The bustling San Antonio beer scene always gives Alamo City something to discuss over a cold one. From two Hill Country breweries nabbing medals at a Denver beer competition to local brewpubs offering seasonal sips for holiday revelers, we've untapped all the essential brewery news this December.

Seasonal sips
San Antonio breweries are getting into the spirit of the season with spiced stouts, aromatic ales, and other festive drinks guaranteed to get everyone into a jolly ol' mood.

• Free Roam Brewing adds crystal and dark malts to give its Bison Spice ale wintry notes of caramel and toffee. A finishing touch of cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla adds extra warmth.
• Longtab Brewing's mainstay spiced Belgian quad, GBNT (Green Beret Nap Time), has a new twist with pie spices and a touch of vanilla.
• Thirsty Pups Brewery brings A Dark Night to Castle Hills, a Baltic porter winter warmer with layers of molasses, caramel, licorice, and dark fruit.
• Idle Beer Hall and Brewery transformed its Gold Standard brew with a house-made extract using cacao shells, cinnamon, star anise, and ancho chile. The result is Golden Hour, a Mexican chocolate golden stout.
• Roadmap Brewing Co. took cues from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to create Cousin Eddy's Hot Coco, an imperial stout brewed with marshmallow and hot chocolate.
• Gather Brewing is still pouring Binx's Brew, a pumpkin ale, but try the winter mimosa flight for more holiday feels. The curious sampler comes in four flavors (gingersnap, white pine, poinsettia, and winter spice) and is available from 10 am-2 pm during weekend brunch.
• Five Stones Brewery is releasing Night Divine, a boozy barrel-aged brew that comes in at a punchy 10% alcohol by volume.
• Cactus Land Brewing is spiking holiday parties with cranberry rum punch, made with pineapple, lemon, spiced rum, and vodka.

Gather's seasonal mimosa flight.Gather Brewing/ Facebook

Mile High honors
Two San Antonio-area breweries cleaned up at the recent Denver International Beer Competition — besting hundreds of breweries and meaderies from around the world.

Boerne's 28 Songs Brewhouse and Kitchen was honored with five medals:

• Secret Squirrel: gold, American Brown Ale
• Dark Malt Rises: gold, Schwarzbier
• Golden Hero: gold, British Golden Ale
• Bavarian Bliss: silver, Munich Helles
• Bonfire Blonde: bronze, Blonde Ale

Universal City's Gather Brewing received three award:

1. Uno Mas: silver, International Pale Lager
2. Flatbed Red: silver, Red IPA
3. Main Squeeze: bronze, Hazy IPA