Great Lakes Christmas Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company

crookedhalo

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a lightly hazed medium amber color with a sustaining light cream-colored head. Spiced and malty nose, but something distracting in the aroma, oddly something like a urinal chip (maybe it's just my imagination, or the guy at the bar next to me just is wearing urinal chip cologne*). Light ginger and nutmeg spicing amidst a paler malt sweetness finishing lightly dry and astringent, with some biscuity maltiness lingering. A bit heavy, but drinkable even after the holdays are forgotten but it is still frigid outside.

*This review is proof that sometimes a bar is not the best atmosphere to be taking notes. 95% of my on-tap reviews are from growlers consumed in the privacy of my apartment.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2005 00:38:43 | More by crookedhalo

foXXtail

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer tastes like Christmas. That’s all there is to it. Sleigh rides, decking the halls, wassailing, trimming the tree…. It’s all there.

Served in a globe glass, this beer reminds me a lot of Santa. Big and round with a jolly red hue, topped off by a fluffy white head. The nose is quite inviting, with plenty of plum sweetness and spice.

The beer starts of quite strongly pine flavored, which gives way to more familiar hop flavors quickly. A fruity malt blends nicely with the bitter hop, and provides a great balance in the brew. Spice flavors are quite strong, particularly ginger and cinamon. The aftertaste is gentle, but leaves me wanting to take another sip. Sadly, the effervescence of this beer fades quickly in the mouth, though the consistency is quite nice.. .not too thick, not to thin.

Another success by the Great Lakes Brewing Company!

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2005 21:18:33 | More by foXXtail

kmpitz2

Tennessee

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer came a nice rubyed folden color with a finger of head that slowly receded from the beer. The nose was slightly cherry, with caramel and spices dancing around in the background. The flavor was pretty full on the spices, with the caramel playing more of a background role in this one. There were hints of a cherry flavor in there as well, but very far in the background. The feel was just shy of moderate. Overall this was a nice beer. I'm not a big fan of the winter warmers with spices added, but this was a solid beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2004 00:56:22 | More by kmpitz2

ken3c

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Crystal clear honey color. Thin head resolves to a ring of foam and laces a little.

Aroma has a malt sense with various spices. I think I can smell anise, nutmeg, and maybe spruce. Maybe a hint of clove. This smells wonderfull.

Very sweet and somewhat balances by a piney bitterness. The spices add interest. The aftertaste is still sweet. There is a sense of diacetyl but it blends well. Very little sense of alcohol.

Smooth and lightly carbonated. Medium to full bodied.

Very drinkable. Dangerous.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2004 04:21:33 | More by ken3c

andyo

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this eber on tap at "Bob's Bar" in Clintonville last night with my good buddy Shane.

This beer was very interesting to me. It poured a rich amber/brown color, and gave off a heavy, sweet smell. There was virtually no head on this beer at all.

My initial taste pretty much hit me hard. This is definately not a weak beer in taste! The malts are very pronounced, combined with cinnaman, honey and clove. The flavors are very sharp...if that makes since, and finishes with a bite. I really didn't care for the first sip, but this beer seemed to get better and better. Mouthfeel was thick and sticky.

A really nice, obscure christmas ale, and at $3 a pint at Bob's, I'll be enjoying this one again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2004 13:05:27 | More by andyo

DrunkenPanther

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer actually poured a lot lighter in color than I thought. It wasnt as attractive as Id have hoped. I was a bit nervous that the flavor would follow suit. Luckily it didnt.
The smell was very warm and inviting. The cinimmon was very present. It also was very full of a malt scent. Very nice.
The tastes bursts at first with cinimmon. Much like the aroma, it is follwed by another burst of malt. A light malt though and not something heavy that just sits.
Some x-mas beers are hard to get through. This one was surprisingly easy to get through, so I had a second. I didnt grow tired of the spices. It was very nice to drink.
I had this at the Brewery's Pub from a small batch made for July, I was told that they may tweak it a bit for this x-mas (Color was one thing they mentioned).

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2004 01:40:17 | More by DrunkenPanther

Mitchster

Michigan

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks go to beergeek279 and cupbeerman for bringing a growler of this to Michigan for Trbeer and I to enjoy.

Pours out to a clear, dark caramel, forming a small head with OK retention and lacing (which is pretty typical for a growlerized brew). Carbonation is mild to moderate. Aroma has dominant notes of ginger and nutmeg...tim says cardamom and I can also appreciate that. Taste is an echo of aroma, with a moderate malt sweetness, some amber malt husk, and mild caramel and tobacco lingering in the wake of some herbal and spice bitterness. Mouthfeel is smooth with a medium body.

