12 Dogs Of Christmas Ale - Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

OsuJohn

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- darker than an amber, kinda like a dark Irish red.. clear and retaining about an inch of head. No laceing.

S- now I sound pretentious... Roasted barley, caramel, orange?

T- malty, a little bit of bread or biscut

M- I can feel the alcohol in the end, but overall not bad. Smooth until the end where you have a slight alcohol taste.

O- I think I will buy it again... It should be noted that this beer competes directly with Columbus brewing company winter warmer and great lakes Christmas ale. In Columbus it will be. A close call between this beer and Columbus winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 04:38:31 | More by OsuJohn

minterro

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Two Christmas Ales in a row it must be my lucky day

On the bottle is says drink cold so ill try and ably

A & S: smell is there but not powerful, its mostly ginger with hints of sweet malts. Little more then a finger of light tan head. The head fades pretty quick and the lacing doesn’t hang much either.

T & M: not very sweet but still pretty malty. Nutmeg is noted and present not much honey but when it present its at the start of the taste. A more bitter version then other winter warmer I’ve had. Pretty crisp (a little bit too much carbonation), on the medium side of bodied.

O: Pretty good overall, nothing truly special but good.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 03:21:15 | More by minterro

stercomm

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle

A - Light coppery with a very slight off-white head , great glass lacing almost looks like frost on the window

S - Get a maltiness and some cinnamon

T - Wow, this beer has a lot going on, get a slight sweetness on the front that is immediately replaced by a burst of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and possibly some cloves), finish nice and dry just the way I like it.

M - Full bodied, medium carbonation, some sweetness.

O - I really like this beer, a great Christmas ale, the spices are exceptional

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 23:05:25 | More by stercomm

Innocentexile

Ohio

2.55/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

poured from 12 oz.

A-hazy red/brown color. absolutely zero head. laces a little bit though

S-subtle scent of spices and cinnamon. not very impressive though. i was "searching" for a scent. it's there, its just not flamboyant

T-weird. I got an alcohol taste with very slight spices and ginger. not really appealing to me. I really have a hard time tasting the "christmas" in this ale. maybe its just a bad bottle

O-not at all what I was expecting. not very good to me. again, maybe just a bad bottle. I'll need a fresh one. but thats hard since they dont date the bottles

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 07:08:53 | More by Innocentexile

GreenGoblinCC

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great X-mas Ale! Slight notes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove and Honey make this taste like Christmas is right around the corner! 8% doesn’t hurt either! I do not think it is as good as the 2009 batch, as for the 2010 batch there is no comparison this years batch is excellent! Tasted the B.A. 12 Dogs at Blues and Brews....Amazing!!! Hopefully the Akron area will see a couple of those kegs this winter!

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 02:02:19 | More by GreenGoblinCC

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reading the latest reviews I figure this one holds up well for last years winter warmer.

A - Wow over 10 months old and no sediment, in fact it poured a full inch of creamy dark white head. Color is a deep clear brown amber.

S - Spices are kind of subdued but I can smell a bit of nutmeg, cinnamon, and sweet caramel.

T - Damn ginger is strong with this one (also clashes with the toasted malts) sticking to the back of my tongue with every sip. Very warming indeed with great aspect of cinnamon and a touch of honey. I even get some bitter piney hops which was a surprise for its age.

M - Medium bodied which is surprising for such a big beer.

Overall I really need to try this fresh since something just isn't clicking maybe the toasted malt, hops, or ginger but I feel it would taste better fresh. Very hard to tell though since they don't date their bottles...

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 03:31:06 | More by DrDemento456

Kleez

Ohio

4.6/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Good Xmas Ale. A quick up and comer in my experience. Great look and smell. very sweet and cinnimiiny smell. warms you up quick. gives your lips a bit of a tingle. goes great with sweets including xmas cookies or something more on the saltier side. Every year I find I am having more of a craving for 12 Dogs than Great Lakes

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2011 02:42:34 | More by Kleez

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

red brown with a big cream colored head, that was thick and long lasting. Smelled deeply of malt and spices, nutmeg and almost a cinnamon. Taste was a little thin. The spiceness was definatly there and actually felt a bit warm going down. Great mouthfeel as the carbonation was pretty much perfect. Very very drinkable,

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 01:21:05 | More by mikesgroove

Trystero

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Christmas in July? I think so. Found this whilst going through my cellar and figured there's no time like the present. Behind GLBC Christmas Ale, this would be my second choice, with Southern Tier Old Man Winter rounding on the top three. Poured into a Bell's snifter.

