Great Lakes Christmas Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company

wedge

North Carolina

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

Brilliant, glowing copper color with a small, white head that is frothy around the edges. Sweet and spicy aromas...lots of ginger and a fair amount of cinnamon over some sticky bread. With the flavor, I think the cinnamon gains the upper hand, but the ginger is certainly still there. Sweet, dark fruit, honey, cherries, and some caramel malt. Smooth mouthfeel, a little better than medium bodied. I think I'll save my last bottle for Thanksgiving. I haven't decided if I should pick up another 6-pack to put away for Xmas or not. It's tasty and all, but I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 01:41:06 | More by wedge

Luigi

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours out a rick clear copper color with a two to three finger (depending how aggressive you pour) off white head. Lacing stick all around the glass with each sip as the head retains as a thick blanket until the last drop.

The aroma is sweet but not over whelming. A perfect blend of honey, brown sugar, cinnamon. and ginger.

The taste reflects the aroma. Ginger bread, honey, cinnamon, hints of caramel, and a soft biscuit And toasted bread malt.

There is a light yet syrup texture on the palate. Mildly dry finish with lingering spice.

The Great Lakes Brewing company has yet to disappoint me. This brew is prefect to these cold fall and winter months and with a healthy ABV at 7.5%, it truly warms you up.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 17:42:01 | More by Luigi

theHoff77

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

A - A light red amber color. Doesn't get much of head unless you pour aggressively, and even then it doesn't keep long. Spotty lacing.

S - Seems almost entirely malty in smell. Nothing memorable.

T - Very mild flavors on this. Slight cinnamon, caramel, brown sugar, and malts.

M - Nothing aggressive about this beer, which makes it an easy drinker.

O - Pretty underwhelming given the hype. I was expecting bigger flavors and smells. The way I would describe it is Lagunitas Brown Sugga's little brother. Sadly, I spent more on this then Brown Sugga'. I decided not to review this until after my fourth over the course of the week, and my impression of it hasn't changed a bit even trying it in four types of glassware.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 02:35:56 | More by theHoff77

tastybeer

North Carolina

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

A: Ruby-auburn color, crispy clear, warm and inviting. The orange/peach tinted white head is a tasty looking mix of large and fine bubbles. Big at first and then quickly becomes a thin sheet with a frothy ring. Lace is spotty and shifting.

S: Delicious holiday smells all over. Thyme, pine, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, honey, sugar, candied lemon, cardamom, sage, doughy bread... Lots of smells (perhaps some by association) come to mind. All ties together surprisingly well too. Delicate and soft.

T: Taste is perfect for the season. Spicy, flavorful, easy on the palate, and super smooth.

M: Very light feel to it. Almost light bodied but softly thickened with honey syrup. Oddly, I kind of like the syrupy-ness. Carbonation levels are perfect. Interesting and enjoyable.

O: Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:17:04 | More by tastybeer

StretchZep

Ohio

5/5  rDev +25.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Awesome winter warmer. Had it yesterday on tap in a 23 oz glass. Lots of cinnamon and clove flavors. Nice malt balance. No hop bitterness at all but anything but sweet. Really nice Holiday beer that you find yourself looking forward to year after year.
Loved this beer to death and will be looking to pick up a case as soon as I can!

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 22:01:01 | More by StretchZep

davecavemaster

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

If you live where they distribute Great Lakes beer, then you look forward to their yearly release of Christmas Ale. This is my favorite seasonal beer.

great lakes christmas ale

Christmas, it seems... pours a beautiful clear and copper color. So long green and red.

The head is a nice off white foam. The foam dissipates, and turns into a thin coating on the sides of the glass, and in the center. Nice amount of lacing sticks around while you drink.

The nose of this brew is heavy on the honey and ginger spices it is brewed with. Malty, but a sweet and pleasant blend of fragrances.

The taste of Christmas follows the nose. The sweetness of the honey hit me first, followed by the spices, and then a bit of the hops bite at the end. This is a truly wonderful flavor combination, and the ratio is just right.

Not a heavily carbonated beer, but just enough to make it tingle in your mouth and make the flavors stand out. Very crisp for all the malty tastes, not sticky at all.

Great beer! Although at 7.5%, you need to be careful how fast you put them down.

