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Has this become a Cleveland pilgrimage? Is it our version of the iPhone release? Looks eerily familiar — hordes of fans traveling long distances and lining up early. A lot of them called off work, with some even requesting time off in advance. The others just took a very extended lunch hour, or downright played hooky.
The release of Great Lakes Christmas Ale on Thursday afternoon marked the brewery’s 2012 First Pour event. This preternaturally popular beer is available only at the Brewpub until November 1st, when it goes on sale in retail outlets. Putting aside the absence of Santa Claus and Mr. Jingeling (both big fans), this event attracted hundreds and the consumption/sales results are staggering.
According to Manager Jeff West, over a period of 13.5 hours, the Brewpub averaged one full pour of Christmas Ale every 7.7 seconds, for a grand total of 6,298 pints. That rivals many establishments’ overall beer sales on St Patrick’s Day. With these numbers on the first day, it is shaping up to be a very Merry Christmas for GLBC, and our livers too!

This article appears in Oct 24-30, 2012.

Jason Beudert has had a dynamic career as a leader with The Walt Disney Company, ESPNZone, The Cleveland Indians, and as a restaurant entrepreneur. He is utilizing his twenty years of hospitality experience along with his love for the Cleveland food scene to contribute exciting and insightful food pieces for Scene. Along with being one of our food writers, Jason is also the food critic for WOIO 19 Action News, and makes a weekly appearance on Q104's Fee's Kompany radio show to promote food and the Scene. Jason is also a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure Magazine.

2 replies on “6,298 Pints of Christmas Ale on the Wall”

  1. Hey!!!

    Lets be careful with that stuff folks….That ain’t no coors or budweiser….
    Thats REAL beer!!!!!

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