Christmas Ale season: Great Lakes Brewing tapping iconic holiday beer today
No, it's not Halloween — or even Thanksgiving season yet. But one of the major harbingers of Christmas is arriving soon in Northeast Ohio.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. announced the return of its iconic Christmas Ale. And surprise! The Cleveland brewery also is introducing a new holiday seasonal called Cookie Exchange Milk Stout.
Great Lakes will host its annual First Pour party on Thursday, Oct. 12, with a ceremonial tapping of Christmas Ale, limited edition holiday merchandise, holiday music, a toy drive and food specials. The brewery also will hold a First Pour VIP contest, with the winner receiving a private brewery tour and swag.
Christmas Ale, first offered in 1992, features fresh ginger, cinnamon and honey and has a cult-like following. It's the top-selling Great Lakes beer, despite being available for only 10 weeks of the year. In addition to the regular version, there's also a barrel-aged version.
The beer has become so popular that most breweries in Northeast Ohio have followed Great Lakes' lead in producing a Christmas beer, often with the same ginger, cinnamon and honey profile.
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When will Great Lakes Christmas Ale be on sale?
Christmas Ale will be available in packages and on draft starting Oct. 16 in Ohio, and Oct. 23 in other markets. The barrel-aged version will be sold in 16-ounce, four-pack cans for a limited time, with the brewery noting that it sold out in four weeks in most markets last year.
Great Lakes releasing Cookie Exchange Milk Stout
As for that new beer, Cookie Exchange Milk Stout will be available starting in mid-October. "Brewed with a rotating cookie flavor, the inaugural edition of Cookie Exchange Milk Stout takes inspiration from Caramel Vanilla Shortbread, or, Speculoos," the brewery said.
It will launch in 12-ounce, six-packs of cans and be available on draft, too. It also will appear in a new Holiday Pack, which includes six cans of Cookie Exchange Milk Stout and six cans of Christmas Ale.
What is the ABV of Christmas Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Co.?
Cookie Exchange Milk Stout comes in at 5.5% alcohol by volume and an IBU (International Bitterness Unit) of 15.
The Christmas Ale, meanwhile, has a much higher ABV of 7.5% with an IBU of 30.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Great Lakes Brewing tapping iconic Christmas Ale for time this season
