Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs Of Christmas Ale

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This beer poured with a nice bright copper colored body topped off by a thin light tan head that left minimal lace. The aroma is cinnamon and clove with some sweet caramel malt. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth with very nice carbonation. Flavor profile is spicy with some sweet caramel and toffee coming though, not much balance. Note that one year of aging seems to actually make the body appear darker and accentuates the flavors very well.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Pours a mostly clear burnt orange/reddish color with a medium sized head with good retention and a couple decent rings of lacing stick to the glass as the initial head recedes. The aroma is quite the holiday nose: ginger and cinnamon are most prominent, but some lighter notes of nutmeg and dried fruit contribute well. There's also a nice underlying caramel sweetness, along with lightly toasted breadiness. The taste is fairly toasty maltiness up front, with a healthy dose of caramel flavor and sweetness. A sweet beer, overall. A light kiss of herbal hop bitterness adds some focus. The holiday spices (especially cinnamon and ginger) are well done without becoming overbearing. The mouthfeel is medium bodied. This drinks smoothly and easily for 7.8% abv. Alcohol isn't really detectable at all, minus a very faint warming nip into the finish.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

I am reviewing the 2010 version which is superior to the previous incarnations. This beer is very similar to Great Lakes Christmas Ale, and for the first time, I believe, is on par. Lots of spices in the aroma (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg) and honey sweetness in the finish. It hides its 7.8% alcohol very well. This beer pours crystal-clear dark copper, the lacework persists and head remains thin throughout. If you like GLBC's offering, definitely try this alternative.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Part of my 12 Beers of Christmas '09. Pours a clear deep amber with a sustained small head and good lacing. Huge spice aroma with cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and bunches of other stuff all mixed in. Taste is spicy - like a Christmas cake - with a slightly bitter nuttiness and funky linger. The abv is well-hidden though.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

These 12 dogs need to be neutered. Big time! Talk about over the top spices!! Jeez Maneez! The beer has a dark amber/garnet hue with a very quickly evaporating head. The flavors and aromas are extremely bold and heavy with the Christmas spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, mixed in with the honey. Way too heavy. If you offered Santa this on Christmas Eve, he'd probably return all of your gifts! Tone it down and balance it out, Thirsty Dog! Please!

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 3 | Flavor: 3 | Overall: 3

Purfumy spicy aroma, smells a little aromatic and volatile. Spice overtones override any beer taste. Difficult and medicinal. Malty bitter lager feeling on the palate. Comes across fairly strong. Finish is long weird spice linger, wew. Will not buy again. 12DCA S5L3F2T305

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Imagine my excitement when this beer started popping up, as a huge fan of Thirsty Dog I couldn't wait to try this.....of course there was a feeling in my gut that convinced me to get a couple singles instead of the entire six pack. Well, thank you gut that was a great call because this beer has some major issues. Dark amber pour with a filmy tan head and good lacing. Aroma of crystal malt, caramel and overpowering ginger. There are a handful of other bakers spices involved, but that ginger strong arms all of them. Boozy with a medium-thin body that becomes overly sweet, syrupy in fact. Over spiced flavor creating an unbalanced drink. Too much ginger is an understatement. There seems to be a solid malt content, but it all gets overshadowed by the spice. Vegetables in the aftertaste, it was difficult to finish the glass. Thirsty Dog is capable of putting out a better winter spice beer. I had to immediately drown out the lasting aftertaste with a Great Lakes Commodore Perry.