Today’s pick is a classic Winter Warmer from Ohio’s Great Lakes Brewing: Great Lakes Christmas Ale. Even though it had a bit of a late start this year (read their open letter to find out why), this popular Midwest seasonal is back in strength for the holiday season.

As befitting a Christmas beer, this one is brewed with something extra: along with a roasty, malty Winter Warmer grain bill and Hallertau and Cascade hops, honey, cinnamon, and fresh ginger are all added to this brew to bring it to 7.5% alcohol by volume and a festive, fresh spiciness.

Although I’ve never personally had this beer (it’s not made it west to Oregon that I know of), it’s still one of the few that come to mind for me when I think “Christmas beer”—yes, in some quarters it’s that well known.

BeerAdvocate: B+. RateBeer: 3.49/5, 93rd percentile.