3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20Agh the annual release of Christmas ale... one of the few things to brighten the spirits of a clevelander. Pours a reddish amber under a small head. Nose is rich of nutmeg, cinnamon. Big and sweet taste adds malt, toffee, and slight biscuit. Full body, sip by the fireplace.
Rated via BeerBuddy
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Great Lakes Christmas Ale is a crystal clear amber ale with a soft, waxy, yellowish head that leaves nice lacing on the glass. It has a light aroma with hints of spice and candy. It’s medium bodied and a little sharp. The finish is a little metallic and gritty. It’s quite sweet and well spiced. It almost tastes like a candy cane. There’s a little caramel and some juniper bitterness that lingers after the swallow. This is very clearly a Christmas Ale. The balance is pretty good but it’s too sweet to have more than one.
3.9 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle. If there was something that a christmas ale was supposed to taste like, its this. I can’t really put my finger on it, but its very appropriate, and smooth. Too many winter beers are black and heavy but this is nice and gets the job done.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Amber brownish in color. Spicy on the nose and the tongue - this definitely seems like a holiday brew.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle (from backlog). Amber/orange pour with a medium head. Aromas dominated by Christmas spices (allspice, clove, nutmeg). Fortunately those flavors were muted and did not dominate the beer.
3.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 20/20
Another great seasonal. Hard to come by when released best served from tap with cinnamon along the brim of your glass!
3.6 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 14/20
Pours a pretty ruby color with a small light cream colored head. Arima is subdued cinnamon spice with malt characteristics in the background. Flavor is full of fruit, with a touch of cinnamon. The honey sweetness is definitely present. I like that the spice does not overpower this. Too many of these turn into spice bombs. A great beer to have in front of the fire if you aren't in a big beer mood. Light to medium bodied with good carbonation. One of the best spiced beers I have tried.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 12/20
Perfect amber hue, nice head lace. Spicy clove, nutmeg smells. Taste has spice character with medium finish. Even lasting on tongue. Overall a nice beer, one of the better high spice offerings.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle->shaker. Pours a caramel color with foamy offwhite head. Aroma has honey, malt, and spices. Flavor is similar, with a sweet nose followed by a mildly bitter end. Somewhat cloying. Not to my taste.
3.1 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
February 10, 2013 - bottle from Paul. Clear orange pour with some head that faded somewhat quickly and spotty lacing. Aroma was spicy, caramel and malt. Taste was heavy on the spice and not a good spice with a bit of sweetness from the malt and honey. Light to medium bodied and yucky aftertaste.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Fun seasonal beer from GL. 12 oz bottle. Pours a hazy amber color with thickhhead and lace on the glass. Aroma of cinnamon and other spices. Very high flavor in spices and malts. Smooth and slightly sweet. Leaves a rather dull taste on pallette but not bad. Overall a good beer for winter.
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