Great Lakes Christmas Ale

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

12 oz bottle. Copper, bubbly pour. The nose was filled with malt, yeast and spice. The spices dominated the flavor especially the cinnamon. Still, there were hints of sweet malts and bitter hops that lead to a bitter aftertaste. Thin to medium body with substantial carbonation. A comfortable and tasty winter warmer.

12oz bottle pours a clear reddish amber with virtually no head, it looks lifeless. Aromas of spice, honey, figs, caramel and molasses. Flavors are cinnamon, nutmeg, ans sweet honey. Fairly long spice finish. Palate is thin and boring. This beer is trying to have a lot of complexity but falls short.

Draft. Pours amber with a thin white head. Spicy nose with hints of ginger and cinnamon. Flavors follow the nose adding a pleasant malt tone and hop bitterness. I like this Christmas ale a lot.

12oz bottle. Pours a clear deep amber with a medium off-white head. Aroma of cinnamon, ginger, clove and some hop. Flavor of ginger and cinnamon with a bitey hop finish. I have had this one many times and could never figure out what made it so good other than the fact that they did not wuss out on the amount of spice. I finally figured out that they were able to make a huge spiced beer and still give it enough hop character so as not to be overly sweet. Also, I have had some beers of the same style that tend to be a bit tart. These guys got it right. Still the best Christmas Ale I have ever had.

Bottle that was kindly passed on in a trade by the marvellous Miketd when we met in NYC in Nov 08, cheers me old china. Pours copper in colour with great clarity and an off white head. The aroma is a little sweet, malty, bit boozy. Cinnamon and allspice reveal themselves in the mouth there is also a slight metallic edge to this. Soft on the palate, easy drinking for its strength and whilst a nice beer it seemed to lack a certain something. Glad that I got to try this and once again big thumbs up to Mike. A6 A5 F6 P3 OV13 3.3

On tap at McGregors. Orange, with great lacing. I seem to be the only one, but has a fruity bouquet along with the usual cinnamon and nutmeg. The thing I like is this one has some backbone, some hops, to balance the spices and malty sweetness. This is good, one I liked in a style I do not typically think much of.

Thanks to dragonstout and beervirgin for the keg of this. Nice deep copper pour with a thin white head. Cinnamon, nutmeg and slightly malty aroma. nice malt bosy with lots of holiday spices and a slight bitterness. Finishes with a slight coca cola sweetness.

Imperial pint served draft at The Galway Tribes (Frankfort, IL). Pours a nicely hazed dark orangey copper with a prominent tannish head. Aromas are very nice: some creamy sweety malt mix well with cinnamon, caramel, touch of ginger, and biscuity toffee malts. Taste is a bit more muted bready toffee malts with a touch of cinnamon and ginger. Finishes with a little hoppy bitterness and leaves the toasted biscuity carmel maltiness on the palate. Nice.