A - Ruby red and radiant. Pours with a thick snowy head that melts away.

S - Phenominal. All at once, one is invited to spice; ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, followed pleasantly by honey. Almost no malt can be detected but after the decadent array of florals and spices in the nose, one does not even care.

T - The taste perfectly follows the nose. Amazingly complex and ritch yet at the same time refreshing. Comfort; the feeling of arriving home after a long journey through snow and dark. Ginger and honey linger on the finish with slight warming from the 8.3% alcohol. The warmth is quite welcome.

M - After approx. 6 months there is slightly less carbonation but it's still there. Thin though refreshing. It really hits the spot.

O - While I am indeed looking forward to fall seasonals, Pumking and the like, I can't but help to gaze slightly further in the coming seasons and await these winter warmers with surmounting anticipation.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 00:23:28 | More by Trystero

drabmuh

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by Amyliz4 at her Christmas in July party the other night. Another Winter warmer in July, YAY! Served in a tiny ticking snifter....for ticking.

Beer is quite dark, amber, clear, decent white head, some carbonation, some lacing, looks fine.

Beer smells primarily of nutmeg, perhaps some cinnamon.

Beer tastes a little like tree sap, pine needles with nutmeg, the pine is quite forward throughout the beer. Interesting, if this were labeled IPA nad tasted like resin I may even like it but this isn't hoppy, it tastes like spruce extract almost. Interesting, I suppose but not a repeat for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 12:06:09 | More by drabmuh

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bottle consumed at our Christmas in July tasting this past weekend. Served in a SAVOR snifter.

Pours a dark amber-bronze color with a pretty good white head and a nice collar throughout. Some spotty lacing. The nose brings some light cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavor has the cinnamon and nutmeg as well, but with the addition of a good amount of pine. Medium body and a really dry finish. Decent enough, but not something I'd go back to.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 01:39:52 | More by Thorpe429

warnerry

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Notes from Dec. 2010

Pours a clear deep reddish brown with two fingers of head.

Smell is cinnamon and nutmeg, followed by caramel malt. Nothing great, but decent.

Tastes is heavy spices up front that gradually give way to caramel malts. Lingering cinnamon on the finish. there is also some slight hop bitterness and a floral taste that I can't quite make out. Overall, a decent blend of flavors, but something seems a little off.

Generally a light mouthfeel, though not particularly clean. Leaves traces of roasted malt.

Overall a pretty good Christmas beer, but nowhere near one of the best.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 22:06:40 | More by warnerry

sk8man121

Maine

4.63/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into Allagash chalice.

A: Pours a mostly opaque reddish-brown with faint orange highlights. 1-finger head quickly dies down to a mere cap, leaving no lacing on the glass.

S: Strong ginger in the nose, along with honey, orange peel and cardamom. Very festive; not unlike offerings from Yankee Candle (yup).

T: Wow. Ginger dominates, in an extremely clean and tasteful way. This beer is all honey and spice bouquet; impossible to pick apart, really, but oh so well-balanced and smooth. As far as I'm concerned, the alcohol doesn't exist. Incredible.

M: Medium carbonation, perhaps on the high side. This causes the beer to cream up nicely, although I can see this being quite thin when it flattens.

O: I found a stray bottle of this sitting on the shelves with no idea what to expect, and I can't get over how happy I am to have come upon it. This has got to be the best example of a Winter Warmer that I've ever had, and it more than hits the spot, even on a 67 degree spring evening. I'm looking forward to December, if only so I can grab a case of this.

A benchmark Winter Warmer.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 02:54:48 | More by sk8man121

Jdmpolk

Florida

3.68/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A Brown-amber body topped with a brief finger length of khaki colored head. Slight lacing on the glass ending with a minute head

S spicy sweet with a hint of pair. Cinnamon and nutmeg are apparent. lf there is a trace of hops it is lost in the spice.

T very malty and smooth. There is a feeling of dry spice. Slight cola flavor creeps in at the corners. As it warms there was a toasty slightly coffee back end.

