Christmas Ale
Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Christmas AleChristmas Ale
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From:
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Winter Warmer
Ranked #16
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #12,923
Avg:
3.95 | pDev: 12.91%
Reviews:
979
Ratings:
3,369
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 27, 2024
Added:
Nov 16, 2002
Wants:
  177
Gots:
  879
Do not open ‘til Christmas? Whoever coined that phrase obviously hasn’t tasted Christmas Ale’s fresh honey, cinnamon, and ginger flavors.

A Yuletide’s worth of holiday spices and sweet honey to keep you a-wassailing all season long.

World Beer Championships 6-Time Medal Winner Since 1999 (Gold, Silver)
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drtth:
Photo of drtth
Reviewed by drtth from Pennsylvania

4.02/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Served in a Chimay chalice. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As served the beer is a nice dark ruby reddish color with orange highlights and a ¼" white head that recedes fairly soon leaving some lacing. For much of the beer there is a small ring of foam around the glass and sipping leaves small scattered speckles of lacing that mostly slide back down into the liquid.

Smell: The aroma is spicy and malty with some ginger, cinnamon and other spices backed up by a nice bready and caramel malt character.

Taste: The flavors have just enough brown sugar sweetness to attract but not so much as to cloy. The major spices seem to be ginger and some nice cinnamon. The hops only play a role in the background as a trace of earthy, spicy bitterness to prevent the sweetness and spices from taking over. There's little or no alcohol detectable in this one.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is medium bodied and soft with gentle but persistent carbonation. The finish is moderately long and mostly ends as a pleasant bitter counterpoint to the spices and malt.

Drinkability: Each sip of this one followed naturally from the preceding one and this one was soon finished. It would be quite easy to have second one. I'll definitely be having this one again.
Dec 30, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of dkoehler42
Reviewed by dkoehler42 from New York

3.21/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I was excited to try this seasonal ale based on the reviews. It looks like a good red winter ale with a white head. There's the faintest of sweetness in the nose and that's it. Unfortunately, the taste continues this trend. I found a slight fruit sweetness and the mouthfeel is non-existent. At least it's not bad or offensive. This could be so much better.
Jan 27, 2024
 
Rated: 3.9 by smithj4 from New York

Jan 26, 2024
 
Rated: 3.86 by DarrellK from Florida

Jan 05, 2024
 
Rated: 3.84 by Ox8840bo from Illinois

Dec 28, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Jdells09 from New Jersey

Dec 27, 2023
Photo of Nass
Rated by Nass from Florida

3.96/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
The pour is amber colored. The taste is cinnamon, ginger, toasted pecans, honey, & cherries jubilee. Cheers! B
Dec 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.18 by SharPei19 from Ohio

Dec 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.6 by Kentski from Ohio

Dec 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.55 by Beereos from South Carolina

Dec 24, 2023
Photo of JKENNEKE
Reviewed by JKENNEKE

3.77/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
December 2023. Des Plaines. Overall good little heavy on the spice. Nothing too special might be that I’m getting sick of these flavored pumpkin and Christmas beers but they are tradition anyway I wouldn’t go out on my way to buy this one again but I did enjoy it.
Dec 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.8 by PaMike from Pennsylvania

Dec 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.85 by Oktoberfest from Ohio

Dec 16, 2023
Photo of The_Snow_Bird
Reviewed by The_Snow_Bird from Michigan

3.34/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours out a medium caramel color and a medium white head. Has a watered down malty smell. Has a delicious taste of malt and a hint of cinnamon. Goes down smooth, easy to crush.
Dec 12, 2023
Photo of DaleHolmberg
Reviewed by DaleHolmberg from Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
I find this beer tastes differently each year, but it could be that I change each year. (2023) This year tastes very good, in fact the best that I can remember. Every sip from the first to the last is excellent.
Dec 12, 2023
 
Rated: 3.94 by D-Duvelicious from Illinois

Dec 09, 2023
 
Rated: 3.77 by robotic_being from Illinois

Dec 08, 2023
 
Rated: 3.94 by Jacob313 from Michigan

Dec 06, 2023
Photo of RPO
Reviewed by RPO from Minnesota

4.49/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Dark reddish brown, weak head.
Deep malt and honey flavor, strong and warm cinnamon and ginger spice.
Cinnamon, ginger and honey were not skimped out, giving the beer a very strong and deep flavor. One of the best beers if you like deep spicy flavor notes.
Dec 06, 2023
 
Rated: 3.9 by kkazemi from North Carolina

Dec 04, 2023
Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 3369 ratings