If you have not tried this seasonal, and can find it near you..I highly recommend checking it out. I would lay money on it becoming one of your favs.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 03:32:22 | More by davecavemaster

tectactoe

Michigan

4.36/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours an orange and amber hybrid color with a ton of red hues and a pretty exceptional amount of clarity all around. Small white head fades quick and doesn't leave much lacing at all. The nose.... what to say about the nose. Full of a basket of toasted malts and spices - most prominent being cinnamon, but also included are nutmeg and maybe some ginger. The taste hits with an incredibly unique and well-executed balance of sweet and spicy malt - sweetness in the form of caramel, toffee, and butter, and spicy in the form of cinnamon and nutmeg. Very nutty, and with the spices, it resembles a warm pecan pie. Yeast noticeable in the background, provides a nice bready and buttery aftertaste (think Christmas sugar cookie). Honey is hard to detect, but is noticeable at the tail end as the beer starts to warm up a little bit. Medium body, not too sticky on the mouth, low to medium carbonation.

This beer tastes like Christmas in a bottle. The fact that it's a holiday release makes it all the more alluring and I feel like a little kid on Christmas when I finally get my hands on some.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 12:40:24 | More by tectactoe

CloudStrife

New York

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Freshest by 12/31/12.

A: Pours a clear deep amber with a dense 2 finger off white head. Not very much visible carbonation. Head takes a few minutes to dissipate to a thin film and ring. Leaves some lace once you start sipping.

S: Can certainly get the cinnamon and ginger right off the bat. Seems to be some sweet malts in the background as well as a nice hopping.

T: Starts with the spices, malts give it a body and hops clean it up and finish off the taste. Honey keeps it very smooth and hides the ABV. Lingers with some spice and a sweet malt.

M: Almost getting into heavy territory with an almost syrupy consistency. Isn't sticky though which is nice. Low carbonation. Easy to drink a few in a row.

Overall a Christmas beer I look forward to every year. Consistently top in its class. Would recommend to anyone who isn't scared of a little spice.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 23:53:21 | More by CloudStrife

ChicagoShoop

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Snifter

A- Cloudy Copper color that looked almost like an iced tea

S-Large Sweet Spices, hints of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon. I Don't get as much honey as i would have liked for a Christmas ale but still small hints of it. About a finger worth of off white head that seems to dissipate rather quickly

T- Very sweet at first with the spices lingering on the back end. Cinnamon would be the most predominate spice I could taste. Lingering clove, nutmeg also. I get a very small bit of honey near the end

M- Medium bodied with low carb.

O- I heard that previous years were not that good so I was wanting to try this years for myself. I enjoyed it for about half of the bottle but I would not say this would be my go to for a Christmas ale. Would I drink 1 or 2 of this in a sitting, sure. But, I would not see myself drinking a 6 pack of this in a night. Ill stick with a big stout for the winter.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 15:50:51 | More by ChicagoShoop

carolinahophead

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is always a beer that's always hard to get here .
The color is a bright copper , poured a nice head with bold lace .
Tight nose here , you do get nice malt aromas with spice added in .
This is a big holiday brew .. good flavor with sweetness and a little bitterness as well .
The beer has a medium mouthfeel and a surprising long finish .
It's a good beer .. Let's say we will be having one Christmas Eve to enjoy the holiday .

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 00:27:33 | More by carolinahophead

ReverendTrips

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into standard pint glass

A - looks really nice, somewhere between red and coppery, nice amber 2 finger head

S - this beer smells delicious, smells like caramel, cinnamon, and honey.

Taste - tastes sweet to start and then has a bitter aftertaste, can definitely taste the spices with the cinnamon being the strongest and the others less so.

Mouthfeel - really smooth, feels thick as it goes down and really coats your mouth.

O - My friend just convinced me to buy this beer and I cant say I'm disappointing. Ive passed on great lakes a lot of times in favor of imported English ales but this is up to par or better than a lot I've tried and I'd reccommend it to anyone

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 03:03:33 | More by ReverendTrips

CleJB

5/5  rDev +25.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is my favorite beer. Every late October/early November is like Christmas for me. The minute you crack this beer, it smells like the holiday season. The cinnamon, ginger, and honey blend very well together. This beer goes down extremely smooth for the 7.5% alcohol content, so drink with care. This beer goes well with Turkey, Ham, or pretty much anything you would eat around the holidays. Christmas in a bottle. A little pricey at between $12 and $13 a 6 pack, but worth every penny. Christmas in NE Ohio isn't Christmas without Christmas Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:43:52 | More by CleJB

sleuthdog

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoy by 1/11/13
Poured into Lagunitas mason jar

Appearance: A cloudy copper color reminding me of ice tea. Created a finger to finger and a half of off white head that faded quickly. Moderate amount of lacing upon initial pour.

