Great Lakes Seasonal 12Pk

Great Lakes Seasonal 12Pk is a 12-pack of Great Lakes Christmas Ale, the flagship seasonal from Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing Company, brewed at 7.5% ABV. A six-time medal winner at the World Beer Championships since 1999, Christmas Ale has earned its reputation as one of the most anticipated holiday releases in American craft beer, scoring a 93 on RateBeer and an 87 on BeerAdvocate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.5%  |  Origin: Cleveland, Ohio  |  Style: Winter Warmer / Christmas Ale  |  Brewery: Great Lakes Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Brewer Holland began developing the Christmas Ale recipe in the summer of 1992, seeking to capture the flavors of holiday cookies and pies in a beer. Each batch incorporates 20 pounds of fresh-cut ginger, 20 pounds of whole cinnamon sticks, and over 600 pounds of honey — all added directly into the 60-minute boil rather than post-fermentation. This technique deeply integrates the spice and honey character into the malt backbone, producing a layered complexity that sets Christmas Ale apart from holiday beers that simply steep spices after brewing. The beer is then fermented at cooler temperatures and conditioned for several weeks before release.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Warm honey and pungent fresh ginger rise from the glass immediately, followed by cinnamon and a subtle bready malt sweetness. The overall impression is inviting and distinctly seasonal, like opening a tin of spiced holiday baking.

Taste: The entry is toasty malt with caramel and toffee notes, quickly joined by robust cinnamon and assertive ginger at mid-palate. Dark fruit — raisin and fig — weave through the spice, while rich honey sweetness provides balance without becoming cloying. A touch of nutmeg and gentle hop bitterness round out the peak.

Finish: Medium-long and warming, with lingering ginger heat and residual honey sweetness. The toasted malt character persists underneath, grounding the spice notes as they slowly fade.

How to Drink Christmas Ale

Christmas Ale is best served at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F, in a tulip glass or snifter that concentrates its aromatic spice character. Pouring too cold will mute the honey and ginger nuances. For cocktail-adjacent serves, try a Beer Nog — blending Christmas Ale with a small measure of bourbon and a splash of cream amplifies its dessert-like qualities. A Hot Toddy Float using warmed Christmas Ale with a cinnamon stick leans into the ale's baking-spice profile. It also works in a Boilermaker paired alongside a straight rye whiskey, where the ale's honey and ginger complement the grain's spice.

Best For

• Stocking a holiday party with a widely recognized seasonal craft beer
• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who collects annual holiday releases
• Pairing with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner courses
• Sharing with friends during a winter tasting lineup of seasonal ales

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Christmas Ale taste like? Christmas Ale delivers toasty caramel malt layered with bold cinnamon, fresh ginger, and rich honey, supported by dark fruit notes like raisin and a gentle bitterness that keeps it balanced. The overall impression is warming and spice-forward without excessive sweetness.

How does Christmas Ale compare to Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA? While both are iconic American holiday seasonal releases, they take opposite approaches: Christmas Ale is built on a spice-and-honey malt backbone, whereas Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA is hop-forward with citrus and pine character and no added spices. Drinkers who prefer malty, warming winter ales will gravitate toward Christmas Ale, while hop enthusiasts typically favor Celebration.

Is Christmas Ale good for sipping neat? Absolutely — Christmas Ale is designed to be savored on its own at cellar temperature, where its complex interplay of honey, ginger, cinnamon, and toasted malt is most expressive. Its 7.5% ABV provides enough body and warmth for slow, contemplative drinking on a cold evening.

Where is Christmas Ale made? Christmas Ale is brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio. The brewery's location in the Great Lakes region informs both its name and its focus on seasonal styles suited to cold Midwestern winters.

What foods pair well with Christmas Ale? Roasted turkey or glazed ham benefits from the ale's honey sweetness and ginger spice cutting through rich, savory flavors. Sharp aged cheddar mirrors the caramel-toffee malt notes. Gingerbread cookies or spiced pecan pie echo the beer's own spice profile. Blue cheese pairs well as its salt and funk contrast the malty sweetness. Braised short ribs with a root vegetable mash complement the ale's toasty depth.

What sizes does Christmas Ale come in? This product is a 12-pack of 12 oz bottles, and Christmas Ale is also commonly available in a 6-pack format.

Is Christmas Ale worth the price? Christmas Ale positions as a premium seasonal craft offering within the holiday beer category, and its use of real honey, fresh ginger, and whole cinnamon sticks in generous quantities — along with extended conditioning — justifies its placement above standard craft six-packs. The 12-pack format provides strong per-unit value for a beer of this complexity and limited seasonal availability.

Why Christmas Ale?

The defining difference is production method: adding 600-plus pounds of honey, 20 pounds of fresh ginger, and 20 pounds of whole cinnamon sticks directly into the boil creates a degree of flavor integration that post-fermentation spicing cannot replicate. Six medals at the World Beer Championships since 1999 confirm the recipe's consistency across decades of production. Christmas Ale's limited seasonal window — released each autumn and gone well before the new year — generates genuine scarcity that few American craft seasonals can match. For drinkers who want a holiday beer that tastes like the holidays themselves, this remains the benchmark.