Christmas Ale
Great Lakes Brewing Co.

I lucked into a bottle at my friend's house, yet this review is based off a on-tap serving at a bar 30-45 minutes later...

Dark, honey-amber color with a creamy white head. The aroma was full of holiday spices; gingerbread; cinnamon. The taste strongly followed the aroma with a nice, balancing bitterness. Body came across as in character; smooth, crisp, with a semi-dry finish.

This was equivalent of sipping a warm, nicely spiced liquid holiday cookie. The malts and spice flavors (from whatever the source) just came across so nicely balanced and complex without smacking you in the face with overly strong flavors. This is by far one my best holiday ales I've had in a long, long time. Highly recommended...

 

Copper colored with excellent clarity. There’s a quarter inch of brown on top. The aroma is of ginger and honey. I’m tasting ginger, honey, and cinnamon. The mouth is busy with spices and moderately carbonated.

Pours a clear darker amber color small tan head that falls fast.

Aroma is malty, honey, raisins, ginger, clove lightly spicy and malty.

Taste is malty but also crisp, sweet from the honey perhaps, light raisins notes then finishes with lingering ginger and clove. Pretty drinkable malty but also crisp makes it easier to go down then some.

Mouthfeel is medium smooth carbonation also.

Overall enjoyable easy drinking.

 

This has the best balance of spice/hops/malt for my palate. Delicious beer.

 

On draught, an amber pour with high clarity, a decent head initially, but leaves very little lacing.
A malt forward brew with a mild but pleasant spice profile.

 

Poured from a 12 oz can into a stemmed tulip

Pours a clear amber/copper color, with about two fingers worth of tan head that recedes slowly leaving behind very little lacing.

Aroma is toasted malts, raisin, cinnamon, ginger, and clove. Moderately spicy and definitely "Christmasy".

Taste is toasted malts, slightly roasty, notes of raisin, ginger, and some generic spices. There is just a hint of a mild hoppiness in the background, very similar to the aroma. Medium bodied and moderately carbonated,

Overall this is a very nice example of the style, and very festive

 

I generally like Great Lakes' offerings. This was a little below what I was expecting. Color was great, aroma was alright. Mouthfeel was ok. I felt the maltiness was overpowering. The "holiday spices and sweet honey" felt artificial/chemical to me. Hop profile was a little hidden for me. Got a six-pack of cans Dec 2025. A couple of steps down from Sierra Nevada's Celebration IPA, which is my "standard" for this type. I get this is not an imperial, but the off taste of the flavorings did not blend well or feel "genuine".

 

Pours a clear, dark amber with a half finger of creamy-looking tan head. Sheets of lacing.

cinnamon, nutmeg, cherry and dark bread in the nose.

Drier tasting than expected, with ground spices presenting, but not popping like the aroma. Cardboard bitterness and slight warming alcohol in the finish.

Thin to medium bodied with a nice, soft carbonation to it.

I always expect winter warmers to be sweeter, thicker, hotter. This is to style, and very tasty for what it is.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally trying the Great Lakes holiday entry after having some of their other beers a few years ago. Pours a dark copper- red, a little head on top. Smells sweet, can smell some spice, and toasted malt. The taste is sweet, but not cloying, toasted malts, dark fruit, a little nutmeg, honey, and a touch of bitterness. This is a solid holiday warmer, and very drinkable. I’ll have to get a sixer to share on my next liquor run, two thumbs up!