Great Lakes Christmas Ale

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

12oz bottles acquired in trades with OhioDad and I can’t remember who else (thanks!). The 1st bottle I opened I noticed was dated best before Jan ’04. This one was all cardboard. Good thing I had another one dated best before Jan. 20, 06. Poured a medium and clear amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of honey, ginger, other spices, and citrus. Tastes of lighter honey and ginger with caramel.

Bottle. Pours a medium amber color, clear for the most part, beige color head. Nice aroma, good balance between the sweeter malt and the spices, definitely some ginger and cinnamon. It all works together well, very complimentary, sweet and spicy. Medium to full body, moderate carbonation. Very good.

Bottles shared with HogTownHarry, blankboy & tupalev - courtesy of HogTownHarry & blankboy. Bright amber with a moderate head. Nice aroma of candyish malt, dark honey, cinnamon & clove. Flavour holds a great balance of malt and spice, with hops & honey in the finish. Quite nice.

Sparkling deep copper, fizzy off white head. Spicy nose of ginger, cinnamon, and dried citrus, with lighter notes of honeycomb and juniper. Gingery flavor mellows into cinnamon and citric honey tones. Some faint hints of cherry emerge at room temp. Nice spice, malt, hop balance throughout. Medium bodied and slick, light carbonation, spicy finish. Really wish Great Lakes was available in MD. My 3rd beer from them in the last few months, and without a doubt, another winner in my book....

2 bottles shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow & tupalev -- courtesy of HogTownHarry and me. Pours a clear orange/amber with an average size foamy white head. Nice lacing. Sweet and spicy aroma of malt, cinnamon, ginger and citrus hops. Flavour is mildly spicy (cinnamon & ginger) along with some malt, hops and honey -- quite nice! Medium bodied. I really enjoyed it.

Bottle 335ml. Thanks to jsquire!
Amber, and wow, what an aroma. Full of christma. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardemon, orange zest. And full of all the above in taste as well. The hops are not noticed until the bitter aftertaste. Well balanced. Could maybe have been a bit more full bodied and sweeter.

Bottles shared with HogTown Harry, GregClow, and Blankboy - courtesy of Harry and blankboy. Orange pour, medium white head. Aroma has notes of bready malt, spice and citrus. I was a little shocked by the taste, as it is quite bitter with no hint of hops at all from the aroma. Medium foamy mouthfeel. Taste is also quite spicy, it seemed like Christmas, but not one spice stood out. This was a really nice one to sip, it seemed to grow in complexity as it warmed with more flavours revealing themselves. A very solid beer that started average but ended quite well.

Bottle. Courtesy of ??? at argo0 and Kathy Holiday Party. Took this back home with me and am drinking it today. Ruby tinged amber with a small off-white head. Nose is very spicy. Lots of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Maybe gingerbread cookies spirnkled with cinnamon. Taste is semi-sweet and has lots of spices about ti. More cinnamon and ginger, light caramel, hint of nutmeg, chewy malts, and light bitterness. Splash of honey sweetness in the background as well. Body is medium with a slight stickiness to it. Lots of spices lingering on the palate as well. Finishes with more ginger, a toned down cinnamon flavor, light caramel and sweet malts. This would go great with gingerbread man cookies or even oatmeal raisin cookies. Nice!