M the beer stays briefly on the young, and then dissipates. The spices remain tingling on the front and back of the tongue.

D a very drinkable beer, made better if it is cold outside. Although this beer's flavor would seem better suited for fall than winter.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 03:47:36 | More by Jdmpolk

phreshbeer

New York

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Somewhat muddy/cloudy - reddish in color. Off white head that dissipates rather quickly.

S: Cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon lead the way.

T: Anticipated by the aroma, the taste follows suit with tons of spice, also hints of honey and banana.

M/D: Somewhat light on the tongue. After such a strong spicy smell I was slightly cautious of this beer. However, I found it to be rather drinkable ( especially @ 8% ).

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 04:13:42 | More by phreshbeer

Boitnott

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It pours dark amber brown color with a small creamy head that quickly dissipates. The lacing is moderate at best, and does not last throughout. The smell is of rich spices, that are very dominate. Ginger cinnamon and nutmeg take over and mask everything else. Can smell a faint bit of malts but mostly is covered up by the spices.

The nose tastes of cinnamon and caramel malts, which makes for a really pleasant combination. As it lingers on the tongue the taste still remains as does not disappear like some beers. The finish intensifies the spices of the nose but also adds ginger, which makes it more interesting than I would have thought. The malts become more pronounced just as it goes down. With little to no ho presence the malts and spices are the focus of this beer.

The almost light body and medium carbonation accentuate the spices of the beer and really bring it together. Honestly, I am disappointed that I did not get this when Christmas time was around. It would have gone great during Christmas Eve, and I definitely could have finished a six pack of this impressive beer. Probably my favorite winter warmer of the season, granted the recency effect does play a role...

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 03:12:42 | More by Boitnott

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a New Belgium snifter

A - One-finger head of light tan foam that leaves a solid ring around the glass as it slowly falls. Color is brown, turning to very dark orange around the base of the glass. Held to a light, color is dark apricot and quite cloudy.

S - After the pour, the bottle smelled like a gourmet ginger ale had just left it. Lots of ginger in the nose, followed by nutmeg and cinnamon. There's also a sweetness there that seems more than the caramel in the malts, which supports the spices well.

T - Nicely toasted malts infused with ginger. Caramel with cinnamon follow. Finish has subtle bittering hops mixed with honey. Delicious!

M - A bit fizzy to start, and then rather clean. Reasonable carbonation. Decent body and nice structure. Finish lingers and is a tad drier than the taste suggests it might be.

D - Yummy seasonal brew that blends the malts and spices in a very attractive way. An evening with several of these would be quite enjoyable. This is the GL Christmas Ale's big brother. As good as the GL is, this shouldn't be overlooked - it's every bit as good.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 22:00:45 | More by BuckeyeSlim

LordAdmNelson

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I liked this, but I don't see why people love GL Christmas Ale so much more than it. 12 Dogs of Christmas is almost the same beer in terms of flavor, as far as I am concerned. Pours a mahogany red with little off-white head. Nose is of spices with some sweet malt thrown in. Taste follows with spices, sweet malt bill, and more spices. Maybe a bit of herbal hops on the finish. Tastes like GL Christmas, but maybe a bit more refined. Decent mouthfeel, medium, ample carbonation. Decent drink overall, not a bad beer by any means, but I am a bit tired of all the Christmas beers by now.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 15:50:04 | More by LordAdmNelson

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.58/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clean amber color with a small off white head. In the aroma, sweet and spicy, with a few honey like notes. In the taste, spicy, cinnamon primarily, and some hints of clove like honey. A spice bite and medium to light bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry cinnamon in the aftertaste. Kind of average, big cinnamon, hints of honey, but it does hide the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 15:34:28 | More by OWSLEY069

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I would like to preface this review by saying- 1) I usually do not like christmas ales, and 2) Great Lakes Christmas Ale is one of my least favorite and 12 Dogs is actually the original GL recipe that they used years ago... So, I was not expecting much from this beer that my loving father thought I would enjoy...

A- pours nice reddish copper into my tulip. Quite a few bubbles present that lead up to a one finger light crema colored head. Head goes down fairly quick with minimal lacing.

