samuel Adams' 9% ABV gingerbread stout Merry Maker is one of them.

Merry Maker is the perfect beer for a cold winter night.   Speaking of night, that is exactly how it pours.  Light doesn’t shine through, and I happen to love that.

I could say drinking Merry Maker is like drinking a gingerbread cookie, but that isn’t totally so.  While the mixture of ginger and spices is certainly present, it is far from overpowering. In fact, for all the dark roasted malt, the beer is wonderfully balanced with a subtle sweetness.

Last year Merry Maker was called Merry Mischief.  I’m not sure what warranted the name change, and frankly don’t care.  I loved Merry Mischief last year, and I love Merry Maker this year.  They could call it Merry Whatever, and I would still drink it.

I’m hoping to find it on draft soon. If you see a bottle, pick it up.  It’s available nationwide right now.

Note: My good friends at Samuel Adams provided me with a bottle of Merry Maker, but truth be told, I beat them to the punch.  I had already picked one up!