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Tony George sworn in as Wilkes-Barre mayor

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Remember When: New Year’s circa 1960 meant bundling up and getting ready to head back to school

<p>Happy New Year! This year is going to be special when it comes to brewing and drinking beer. Throughout 2015 we saw microbrews open all over the country with a few good ones brewing right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Local microbreweries like Breaker Brewing Company, Susquehanna Brewing Company, Lion Brewery and 3 Guys &amp; a Beard are producing a variety of great tasting beers. The local bars and restaurants are adding more taps and giving patrons a wider variety of choices when it comes to beer. People are starting to move away from the old standards like Coors Light, Miller Lite and Budweiser and moving to the seasonal beers like summer ales, Oktoberfests, pumpkin ales and winter warmers.</p><p>I headed to Breaker Brewing Company for a few beers and a bite to eat. I love Breaker because of the atmosphere and great beers they brew on site. They had eight beers on tap including one called Belsnickler Ale, a winter warmer and a name that intrigued me. I am a sucker for a good winter warmer so I ordered one.</p><p>I was curious to the Belsnickler name so I did some research and, boy, was I surprised. In German and Pennsylvania Dutch folklore, Belsnickel is the cranky cousin of Santa. The name Belsnickel loosely means St. Nicholas in furs, and was the forerunner to Santa. A few days before Christmas, a mean looking man covered in furs would knock at your door and step in with a bag of candy and nuts in one hand and a hickory switch in the other. Once inside, he would call the children up one by one to recite a poem, a bible verse or a math equation. Once completed, he would warn the children about being good and then toss the candy and nuts on the floor. Any child that forgot their manners and scrambled for the candy ended up getting the switch. You see, Belsnickel came a few days before Santa which gave the children one last chance to be good.</p><p><strong>Sight:</strong> Belsnickler Ale pours a hazy chestnut color with a rich beige head of about an inch to an inch and a half thick that lasts through several sips. When you hold it up to the light you can see slight reddish hues. I liked the color and was impressed that this winter ale was served in a Belgian Tulip glass. The sight of this beer made my mouth water with anticipation.</p><p><strong>Aroma:</strong> The aroma of this Belsnickler Ale was intoxicating. At first smell I got a combination of a sweet candied sugar, cocoa, malts and yeast. The back notes consisted of cherries and plums. Combined, the scent of plum pudding or raisin bread was apparent.</p><p><strong>Taste:</strong> With my first sip, I tasted the malts and yeast which are traditional with a Belgian dopple or quad beer. Quickly you taste hints of orange peel which combines perfectly with the malts and yeast. At first swallow, you taste back notes of what I thought were figs and molasses along with a very slight hint of clove.</p><p>Overall, Breaker Breweing Company&#8217;s Belsnickler Ale was a real treat. The complex flavors along with its smooth drinkability and an ABV of 8.1 percent make this a dangerously good beer to drink. I recommend making a stop at Breaker Brewing Company to try one before it is all gone.</p><p>You can pair Belsnickler Ale with a grilled pork chop or a big bowl of mac and cheese.</p><p>Try their other seasonal beers like Laurel Line Lemongrass Ale, 5 Whistle Watermelon Ale and Mine Fire Blackberry Jalapeno Ale.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Jim McCabe The Beer Meister </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_james.jpg</photo0><caption0>Jim McCabe The Beer Meister </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_belsnick.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Belsnickler is a seasonal brew from Breaker Brewing Company. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_belsnick.jpg</photo1><caption1>Belsnickler is a seasonal brew from Breaker Brewing Company. </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted photo </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Jim McCabe</p><p>The Beer Meister</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>The Beer Meister is a new column that will appear twice a month in the Times Leader</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p style="text-align: left;">Jim McCabe is an avid beer enthusiast and the circulation manager for the Times Leader.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

The Beer Meister: The Belsnickler cometh