What to Get a Texas Beer Lover for Christmas?

The Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner celebrates its 100th birthday next year and while we'll have to wait until January for the anniversary beer to be released, a new book on the history of the brewery has already hit the bookstores--just in time for Christmas. The hefty coffee table book (beer table book?) is packed with archival photos, old Shiner beer advertising, and tales of Kosmos Spoetzl.

The best of five dominos tournament between Willie Nelson and Shiner brewmaster John Hybner described in "Chapter 6: The Austin Thing: Part I: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Armadillo, 1966-1976" will be of particular interest to historians of Texas beer and music culture. And aging hippies will weep with nostalgia over the old photos of Armadillo World Headquarters. -- Robb Walsh

Shine On: 100 Years of Shiner Beer, Mike Renfro, Bright Sky Press, $35.