Great Lakes Brewing Company - Christmas Ale
Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours! I'm getting this one done early today so that I have the rest of the day to spend with friends and family. I'm sure you're doing the same as well, so let's keep this short!
For the final installment of 2014 Winter Warmer Wednesday, we have Great Lakes Brewing Company's Christmas Ale. This beer is spiced with some cinnamon, ginger and is also brewed with some honey. At 7.5% ABV, this is sure to get your party started the right way!
This beer is yet another choice this season that is suggested serving temperature is 55 degrees. It's going to take a while to let that warm up to the proper temperature, so I'll do my best to give you notes in difference between "straight outta the fridge" and proper serving temperature.
As for the pour, that won't change with temperature. The copper color is complimented with a thin bead of beige head.
The aroma is very indistinct at first, but if you use your imagination, there is surely a sweet, malty nose to this beer. The honey is also a distinct ingredient here in the aroma.
The taste, at cold temperature, lends itself a punch in the mouth of ginger at first that mellows and allows the other spices to dance on the palate. I detect a slight tinge of clove here too, but not too overpowering. There are cinnamon notes along with a honey sweetness that lingers for a while on the tongue.
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| "You're welcome!" |
As the beer warms, it allowed the other flavors to take the spotlight more so than the ginger did earlier. The honey became more prominent for me as the beer warmed up as well. The overall balance was much better between the flavors as well.
All in all, not a bad beer, but out of all of the other Winter Warmer Wednesday beers this year, this is my least favorite. Nothing really jumps out at me and makes me want more of this.
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| 3.5 Dressed up Christmas presents out of 5 |
Enjoy your holiday festivities and, if you do, drink responsibly!
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