I am now looking at an empty calendar box. The final beer is opened and nothing more to anticipate (until next year). And so without further ado, here is the review of the last Craft Beer Advent Calendar beer for 2012.

24. Bad Attitude Rudolph

A Swiss Xmas ale/winter warmer, supposedly with juniper, ginger and cinammon. Sitting at 8.2%, it is warmerish enough. Pours a little lighter than I expected –  a hazy reddish-orange. Tons of  carbonation builds a thick, creamy head. Some particulate matter gets caught up in the co2 rush which is a little unappealing. In the smell I get caramel malt, brown sugar, touches of toffee. It has a robust earthiness, and some ginger spiciness. Cinnamon, if it is in there, is subtle. An interesting enough start.

At first sip I taste caramel, dark honey and a big fruity character. This is quickly matched by ginger and an odd woody earthiness.Tthe middle also exhibits some sharp berry and light tartness. It has a creamy body to it. The finish is balanced with a pronounced spiciness and touches of citrus bitterness. I find the finish is oddly spicy and sharp. It fights the malt start.

There are interesting qualities to this beer, but somehow it doesn’t seem quite aligned. If I isolate the different components of the beer, they present well. The malt is pleasant. The spicing is interesting. The juniper adds an earthiness to it. But put them together and it doesn’t quite work. The pieces don’t come together properly. Plus I think I want a little more body and more of a warming to give it a winter-y feel. This seems too thin for that.

So, there you have it. The 2012 Craft Beer Advent Calendar. Only 341 days to go until we can start the next one.

And as I take the last few sips of Rudolph, allow me to wish all of you and your families a very festive holiday season and new year. Enjoy yourself and drink some good beer!