Like the bottled version, this is nice in that it's not too overwhelming. The spices play second fiddle to the beer itself while accentuating the malts and hops. A good representative of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2004 01:12:16 | More by Mitchster

CRJMellor

Arkansas

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I reviewed in a bottle and really found it too "tricked" up with flavor.
I had it tonight at dinner on draaught and it was so much better I neede to review it again to be fair.

Poured a very clear light copper with thin white head and and thin laces up the side of the glass. Really is a pretty beer.
Ginger and Cinnamon notes are much more sudued on draught and more malt aroas shine through along with a little bit of hops.

Taste has a really nice balance of sweet cinnamon, mild to light malt and a slightly bitter finish. Feels very dry in the mouth, but nice and spicy.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2003 01:07:14 | More by CRJMellor

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on tap in a pint glass at DiMarco's. The color was copper, with a decent white head. The smell was very cinnamony. The taste was a very heavy cinnamon, with a bit of malt coming through. Mouthfeel was smooth. Drinkability-wise, the heavy cinnamon sweetness would not lead to having too many.

Though I certainly appreciate a good, spiced Christmas Ale, this seemed a little bit over the top. Maybe I was drinking it at a time I'd have preferred a more conventional beer rather than with chestnuts roasting on an open fire, but it just seemed out of place.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2003 20:03:00 | More by beergeek279

GreatPondBrewer

Oregon

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Solid spiced beer and perfect for the season. Was a pretty standard amber color with a styrofoam white head. Smell was a 50/50 split between malts and spices. Malts were biscuity and there was a small hint of alcohol that was masked by nice clean notes of cinnamon. Taste was full-bodied with the ginger playing a bigger role complementing the juicy malts. Mouthfeel was good as well. Just an all around solid beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2003 17:09:26 | More by GreatPondBrewer

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This slightly hazy copper colored ale pours with a beige head that fades quickly, but still leaves a faint lace on the glass. The aroma is faint and hard to pinpoint. Malt and a hint of spice is noticable, but not overpowering. The taste is malty with a touch of cinnamon and citrus, with little bitterness on the rather clean finish. A hint of alcohol sweetness lingers on the finish. The beer feels full on the tongue, with a touch of carbonation effervesence. A moderate ABV with the good, basic flavor profile makes this a very drinkable winter ale, as long as you don't need to go anwhere anytime soon. Another solid offering from Great Lakes.

This is even more enjoyable on tap! Better balance, smoother mouthfeel, and just oiverall better flavor (or perhaps it's just this year's edition.) On tap at Sapphire's in WashCo.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2003 06:37:51 | More by aaronh

irishmoss

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great seasonal ale that is winter, that is Christmas. Nice and fresh, just arrived today. It was served a little cold, so I got another one to allow it to come down to temperature.

Nice dark copper copper with a great light tan head that clings to the sides of the glass leaving excellent lacing. It smells of cinnamon and ginger, with hints of all spice. The tastes were similar with roasted barley and a little sweetness. The spiceyness or the higher alcohol content were not overpowering. I really like this one and look forward to it every year.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2003 02:54:44 | More by irishmoss

smitty1080

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Northeast Ohio is dropping below freezing, but as long as the x-mas ale comes out at the same time I don't mind the cold weather so much.

Pours out golden copper with a creamy head. Smells like Christmas in a glass, hence the name. All warming aromas of honey, cinnamon, and ginger. The taste adds on to the aroma with malty tones and a slight warming from the ABV. I think I know what will accompany my turkey this Thanksgiving.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2003 16:08:13 | More by smitty1080

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Mmm mmm good. Surprisingly on tap in April, this seasonal brew still had plenty of snap and talked back with some serious gusto. The look is great with a dark red amber hue, adequate head retention and some fair lacing. Lots of spice in the nose and taste, though to be honest, the flavors are all quite subtle and understated. The alcohol doesn't show through, perhaps because of the spice overlay, and this is very drinkable, but for the high ABV. GLBC just keeps on keeping on.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2003 18:55:02 | More by AtLagerHeads

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found on draught at the Grid Iron Brewpub. As with most beers this has more character from the tap. Poured a rich dark orange/red with a foamy light beige head. Pleasantly spiced aroma. Flavor of spices (ginger and cinnamon) with some malt made it a nice winter warmer. Slight hops finish. Good to have at this time of year.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2002 09:05:41 | More by Dogbrick