Laughing Dog Holiday Ale

Aquired from BuckeyeBoy in a trade. Thank you. Pours a dark clean copper with a small head. Aroma is mild fruits and spices. I am not a fan of spice in beer unless it is a Belgian spice. This is cinnamon, malts, nutmeg.

Tons of spice in this, coriander, nutmeg cinnamon and few others. The flavour is dominated with lots of spice that get to be a little harsh. I prefer lighter spicing and more focus on the traditional malt and hop balance.

Bottled: This has a pretty spicy aroma with cinnamon, allspice, orange peel and maybe coriander, though it isn’t reflected in the description; spicy, initially, with a weird thin, quite tangy, herbal drying body in the finish; doesn’t do much for me.

On tap at OC in Boise, Pours out a dark redish brown topped with off white head. A very sweat nose and tast as well. Pretty good.

Bottle: Dark mahogany color with a light nice head and good lacing. The nose is spicy with lots of cinnamon and allspice, almost like a pumpkin beer; some subtle fruity notes and light hop, maybe orange. The flavor is a bit light but with a nice earthy pine and spicey malt base. A bit of hop backing and full body and mouthfeel. Nice. I think this would make a nice Thanksgiving beer, but drinking it now closer to Christmas seems a bit surreal, like eating cadburry cream eggs in august.

Tap at The Front Door: Red brown hues with a creammy head and lots of sticky lacing. If you want to talk about a sweet candy aroma, this isn the beer to talk about! The taste is root beer barrels and licorice with a thin feel. Normally, I don’t like sweeter beers, but this seemed appropriate for a holiday beer. Yummy.

Bottle: Deep Amber color with a moderate tan head. Aroma is spicey and citrus lined, somewhat aromatic like a seasonal potpurri. Taste was a bit of citrus, some cinnamon, sweetness, malts, and overall spiciness was present. There was also a spicey/tanginess that I can only associate with pickle brine?! Crisp in the finish, this brew left me a licking my lips and questioning my palate...

Deep amber, lasting beige head.Pumpkin pie,cinnamon nose.Effervescent spiced cinnamon malt flavor, with a slight tartness.