Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Thanks to Crizay for the Christmas cheer. Pours burnt orange with a moderate white head that lasts a while. Aroma is very faint on this one. Maybe there’s some honey? toffee? a bit of alcohol? Too tough to tell at the time of these notes. Tastes slightly sweet with toffee, brown sugar, cinnemon, bitter gingerbread and caramel with a finish that’s moderately bitter with honey, toffee and sugary breadcrust. Medium bodied and not all that creamy in texture, I think the alcohol is a little high and the beer just doesn’t carry it well. Also, the flavors seemed too weak. I should like what I tasted, but it should have packed significant more "mmph." Could be good....

Poured a hazy gold color with very little head. Smell was very malty with some hints of yeast/bread. Taste was spicey and sweet. There was something about this beer that just did not appeal to me.

Clear light orange brew with an average thick foamy head. Sweet malty sweet angel food cake aroma, like someone is baking sugar cookies. Smooth, medium bodied, light all-spice and nutmeg, lightly sweet with a nice warmth filling the chest. Very faint alcohol aftertaste is the only thing I don’t enjoy about this one.

Canton, Oh. - Winking Lizard Tavern - on tap. Dark copper pour with a faint white head. Aroma of gumballs and cherries. Sweet flavor with white grapes. hint of cinnamon, and a back end of cherries. A bit too sweet for my liking - just this side of cloying. Clean, even, smooth mouthfeel.

Pours a reddish amber color with a flat off white head. Aroma is of a lot of spices, cinnamon and ginger. Flavor is also very spicy and malty cinnamon really comes through with what seems like is some clove.

Bottle. Pours a clear medium amber with one finger tan head and zero lacing. Nose is malt, spice and honey. Taste is caramel malt and mild cinnamon with a hint of bitter hops in the finish. Mouth feel is medium. Not as spicy as I thought it would be which is a good thing, but probably has to do with the age more than the beer.

2007 was an off year for this seasonal. The bottle pours an amber color. The aroma is full of cinnamon and honey.Thce flavor is smooth and malty with a touch of cinnamon spice and honey and it sticks to the mouth for the finish. This bottle is about 8 months old and I must say it has aged well. When it was released 10/07 it was not as lively and complex as previous batches. This bottle however seems to have improved. Hope the 2008 batch gets back on track and is their best yet!

pours a amber brown with mild head, smooth malt vanilla spice aroma, initial spice front with mild finish, light malt background, dry finish to after taste.