S- I get a lot of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove that hit me like a bomb which is one of the things I dislike about this style; overpowering spice. Nice malt aroma and the only hops I get show in a light fruity/citrus nose in the end. The overall impression I get on everything is of gingerbread cookies- reminds me of Dogfish Sah'tea oddly enough...

T/M- unlike alluded by the nose, the taste is NOT a malt bomb! Great caramel malt flavor with a residual sweetness most likely from the honey. Great balance of not too much spice, but you know it is there. Much like smell, this ends with strong esters that leave the mouth fruity... Compared to other Winter Warmers and Christmas Ales, I feel this is fairly light in body and refreshing. Good mild carbonation...

D- overall this is I think the best Christmas Ale I have had. Extremely drinkable and my mouth hit the floor when I saw this was 8.3% alcohol... Drinks like a 5-6% beauty... Will buy again and that alone says a lot for myself...

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 23:55:26 | More by TheGordianKnot

BB1313

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a standard pint glass. Pours a copper w/ bright white head and nice lacing. Smells like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and honey.. tastes the same. This is more on the sweet side, the hops are very fain. Finishes smooth and sweet. Drinkability isn't bad, alcohol is well masked, so it can become dangerously drinkable.. the sweetness holds it back a tad for me though.

This beer gets compared to GL Christmas Ale alot, alot of similarites. Thirsty Dog's is more of a dessert beer if you will. Christmas in a bottle. Perfect for the holidays.. recommened!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 22:56:15 | More by BB1313

GRPunk

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into a nonic pint.

A- A thin khaki head almost instantly disappears. The bronze body is clean with moderate-light carbonation. Sticky rings fall back into the body.

S- It's a nice combination of sweet and spicy. Initially, I picked up a lot of honey and cinnamon. A caramel malt backbone comes through with more investigation. It's all very Christmas-like.

T- A little overwhelming. All of the spices combine to become a little muddled. Grainy malts are in the background, but get overwhelmed by the spices. Only late in the glass did they come close to a balance with the spices. It does finish quite clean and the alcohol is really well hidden in the flavor.

M- Heavy spicing contributes to a little chalky feel. Light carbonation. A little warming alcohol is a nice touch.

D- At first I thought this was really going to be a one and done. I even noted that it might be difficult to spread a six-pack over the season. However, it kind of grew on me by the end. It's a good holiday nightcap. I'm glad I tried it, and would drink it again when I'm looking for a spicy holiday brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 04:18:19 | More by GRPunk

DannyDan

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours into a brownish red amber color with a small white head that quickly disappears. It has decent carbonation, pretty good retention and decent lacing. The smell is a pleasant mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. When tasting it I get the cinnamon, and nutmeg with a little bit of honey followed by some cloves, and malts with a gingery after taste. It is a very well balanced beer, and can hardly taste the alcohol in it. It has a nice smooth feel to it that leaves a dry chalky feeling with some tart bitterness in the mouth, and it is quite drinkable for being on the dry side. I think that this may be the beginning of a new annual X-mas drink for me. Merry X-mas to all at Beer Advocate (even though I said it a day late).

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 07:36:52 | More by DannyDan

RickS95

Indiana

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a medium brown color, looks like tea. It's filtered. The head is ample, a finger's worth, khaki in color.

Smells like Christmas, with nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves coming through.

It tastes like it smells, but you can pick up the ginger on the tongue.

It's very spicy, with a dry tart finish. It's not refreshing, but after each drink I feel like I'm ready for another one.

The tastes all go together well and this is easy to drink...maybe a little too easy for something so high in alcohol...8.3%.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 04:03:00 | More by RickS95

Thanby

Ohio

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Has a nice nut-brown look, but with almost zero head and lacing.

Smells like a lot of cinnamon backed by some honey and other traces of spice. Hard to pick out the actual malt, no detectable hops.

My friend described this pretty well when he tasted it, "It's like they dipped a cinnamon stick in honey and beat you in the face with it." Still having trouble picking out any malt character, the cinnamon is just overwhelming.

Still very smooth, the spices aren't TOO spicy, but the cinnamon just dominates and mutes everything else. A little sticky finish with a dry cinnamon flavor that lingers after the sweetness fades.

Definitely festive, warms the tummy, but not my favorite winter ale.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2010 21:28:20 | More by Thanby