My friend and colleague Don Russell writes in Philadelphia as “Joe Sixpack,” and has been enlightening the palates of the beer curious from Allentown to the Jersey shore for years, largely through his eponymous column in the Philadelphia Daily News. But his secret obsession for all this time, which I knew nothing about, is Christmas and holiday beers, those wonderful winter warmers that light our (all-too-short) days and sooth our nights through these cruelest months.
And now he’s come out of his Yuletide closet with a book proclaiming his deep affections: Wishing You a Merry Christmas Beer: The Cheeriest, Tastiest, and Most Unusual Holiday Brews. (That’s the official title, but if you walk into your local bookstore asking for “Christmas Beers” by Russell, that should suffice.)
Published in hardcover, with colour illustrations and a most reasonable price, this is a must for any true beer aficionado on your list, and not just because I’m trying to do a favour for Don. (Truth is, it’s been his round for the past couple of years, so I’ve little to gain from this.) The lead-in is entertaining and amusing, at times personal, and the write-ups on his Top 50 Holiday picks are mouth-watering enough to make you want to head straight to your local beer retailer and stock up on as many as you can.
Don and I don’t agree on everything – wouldn’t it be boring if we did? – but we concur on many selections, including his number one pick, which I also feature in this month’s edition of Playboy. As for the identity of that particular ale, well, you’ll just have to pick up Don’s book or the current Playboy to find out! (Okay, it’s Mad Elf from Troegs Brewing of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. And we also agree on at least five others.)
Who to give it to: The Christmas beer-inclined, or even the Christmas beer-frustrated.
Buy it at: Don’s site or the usual book outlets.
