As Halloween comes to a close, we welcome a new style of beer that will kindle your holiday spirit.
Christmas ales are a popular treat sold during the months of November and December.
They are typically brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey, but many breweries add additional ingredients to make their Christmas beer stand out.
Great Lakes Christmas Ale has gained mass popularity in Youngstown and the surrounding area over the past few years. It was released to the public on Thursday, but you will probably have trouble finding it in stock this week.
Chalet Premier, a beer and wine retailer in North Lima, sold out of Great Lakes Christmas Ale in just two days.
A Chalet Premier employee said some customers even preordered the beer.
While retailers wait to receive their next shipment of the Great Lakes brew, there are plenty of other Christmas Ales to indulge in this holiday season.
Shiner Holiday Cheer is not your typical Christmas Ale. It is a wheat beer brewed with pecans and peaches that will truly bring out the holiday spirit in you. The flavors blend well and provide an interesting take on the Christmas ale style.
Samuel Adams White Christmas brings a mixture of seasonal spices blended into a wheat beer with Christmas charm. The cinnamon and nutmeg spices give you the flavors of the season, and the orange peel pairs well with the wheat. The spices overpower the entire feel of the beer, but I believe that’s what makes White Christmas a worthy winter seasonal.
Thirsty Dog’s 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale provides toasted malts and caramel flavor that will warm you up during a cold winter day. You will notice a generous amount of cinnamon with each swig. Other spices include nutmeg, ginger and honey to bring out the flavor of Christmas.
Great Lakes Christmas Ale Breakdown
Great Lakes Christmas Ale pours a light copper color that differs from other Christmas ales. Other breweries tend to darken their Christmas ales with a variety of malts and grains to extract a dark red hue. The Great Lakes version provides aromas of cinnamon and ginger. The smell of gingerbread cookies lingers throughout the whole drinking session.
The taste concurs with the aroma. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg dominate your taste buds while honey and malt flavors sweeten every sip. A slight bitterness will surround your palate; it is countered by a heavy sweetness.
Enjoy Great Lakes Christmas Ale while supplies last. It wouldn’t feel like Christmas without it.
