It's Raining Weizenbock

Man, what's the deal with all the good dark wheat beers this year? About a year ago, I had pretty limited experience with dunkelweizens and weizenbocks – Shiner's now-defunct version of the former and Aventinus' take on the latter. But in 2008, Saint Arnold issued the limited-edition Divine Reserve No. 7, Shiner put out the peach-and-pecan flavored Holiday Cheer, and just in the past three weeks or so, I've been knocked out by three tap-only winners. First I raved about North by Northwest's dunkelweizen, and now the cyber-ink was barely dry on my applause for Live Oak's Primus Weizenbock when I found myself marveling over yet another of these banana-tinged beauties: Last night, while screaming like a crazy person over Texas' Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State, my taste buds were doing the same over Uncle Billy's Brew & Que's "Yule Be Bock." It easily keeps pace with the NXNW and Live Oak brews. Get down there and treat yourself to a few while it's still available (not to mention some excellent barbecue).