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Winter Ale
Great Lakes Brewery
- From:
- Great Lakes Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #124 - ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #25,257 - Avg:
- 3.58 | pDev: 13.13%
- Reviews:
- 71
- Ratings:
- 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 Digimaika2:
Reviewed by Digimaika2 from Canada (ON)
3.53/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
(4.0) A: Attractive clear burnt amber coloured with a puffy cappuccino foam head. Good retention and very good lacing down the glass.
(3.5) S: Tangerine, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon/pumpkin, burnt caramel, grassy, and generally quite floral. A bit of a soapy aroma but not a negative, rather more reminiscent of those floral qualities.
(3.5) T: Gingerbread, cinnamon, pumpkin, caramel, nutmeg, and some citrus qualities that are more subdued than aroma indicated. The gingerbread taste is quite dominant and appealing, yet a bit overpowering in my opinion. Detecting some hefeweizen-like qualities with cloves and fresh grasses coming through. Tasty.
(3.5) M: Medium bodied with medium-low carbonation. Slick and semi-oily with a fairly clean texture.
(3.5) D: A good offering from Great Lakes but not quite my cup of tea. The gingerbread/cinnamon taste was very good at first sip but became a bit too dominant for my liking. A bit one dimensional overall.
Dec 05, 2012(3.5) S: Tangerine, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon/pumpkin, burnt caramel, grassy, and generally quite floral. A bit of a soapy aroma but not a negative, rather more reminiscent of those floral qualities.
(3.5) T: Gingerbread, cinnamon, pumpkin, caramel, nutmeg, and some citrus qualities that are more subdued than aroma indicated. The gingerbread taste is quite dominant and appealing, yet a bit overpowering in my opinion. Detecting some hefeweizen-like qualities with cloves and fresh grasses coming through. Tasty.
(3.5) M: Medium bodied with medium-low carbonation. Slick and semi-oily with a fairly clean texture.
(3.5) D: A good offering from Great Lakes but not quite my cup of tea. The gingerbread/cinnamon taste was very good at first sip but became a bit too dominant for my liking. A bit one dimensional overall.
More User Ratings:
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
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, 2022S-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.
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
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, 2022Smell: 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.
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
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, 2019Good find.
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
3.56/5 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, 2018Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand
3.89/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
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, 2018Smells 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.
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
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, 2017Look: 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.
Reviewed by polloenfuego from Canada (NB)
3.83/5 rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
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, 2017You either like winter warmers or you don't. I am one who does. This is a good example of a winter warmer. Well done.
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
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
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