Displaying items by tag: Great Lakes Brewing Company
That's What She Drank: Twisted Christmas Ale!
Leveling up a Christmas ale? Is that possible? Yes, yes it is. You can pick up the Bourbon Barrel Aged version, or, whip up a Twisted Christmas Ale, or, do both. This is a fun beer-cocktail I've enjoyed every season since discovering it - and it's so simple!
A word to the wise - this makes an already decently potent beer even more potent, so please drink and serve responsibly. Life Ride and 1073 asking that you don’t drive - not saying don’t drink - just don’t drink and drive. Call a cab, Uber, Lyft or public transportation and get home safely. Life Ride is supported by Budweiser, House of LaRose, Kisling Nestico and Reddick, NECA , IBEW Local 106 and Parta. So please - have a ton of fun, but please, be safe.
Twisted Christmas Ale
Cinnamon mixed with Demerara Sugar (for the rim)
Kahlúa
Christmas Ale
Pour a little Kahlúa on a plate and the Cinnamon sugar on another to rim the glass. Pour in 1-2 oz of Kahlúa, then slowly pour in the ale, (if you pour the beer at an angle hitting only the glass you’ll have little to no foam). Give it a light stir, and enjoy!
That's What She Drank: Great Lakes Brewing Company's Cookie Exchange Milk Stout
As you know - I don’t pregame my seasons, unless we’re talking beer. Last Thursday, Great Lakes Brewing Company held their First Pour Party for what’s become a Cleveland holiday staple, Christmas Ale. New this year is the addition of their Cookie Exchange Milk Stout, which many of us couldn’t wait to try, and lo and behold, I got my thirsty hands on a six pack. 
There’s something to be said about anticipation being so high that it dwarfs the experience you’re looking forward to, and that’s what happened with my first sip of Cookie Exchange. The promised notes of Caramel Vanilla Shortbread (or Speculoos) are most definitely present in the aroma. It’s a lighter stout with only a 5.5% ABV. I can definitely confirm that it’s very smooth and malty and seemed to have a clean finish. Those are the positives. For me, it lacked depth and fell a little short of my expectations. The flavors are more subtle than other dessert beers I’ve enjoyed, and it fell just a little flat.
By no means am I saying to pass on it - it’s still a good beer, it’s just not as good as I wanted it to be. It also could be because my senses still aren’t 100% back due to recently having covid and my sense of smell and taste did vanish and has been slow to completely return, so I’m not fully trusting my first impression of the GLBC Stout, although I did look into other reviews of the brew in question. No one has actually written anything about it yet, but it has been rated on a 5 star system. I consistently saw 4 stars and even 3.5 star ratings for it. I have to agree, although, I intend to “re-try” Cookie Exchange in a couple more weeks when my senses are (hopefully) even more recovered. You can pretty much get the full family of holiday brews from Great Lakes just about anywhere in the Cleveland area right now, including the Classic Christmas Ale and my favorite, their Bourbon Barrel Aged Christmas Ale.