Smell: Big sweet spices here with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and the sweet honey come through. It really reminds me of sugar cookies with a kick of cinnamon. A very unique and pleasant smelling beer.

Taste: Sweetness hits first with a quick hit but this is followed up by the spices almost immediately. The cinnamon is the most forward of the spices but the clove, ginger and nutmeg mingle among it. Mid palate I get a small hop bite? Then the honey comes through on the tail end leaving a nice sweet, spice aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. I'd call this one pretty sticky as it does coat my mouth with a candy like sweetness. Alcohol is well integrated.

Overall: I've passed on this one in the years past but saw it this year fresh so I thought I'd give it a shot. Glad I did because I did enjoy this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 00:36:35 | More by sleuthdog

pschul4

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- Pours a nice ruby red with a 1/4" off white head that dissipates quickly

S- Christmas cookies forsure. Honey and cinnamon and dark malts. So enticing

T- Wow, just like the scent except more intense. Lots of honey and cinnamon and nice malts wrap everything up. Perfection

M- Super smooth, works perfectly with the rest of the beer

O- Best example of a winter warmer out there. Seek out at all costs

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 01:59:23 | More by pschul4

russwbeck

Virginia

3.18/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Deep orange and amber color without much head at all. A thin ring remains around the outside of the glass and lace nicely. Bubbles race to the top.

S: Spicy, big malty aroma featuring caramel, esters, and gingerbread. Very sweet overall, it seems that the spices are only taking a backseat so far.

T: The taste starts out alright, but then sort of drops off. Spices up front, the caramel malts come out right after. After the malts there's really nothing left. Sort of amazing how the flavor just disappears, but I can't say I like it all that much.

MF: Light body with a lower amount of carbonation than I thought. Crisp finish without any aftertaste.

O: This was probably lost on me. Really unimpressed from a beer I'd heard good things about. Might have been a bit too old.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 00:00:35 | More by russwbeck

atg7777

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

In Cleveland, when Christmas ale goes on sale it is a sign that the holidays are coming.
This holiday in a cup has the option of being served with brown sugar on the rim. The first sip is like christmas day. The consistency and flavor instantly brings warmth to the soul. I wish they would raise the ABV count back up to what it use to be to add some more warmth. All in all it is a tradition for me. Nothing like walking in from a snowy day and warming up to a glass of this brew. It is the only reason why I look forward to Cleveland winters.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 03:29:18 | More by atg7777

Trystero

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Backlogged review circa 12/25/2011

Appearance: Ruby red with faint copper hues.

Smell: Overwhelming ginger and honey accompanied by accents of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Taste: Sweet and smooth, spice cabinet. Thick honeycomb combines with candied giner and snickerdoodle cookies.

Mouthfeel: Slightly thin with strong carbonation.

Overall: One of many delicious Christmas Ales/Winter Warmers made in Ohio. Highly sought after and terribly scarce around the holidays due to a huge notoriety. I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble every year.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 15:05:31 | More by Trystero

XenonX

Ohio

4.63/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served in a Bottom's-Up cup at Progressive Field.

Appearence: A very dark amber with a beautiful finger thick head.
Smell: difficult to tell with the other smells related to being at a ballpark
Taste: Had a slight malty and bready taste complete with some toffee and cinnamon and nutmeg tossed in for good measure
Mouthfeel: Meduim and creamy with some flirts of carbonation.

To be honest I cannot very well describe this beer having had it at an Indians game in a Bottom's-Up cup to boot! It was part of the whole experience and will always remind me of going to a ball game.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2012 00:55:30 | More by XenonX

ClevelandKidO

4.55/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

As a Jewish young man, Great Lakes Christmas Ale is propapbly the only time I celebrate the holiday.
The smell after popping the cap defiantly unwraps a gift of cinnamon, slight ginger, a touch of honey, but an undertone of warmth sweetness. There is also a Christmas lighting of nutmeg and arguably a little cherry and oak/piney'ness as well as a wheat bread after taste.
The beer used to sell out quite quickly, and for a while it seemed the grinch was snatching up all the cases before a patron could purchase a case. But Great Lakes have definitely increased the production of the of the nice winter select, so not to worry about ruining a wonderful Christmas story..
Clevelanders definelty go crazy for the beer, but its hard to argue that the average score of 88 is not accurate or unfair.
Definitely worth trying as a winter beer, and goes really nice with chicken and turkey.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 02:19:21 | More by ClevelandKidO

Dave128

Kentucky

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

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adam's Perfect Pint glass.

