Great Lakes Christmas Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company

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

moulefrite

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Quite an attractive pour-golden caramel set beneath a mound of off white head that settles down easily yet never vanishes. Wonderful seasonal quality to the nose with all the spices chiming in-cinnamon and nutmeg first then a tease of ginger enveloped in sweet malt. In the mouth the beer comes off very aggresive in the way of alcohol. The cinnamon is a tad too aggresive as well, and comes off as overtly hot/spicy. The finish is of those red cinnamon balls your Grandmother used to pawn of on you when you were young. This beer tastes as if it might be an Elliot Ness in an all spiced up holiday package. A decent holiday treat from a great brewery. This would go well with some bread pudding perhaps.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2003 01:47:34 | More by moulefrite

jcalabre

California

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

Originally sampled on 3 December 2002.
Appearance: This has a clear copper color with a long lasting off white head.
Flavors: great cinnamon/nutmeg flavors. very different, very enjoyable
It's medium bodied and what I liked is that it didn't overpower me with the cinnamon/spicey winter beer thing. Good job

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2003 21:00:20 | More by jcalabre

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

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

Presentation: 12oz. amber bottle with typical GLBC-looking label. Scores personal points for the railroad car with the Christmas tree decorations in it. The label also states that "For freshest taste, please enjoy by 5Feb03."

Appearance: Pours a very cloudy amber color. Billowing off-white head coats the glass. Lots of chunky yeasties are suspended in the beer.

Smell: Spicy...with cinnamon and ginger (as per the bottle) most noticeable. A bit of the honey used in the preparation is also evident.

Taste: Beers like this are the reason all of us need to try the GLBC beers before we die. A very flavorful, well-balanced beer. Despite the fact that there's a lot going on in the flavor, none of it is out-of-sync with the other flavors. There's the spicy input from the cinnamon and ginger, the sweetness of the honey on the tail-end, a malty sweetness that dances a duet with the slightest bittering from the hops. I can't believe this is 7.5% ABV.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and a creamy finish make for a great mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Man, this is one fine beer. I would love to try this on-tap. No alcohol taste, the delicate balance of spices, honey, malt, and hops, and the just barely present aftertaste make for a wonderful seasonal beer. I think this is my favorite seasonal. Get some if you can.

Kudos to fellow BA PhantomVoDoo for trading some of this to me.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2003 15:45:07 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

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

fattyre

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a slightly hazy slightly dark brownish red color with a moderate tan head. The mouthfeel is moderate. The smell is spice mostly ginger and cinnamon. The taste is strong ginger and spice in front with mild malty cinnamony finish. A good spicy holiday season ale with a very deceptive alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2003 16:41:53 | More by fattyre

Bunnyhop

Georgia

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

A slightly hazy, slightly dark brownish-red Spiced Winter Ale with a moderate, tan head. I smell cinnamon, ginger, and other spices. I taste many flavors, honey, ginger, and cinnamon, along with a maltiness, and a slight bitterness as it finishes. The cinnamon and ginger linger in my throat. The body is medium in my mouth. Overall, an enjoyable "cinnamon" Seasonal Ale (I emphasize the cinnamon because I almost would like less of its flavor, but just a bit).

(source: PremierGourmet; Buffalo, NY)

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2003 16:17:13 | More by Bunnyhop

ZAP

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Now this is what Christmas Ae should taste like....beautifull work with the spicing....cinamin and ginger on the nose along with almost a pumkin pie like smell.....copper in color...super clean and clear looking (and this is an ale?)...Is medium bodied...a tich of sweetness, but not overdone...at first it felt like a "bock" in the mouth and I guess it still does...some sweet maltiness, and that great spice flavor..that pumkin pie subtle flavor is there on the taste buds too...I've had spice beers that went too far...this is about perfect...what a treat...I love this Brewery...One of my top 2 along with Stone.

*.I rate the drinkability high for a seasonal sipping beer....not for as if you'd want to drink 12 of these in a sitting...rather if you gave me my choice of several holiday beers I'd rather drink this one than most..

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2003 21:30:08 | More by ZAP

aracauna

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Not dark enough for mahogany, the red isn't backed up enough by the brown for that. The head is wimpy. The aroma reminded me of black cherries, sweet but without the sourness. Nice but really big malt along with the mild spicing makes it seem a bit cake-like. The black cherries carry through into the flavor. Nice beer but not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2003 23:18:39 | More by aracauna

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy reddish-brown body with a thin creamy tan head. The head holds OK, drops to a creamy collar and thin surface covering, and leaves some spotty lace. The aroma expresses soft dark fruit, sweet toffee, a touch of cocoa and some mild spice. Very nice! The full body combines with a very fine carbonation from bottle conditioning to give a smooth and creamy mouthfeel.
The flavor offers a very nice blend of softly sweet malt with a touch of honey and chocolate, and mild spice (cinnamon, ginger). It finishes semi-dry with a lingering sweet malt, some clear cinnamon flavor, and a drying spiciness. The alcohol is almost completely hidden! Very well-balanced with just enough spice to keep it interesting throughout the glass, but not overwhelm the palate. Definitely a seasonal to look forward to!

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2002 19:23:06 | More by NeroFiddled

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

Hazy scarlet red in color. Thin creamy, yet bubbly, tan head. This beer smells like Christmas: Cinamon, spice and everything nice. The beer tastes like Christmas joy as well. The cinamon is the main player of the spices, but the orange contributions are notable and enjoyable as well. Nice little biscuity malt backbone and some alcohol notes to give a little umph to this beer. Carbonated nicely. Medium body. One of the more enjoyable spiced winter offerings I have come across. Thank you PhantomVoodoo for the sample.

I have now sampled 6 Great Lakes beverages. I can't comment on their consistency as I don't have consistent access to them, but the quality of the brews I've had is extremely high. One of the best in the US in my opinion. I've doled out 4.5s to the Elliot Ness, Burning River and Dortmuder Gold. I've rated the Edmund Fitzgerald a 4.6, the X-mas ale a 4.4 and the Loctender Lager a 4.25. My new top 3 would include K-ZOO, Stone and Great Lakes.

I'd love to see what they could do with a Barleywine, Imperial Stout or IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2002 20:18:53 | More by Bighuge

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

PhantomVodoo

Ohio

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

Brown glass bottle with hard to read dating, but looks like it says enjoy by 15 FEB 03. Pours a slightly hazy reddish copper with a light tan head. Aroma is faint, but I detect malt and honey. Flavors explode from several directions. Big malt flavor from one, honey and cinnamon from another. Well balanced, flavor is slightly sweet. Finishes very well except for one aftertaste I don't like that creeps in and lingers. Not sure, but it seems to be an alcohol aftertaste. Of course the solution to this is simply to take another drink because up to that point this beer is great. Another very good Great Lakes.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2002 18:07:53 | More by PhantomVodoo

Wildman

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured a reddish amber color and formed an amazing off white foamy head that left some circular lace as it subsided. It had an aroma of malt and cinammon. The flavor was of malt, cinammon and touch of ginger. A good beer from Great Lakes, but a bit pricey.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2002 06:50:05 | More by Wildman

jtw5877

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a copper color with a decent orangish white head. Notes of cinnamon on the smell. Malty spicy taste. A real solid beer, maybe a little too much cinnamon, but by no means bad. A good interpretation of the style. Another good reason to live in Ohio.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2002 17:22:14 | More by jtw5877