United Nations of Beer

Great Lakes Winter Ale

by Sam Corbeil
(Beer Delegate, ON, Canada)

Great Lakes Winter Ale

One of the harsh realities of living in Canada is dealing with weather that can change at the drop of a hat. On any given day the conditions could vary wildly and you need to keep your wits about you if you're to survive. This is not a land for the faint of heart.

The day could begin as a gentle and calm spring morn with the sun shining and the birds singing. You look out the window and think to yourself, "What a fine Spring morn. I should head out and enjoy this weather!" continue below

But just as you leave your house with nothing but a light spring jacket and no hat to protect you from the elements, the wind kicks up, the clouds roll in and the next thing you know it's a harsh winter afternoon. The snow is blowing, the wind is howling and you're standing on Queen Street with nothing but a light spring jacket and tee shirt to keep you warm.

You have no one to blame but yourself. Yourself and those damn fool fashion designers who have yet to design a jacket suitable for this nether region betwixt Spring and Winter.

It's too warm to wear your winter jacket and it's too cold to be sporting that flimsy, zippered piece of cotton you call a spring jacket.

When this crazy metrological tug of war begins between Old Man Winter and Sweet Lady Spring, no one wins. And until those damn fool designers get their act together no one will. But I digress, I seem to be losing my focus here. This is a beer review, for crying out loud.

Back to the review! This past week has been a perfect example of just how finicky the Canadian weather can be.

On Friday, although it was April 13th and we were nearly an entire month into Spring, I drove to work to in a snowstorm. The entire stretch of highway between Toronto and Barrie was covered in a light dusting of that vile white stuff that should be all but a distant memory now that we are almost one third of the way through Spring.

It was then that I decided that on my way home I was going to stop by the Great Lakes Brewing Company and pick myself up a Great Lakes Winter Ale. If Winter was going to stick around just a little bit longer, then at least I should grab one of these seasonal ales and enjoy it before they disappear for another year. And so I did.

Grabbing the 750ml bottle of Great Lakes Winter Ale, I poured it into my favourite glass and watched as the sturdy tan head built atop the deep, dark red brew. I gave the glass a quick turn and smelled the spicy, malty aroma waft up from the mouth of the glass. I took my first sip and felt its heavy, full body float across my tongue.

A strong malt flavour was definitely the first thing I tasted from this beer, with the added spices of cinnamon and ginger giving it a unique flavour through the middle. There was a long finish to it as the bitterness of the orange peel made itself present at the end.

At 6.2% abv, this is definitely a beer that should be enjoyed slowly. Great Lakes Winter Ale is a great companion for sitting on your couch and watching television or reading a good book. And with the with the weather being what it is, you may need a few more of them to dull down your frozen and jagged winter nerves.