Winter Ale
Great Lakes Brewery

Winter AleWinter Ale
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From:
Great Lakes Brewery
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
Winter Warmer
Ranked #123
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
82
Ranked #25,292
Avg:
3.58 | pDev: 13.13%
Reviews:
71
Ratings:
126
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 31, 2022
Added:
Dec 10, 2006
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  16
Inspired by the long, cold and seemingly endless Canadian winter, our 6.2% alcohol Winter Ale is a true winter warmer. Handcrafted with specialty hops and malts, combined with generous amounts of cinnamon, honey, ginger and orange peel, this unique beer is brimming with flavour.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Cramshawbar:
Photo of Cramshawbar
Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Great Lakes (who produces some great beer) decided that Winter is about ginger and cinnamon. Sure, there are claims for other added surprises but those two kill them all.
Many here voiced their opinion on Winter Warmers and I tend to agree. Haven't had a great one yet.
Nov 25, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.97 by DannyBaldoni from Canada (QC)

Dec 31, 2022
Photo of SSS
Reviewed by SSS from Canada (QC)

3.66/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
A-Mahogany colour with a moka coloured head that dissipates quickly
S-Floral and complex aroma that includes heavy cinnamon, musk and earthy cherry and plum
M-Higher end carbonation with a spicy mouthfeel and medium body
T-Sweet and savoury at the same time with a cinnamon bite holding string with a subtle bitterness to end the spicy aftertaste
O-Not my favourite type. I tried because I live in Canada, but once a year is plenty for me.
Dec 15, 2022
Photo of InspectorHound
Reviewed by InspectorHound from Canada (ON)

3.74/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Look: Pours a bright copper with hints of gold predominate at the bottom of the glass. Semi opaque. Pours with a one finger off white/tan head. The head disapates by the 5 minute mark leaving good lacing around the sides of my glass.

Smell: Cinnamon, apricot, hints of Belgium style yeasts, and sandalwood.

Taste: LIght up front, with cinnamon, sandalwood, oak, ginger, honey and a hint of tangerine. More like a Panettone than a dark christmas cake.

Feel: LIght bodied. Very crisp and dry back end. This beer lives on the back of the tongue and top of the palate.

Very subdued and light for a Winter Ale. I tend to think raisins, plums and dark fruits in this style, or overly sweet caramel bombs. It was neither, still bready but more like a Panettone than a dark christmas cake. I give it a solid B.
Dec 05, 2022
Photo of Mysticmage
Reviewed by Mysticmage from Canada (ON)

3.69/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a tulip offers copper caramel with decent collar. Nose is not complex of malts and hops. Taste is caramel and wood. Aftertaste is smooth. Ginger offers a final goodbye.
Good find.
Dec 29, 2019
 
Rated: 4.21 by BigGruntyThirst from Canada (ON)

Mar 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.54 by ElGallo from New Hampshire

Jan 01, 2019
Photo of TheBierdimpfe
Reviewed by TheBierdimpfe from Canada (QC)

3.56/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3 year old bottle in the cellar: Hazy and veiled dark amber color with low activity. Murky as more yeast poured. Slightly creamy light brown 2-3 finger head, lasting around 5 minutes, with average legs and decent swirl reaction. Flavors of orange, berries, dark grains, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and herbal hops. Slick medium to full body with moderate prickly carbonation. Medium strength finish, a bit spicy with mild fruits and grains. Good warming sensation and still having decent freshness. Slightly too accessible, could easily be more powerful and spicy. Overall good quality craft.
Feb 15, 2018
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

3.89/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Deep copper amber and filtered. Moderate carbonation, and 5 fingers of beige head. Nice, chunky lacing is left on the glass.

Smells of fresh cinnamon, phenols, ginger and bananas.

Tastes of ginger, cinnamon, orange peel, and light seasonal spices.

Medium body, light carbonation, sweet but with a slightly tannic finish.

Got this at LCBO, drinking in Muskoka, Jan 23rd, 2018. Decent brew, not sure why its not getting better reviews.
Jan 24, 2018
Photo of Jtee
Reviewed by Jtee from Canada (ON)

3.67/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
From a 650ml bottle served straight from the fridge at 8 degrees Celsius into a white wine glass. No date information on the bottle.

Look: The beer pours a slightly veiled deep amber/light copper with 3cm of frothy, deep tan head which fades into a craggy cap in 2+ minutes. Good lacing and decent overall head. Good-looking but not as handsome as some of them come.

Smell: Medium-light and sweet. Assertive spices which are reminiscent of the mulled kind. Punchy cinnamon with muted ginger and faint toasty-sweet malts. Quite nice, however the spices don't make much room for the actual beergredients to come through.

Taste: Follows the aroma with moderate strength and decent balance. The spices dominate the palate leaving very little space for other ingredients to make their appearance. The malts provide a platform for prominent cinnamon with hints of ginger and something citrusy which I find difficult to identify. The label says orange peel and I suppose my brain agrees with that. The finish is long with moderate intensity, lingering spices and faint minerality.

Feel: Medium body with moderately low carbonation. Creamy and smooth with restrained alcohol warming. The mouthfeel promotes drinkability and has nothing unpleasant about it.

Overall: December is finally here and I'm welcoming the beginning of the holiday season with GLB's Winter Ale which represents the winter warmer style very well. Quite enjoyable a beer even though it lacks some complexity. The drinkability is decent as there is no evidence of a struggle to finish the bottle in one sitting. The spices do overwhelm the base beer which is where the brew loses some points. I'm happy to have enjoyed this bottle however I'm in no rush to pick up another one. Worth a try.
Dec 03, 2017
Photo of polloenfuego
Reviewed by polloenfuego from Canada (NB)

3.83/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Nice medium brown in color with a two finger head. Head breaks somewhat fast, and there is some lacing left behind. The smell is that of Christmas/seasonal cooking. There is a lot of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and honey balances it out. The taste follows the nose, but I get cinnamon as the dominant flavor. Oddly I get a bit of cocoa, not mentioned in the description. The feel is medium with good carbonation.

You either like winter warmers or you don't. I am one who does. This is a good example of a winter warmer. Well done.
Nov 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.34 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Jul 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.93 by bryanzk from Canada (ON)

Jan 09, 2017
 
Rated: 4.15 by Boo-urns from Canada (ON)

Dec 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.32 by Simon212 from Canada (ON)

Dec 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4.03 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Nov 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.56 by Mousel from Canada (ON)

Jul 27, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by waddellc2 from Pennsylvania

Mar 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by CRObighit2 from Canada (ON)

Mar 24, 2016
Photo of al_al1357
Reviewed by al_al1357 from Canada (ON)

3.17/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Served from bottle; appears cloudy with no head. On the nose there are strong notes of cinnamon, ginger and honey. A strong gingerbread flavour on the palate with spices that follow. Light to medium body finish. Overall, an interesting beer by Great Lakes Brewery and a nice pairing with Christmas/cinnamon/gingerbread cookies.
Mar 20, 2016
Winter Ale from Great Lakes Brewery
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 126 ratings