While it hasn't actually been announced yet, beer geeks report that Shiner 100, the beer that will mark Shiner's 100th anniversary, will be a dopplebock. The robust German-style beer will be labled Shiner Commemorator.

Doppelbocks are traditionally darker and stronger than standard bocks. Shiner Commemorator will be 6.7% alcohol. It's an old German brewing tradition to give a starkbier, or doppelbock a name that ends in -ator. Paulaner Salvator was the original doppelbock, it was brewed by monks for consumption during Lent when solid food was forbidden. When the Salvator name received a patent, German breweries began to give their dopplebocks other names ending in -ator, such as Optimator, Celebrator and Maximator. There are now some 200 such German dopplebocks.

The Shiner anniversary beer series started with an Oktoberfest labeled 96, then came 97, a Bohemian Black Lager, number 98 was a Bavarian-style Amber, and 99 was a Helles. Look for Shiner 100: Commemorator to turn up on store shelves in early January.