Great Lakes Christmas Ale

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

11/27/06: Bottle.
Red-brown body with a medium head, light tan in color. Lace clings to glass. Aroma is nicely spiced. Flavor is malty with plenty of spice- cinnamon, nutmeg and clove with a touch of orange zest. Finish has a slight hop bite.

Sampled on 11/28/2006 at the Winking Lizard Tavern (Crosswoods) in Columbus, Ohio... Clear, darker copper color with a very dense and creamy off-white head that never went away. Lots of lacing on the glass. The aroma was mostly like sugar cookies, toasted malt, and a hint of ginger spice. The flavor was just like the aroma. The spices were detectable, but not too dominating. Medium body, but felt very full and creamy in the mouth. Overall this beer was very well blended, balanced, and clean. I also have a 12 oz bottle of this in the cellar to try later in the holiday season and will update my comments at that time... 22 oz draught, $4.95 from the Winking Lizard Tavern.

2006 Vintage from bottle on 3/31/2007... Aroma = Sweet bready malt and spices (cloves and cinnamon). Appearance = Transparent light amber color with a large, creamy off-white head that leaves a substantial residual crown and detailed lacing. Flavor = Mldly sweet, full of gingerbread flavors, and a little chocolate. The alcohol is well integrated. Palate = Medium-full, smooth, and quite creamy. The 2006 Christmas Ale is a very well balanced brew and an excellent beer overall. 12 oz bottle (7.5% ABV), Enjoy by 1/27/07.

12oz bottle from Premier Gourmet. Poured a dark amber with a soft white head. The aroma is very warm with some cinnamon in it. The beer has a spicy taste that, again, as a warmth about it. Mildly sweet and nicely spiced. A nice winter brew and a good complement to apple or pumpkin pie.

This is the best christmas brew I’ve had to date. Spicey, dirty aroma with some hops. See through body, clean golden copper color with a thick off-white head. The palate is medium. Very nutty taste with good malt presence. Some spices are in the mix, but they don’t overpower like in most examples of this style.

Every description thus far fits this beer, nothing you wouldn’t expect. Taste and palate compare to Harpoon’s winter offering with less carbonation and significantly less nutmeg. So it’s more enjoyable in that regard. Enjoyable nonetheless, I’ll be sure to have a few on hand throughout my winter break.

Thanks to RagallachMC. Pours clear amber/orange with a quickly dissipating white head. Aroma of ginger and sweet malt. Taste hit me as ginger, orange, malts and cinnamon. This is what I look for in a Christmas ale; a nice spice blend, not too overpowering.

Pours a clear amber color with an off-white head. Aroma is of ginger, cinnamon, other earthy spices, yeast, and a hint of citrus. Flavor begins with the ginger and cinnamon up front that gives way to the yeasty, citrus flavor to finish. Better then I expected but still not really my kind of beer.

on tap at the brewpub, i’ve also had it bottled. Pours reddish with a beige head. Aroma of cinnamon and ginger. Tastes of malt with a heavy spice taste of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Finish is smooth, the high alcohol is not in the taste. Always look forward to this one around the holidays.