I realize that I have a ton to be thankful for and most of those things I will tell you about tomorrow in my first Fabulous Friday post. But today, I remember one of the things that every year I am thankful for:

Christmas Ale. Or Christmas Crack. A Cleveland tradition. 

I’ve found that so many of my out-of-state friends have no idea the beauty that is Christmas Ale. I’ll never forget the first time I had it. It was The BFF’s first annual Thanksgiving Kegger, featuring Christmas Ale. Hosted at his old place, which soon after was my place. It was a rare occasion where he was home for the holidays and we were all able to see him and spend time together (The BFF had a “career” that caused him to be out of the state most of the year). The annual party was always on Thanksgiving Day, starting around 8pm after we’ve all spent time with friends.

The first time I tried Christmas Ale, probably around 7:30pm that Thanksgiving while I was helping set up for the party, I was disgusted by it. Yet, I kept drinking it (mostly due to peer pressure from The BFF). After another glass of it, I was beyond happy and in love. After my third glass, I knew it was going to be my seasonal go-to drink.

Every year after that, our annual Thanksgiving Kegger featured Christmas Ale. Now that we no longer have the party, Christmas Ale still reminds me of those Thanksgiving Parties. From November until the last of Christmas Ale is sold, it’s my go-to drink. I always make sure to have some in my fridge during the holiday season and once it starts going out of stock, I make my annual trip to the various grocery stores to find the last few cases (I know I’m not the only one so don’t judge).

And now, Great Lakes Brewing Company has paired up with Mitchell’s Ice Cream to create a fantastic treat – Christmas Ale and Ginger Snap ice cream. If you haven’t tried it yet – you must! It’s delicious and will be a new favorite this holiday season. It’s pretty much Christmas in ice cream form, just like how Christmas Ale is Christmas in a bottle.

So Cheers on this Thanksgiving Day! Happy Turkey Day, ya’ll!