I finished off the Craft Beer Advent Calendar a couple days ago, but this year Craft Beer Importers added a Xmas gift to the line up. As a separate gift pack, they offer a bottle of a special label beer from Saugatuck Brewing in Michigan. With the same label as the Calendar box and with Craft’s logo, it is clearly intended to link to the advent calendar. The beer name is, simply, Gingerbread Cookie Ale.

I don’t know if this was made exclusively for Craft, or if it is a private label run of a regular beer they release. My two minutes of research makes me think it is an exclusive, but I could be wrong. (Yes, I am lazy, but mostly a bit busy as it is the holiday season after all, people!)

I thought I would post a review of it, just for completion’s sake.

It pours deep reddish-brown with a pockmarked light tan head. The aroma is ginger, brown sugar and a dry graininess with a hint of fruitiness. Can you say gingerbread cookie? I mean, it is like a fresh cookie.

On the other hand, the start of the taste has a distinct amber ale beginning. It has light caramel, brown sugar and a soft malt graininess. The middle brings out a moderate ginger accent, which mostly adds an earthy spiciness to the beer. The linger is light ginger and a bit of earthy hop. Although I do find the ginger builds as you sip.

The aroma is more ginger cookie-like than the taste. Seriously, the aroma really nails the ginger cookiness. The beer itself is more balanced. There is a nice amber ale as a base with just some ginger notes. I think they do a good job of the balance, although the beer lacks a spark, something that lasts through the glass. I find my interest lagged as I continued tasting. Still, gotta love that aroma.