Christmas Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company

Christmas Ale

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Overall: 7.50/10 by 2 dudes

Standard Deviation: 0.5 or 6.67%

Trend: 7.50/10 over past 5 reviews

Style: Herb and Spice Beer

ABV: 7.50%

IBU: 40

Season: November and December

Have Another: 100%

370 beers rated with a 7.94 average
  • 7.00/10 have another
  • A: 7.0 | T: 7.0 | L: 7.0 | M: 7.0 | O: 7.0
  • sDev: 6.67% Color: Medium Amber
  • Aroma: It's a bakery, it's a spice shop, wow.

    1st Taste: Spiced and creamy, a basic pleasant experience.

    Overall: Lot's of hype about this beer from anyone that lives within a 60-mile radius of Cleveland. After repeated tastes, still got the spice with a little malt sweet, and light-medium silky mouthfeel. It's a good blend of cinnamon and ginger along with all the other flavors in this brew. A couple around the holidays were be totally approriate, but can't see drinking a whole bunch of these. Maybe people like it the same way they like Christmas parties. It's fun to get a little tipsy with a little more alcohol than normal (7.5% abv), but it harmless fun since you can't taste it with the spice overlay. So, Cleveland be proud of this brew and I toast to you. But, like Christmas, once it's over , it's OVER.
  • 821 characters
  • Reviewed: Friday, December 11, 2009 at 23:12:00
  • Tasted: Friday, December 11, 2009
  • $1.83 for 12 oz. bottle
1,467 beers rated with a 7.84 average
  • 8.00/10 have another
  • A: 8.0 | T: 8.0 | L: 8.0 | M: 8.0 | O: 8.0
  • sDev: 6.67% Color: Amber
  • Poured clear with a big white to off-white, somewhat frothy foam. Retention was outstanding with a bit of sticky, web-like lacing.

    Aroma hits the nose with spices first: cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. That's about it.

    Taste has the same spices and a lot of them. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger - very similar to pumpking by Souther Tier. There is toffee and caramel that give a sweetness to the beer.

    Medium carbonation and medium body with some creaminess that sticks to your mouth. Alcohol doesn't play a part at all.

    I finished drinking pumpkin beers about a week ago and I am not a big spiced beer fan. That said, I liked this beer and if you like spiced beers at all, then this one should be on your list. Enjoy!
  • 725 characters
  • Reviewed: Friday, December 11, 2009 at 23:07:06
  • Tasted: Friday, December 11, 2009
  • $1.83 for 12 oz. bottle