O Christmas ale, O Christmas Ale, I forgot the lyrics after drinking one. It is lovingly referred to as Christmas crack. It packs a punch and this year is no different. This year’s Great Lakes Christmas Ale boasts a 7.5% ABV.

In Northeast Ohio, Great Lakes Christmas Ale is a BIG deal. People go out and buy CASES just to be sure they don’t run out before Christmas. There have been only a few years where there has not been a shortage at some point during the season. Some of the better years, the shortage starts in early December so when you get that 6 pack you hold on to it for dear life.

Sadly, it has been a few years since I have had the hoarder mentality. 2010 seems to mark the end of my love of Christmas Ale. Yet people in the area still think it is the end all and be all of holiday brews. This year is no different than 2011 or 2012.

Before 2010 it wasn’t a question if the current year’s vintage would be good, it was a question of how good this year’s vintage would be. It was a little sweet with honey, and it packed the perfect amount of sweet spice. It tasted similar to a spice cookie. Heavy notes of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and just a smattering of clove. Unfortunately, the last few years it has lost it’s sweet light flavor, and it’s just become kind of blah.

This year has a high level of honey in the aroma, pours a gorgeous amber with a good amount of white head. It is fairly carbonated but not too much. The taste is the disappointment. It’s just bland. It is not sweet, it has some spice but it just melds together to bitter the beer. The malt is hardly remarkable, mostly because it is near impossible to detect over the bitterness.

This is yet another year where I will be reaching exclusively for 12 Dogs of Christmas from Thirsty Dog Brewing and Winter Warmer from Brewkettle Brewing Company when I want a great local Christmas beer.