A - A rigorous pour yields a 3 to four finger head that is quite nice and goes down slowly. The initial head leaves some lacing, but the head is pretty much nonexistent after that. Color is clear amber.

S - Smells of wintry spices. But not too strong. I get a lot of alcohol on the nose.

T - Starts off spicy and finishes pretty dry but not bitter. I don't really get any spices but I do get a mild herbal note from the honey. The alcohol on the nose doesn't translate into the taste.

M - Medium bodied with light carbonation. Good for the style.

O - A nice winter warmer, but some of the flavors are a little strong whereas others are a little too weak.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 05:18:42 | More by Dave128

Bockrules

New Mexico

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured from the bottle into a pint glass

A - Pours a perfectly transparent copper with a moderate amount of bubbles rising to the fizzy, two-finger, off-white head. Head is gone by half way down the glass. Leaves behind no lacing - not acceptable.

S - Upon opening the bottle, nice nose of ginger and honey on a sweet malt backdrop.

T - Ginger and honey upfront. The body of the beer is a nice balance of sweet malt and spicy earthy hops, while the added spices float around on the palate and add interest. Cinnamon and ginger combine with a flourish of spicy hops as the beer passes over the back of the tongue before coming full circle to a slightly bitter ginger and honey finish.

M -Full bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation to give an ideal combination of chewyness and creaminess.

I got a six pack of this for Christmas as a teaser for the beer cabinet my wife had made for me. Other than the poor appearance (I'm only a week or so past the drink by date), this brew is a nice change up and begs to be enjoyed over the holidays with family. While not one of my favorite offerings from Great Lakes, this is still a quality brew. Too bad it doesn't come in variety packs to enjoy with the other great offerings when I'm back in Ohio for the holidays.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 03:42:01 | More by Bockrules

divineaudio

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

a - pours a transparent amber shade with a thin cap of coarse, tan foam. retention is good, calming slowly to a thin film and leaves a few legs of lacing behing.

s - carmel, cinnamon, peppery, honey.

t - carmel malt with a pronounced spiciness. i'm getting mostly cinnamon, but notes of nutmeg and white pepper pop up too. finishes with a subdued bitterness and faint alcohol warming.

m - medium in body, medium carbonation. coarser co2 profile prickles the tongue a bit.

o - a nice beer and enjoyable even though it's getting a bit late in the season. fits the style well. definitely going to pick up some of this next time it's released.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 00:57:34 | More by divineaudio

barczar

Kentucky

3.6/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear copper color with a dense inch talk cream head that lingers. The floaties throughout the brew detract from the appearance.

Aroma is led by sweet caramel malt and cinnamon, with ginger and a hint of pine at the finish.

Flavor is dominated by cloying malt sweetness throughout, giving a cola impression when coupled with the spice profile. Ginger leads the holiday spice parade, with more subtle cinnamon and honey leading to a slightly bitter finish.

Body is moderately heavy with a moderate amount of carbonation, ending with a slight amount of alcohol warmth.

A bit too sweet and ginger forward for my taste, but it's a christmas beer, and definitely not the worst I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 04:24:48 | More by barczar

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Half Acre tulip.

A- Cloudy, dark copper with a 2 finger tan head. Small layer of lacing remains.

S- Sweet candi sugar, and lots of spices (cinnamon, clove).

T- Almost a quick sweet citrus before the spices take over. Predominantly spice forward but nice balance.

M- Medium body and carbonation. Slight creaminess with a tingly finish.

O- Good winter warmer, but not waiting for it next year by any means.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 02:47:23 | More by kawilliams81

ToddT

Pennsylvania

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

A- Copper color liquid topped with a thick khaki colored head. Head lasts for quite some time and leaves lots of lace on the glass.

S- Spice, hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, sweet caramel, and malt as well.

T- Nice mix of spice at first cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are all present. Mild honey notes and toffee make an appearance about halfway through and lead to the sweet semi dry finish.

M- Medium in body and carbonation, little bit of sweetness starts to build up in the back of the throat just past the halfway point of the glass.

O- Nice winter warmer, nothing too memorable, but not not one to turn down either. The 7.5% ABV is well hidden, it was the sweetness made this a sipper for me not the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 03:46:15 | More by ToddT