Great Lakes was readily available in SE Michigan.

yes, it’s actually become pretty easy to find here (Chicago) in stores and bars (including on tap).

They’ve got it in Pittsburgh too.

Here’s a list of where they distribute: http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/distributionInfo.php

I’d kill to get it in DC. Love to talk to your friend as well — always been interested in working at a brewery.

I used to get it at the world’s greatest store, Liquor Barn, in Louisville. Now that we’re back in Virginia, it’s nowhere to be found. Boo.

Didn’t Great Lakes just annex the wine bar that was right next to them? Don’t know if they’re going to use the space for the brewery or to expand the restaurant though.

I read in Scene or Free Times last year that some local bars that have been long-time Great Lakes customers couldn’t even get their hands on any Christmas Ale. You’d have to think that Great Lakes is going to do all they can to boost production this year…

I’m in Chicagoland and just picked up the last two sixpacks at my local spirits vendor.

1 lb elbow mac
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons butter (or healthier alternative butter-like spread)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk, warm
3 cups shredded cheese (1 cup each of sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, new york white sharp cheddar)
1/2 grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper
dash of Worcestershire sauce
dash of Frank’s Red Hot sauce
3 tablespoons Louisiana Wickedly Wild Buffalo Wing sauce

(Sidenote: you can use any cheese you like; i used sharp cheddar, monterey jack, and pepper jack last night. But the more cheddar, the more it resembles buffalo chicken dip. Also, I use the blocks of cheese, and instead of shredding, I cut into thin rectangles… much easier than shredding the entire block. However, you could always buy the shredded cheese packages themselves, although i don’t think new york white cheddar comes shredded in the major brand names).

Recipe:

Cook chicken as you like (i prefer to bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, depending on thickness. Also it helps to let the chicken cool and refrigerate for 15 minutes, as it makes it easier to dice without the chicken shredding too much. Or you could bake it the previous night and refrigerate over night… whatever gets it done). Toss chicken in a couple shakes of the Louisiana wing sauce (not from the 3 tablespoons) and the Frank’s Red Hot sauce until each little piece is coated.

Boil pasta as directed. Remove from pot into colander to drain, cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees now.

In a large saucepan (or, i use the same pot used for pasta), melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour until mixed (it’ll congeal into some chunks). Next, whisk in the warm milk constantly until mixed with the flour/butter, and then bring to a boil. Toss in the salt, black pepper, and red pepper, mix. Once the milk has come to a boil, dump in the 3 cups of cheese. Stir until completely melted. Finally, add the 3 teaspoons of Louisiana buffalo wing sauce to the mix.

Dump the pasta in a glass casserole dish (3 qt, i i think) and mix in the diced, coated chicken until separated well. SLOWLY, pour in the cheese sauce so it does not spill over the sides (learned from experience). Mix very well until the cheese sauce has covered all the noodles. It won’t just seep in to the bottom. Finally, shake the parmesan cheese over the top of it all.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove, and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. As a main course, it serves about 4-6. As a side dish, probably 10-14.

It may sound complicated, and even if using precooked chicken, it takes over an hour from start to finish. But it’s undoubtedly worth the wait.

Celebration Ale and Bigfoot Ale are both excellent to me. Try the Fresh Hop series (3 brews, seasonally) if you get the chance. $4.99 for 24 oz.

Still, this time of year is a special time for Clevelanders. All other cities covet our Christmas Ale.

but what would be Christmas without any Christmas ale?

Well we may go to GLBC for dinner while we’re in Cleveland, so I would hope they still have it on tap in there! I know my brother-in-law has already cracked open his first though, so maybe I will ask him to save some as you suggest.

i don’t know?

going to have one in t-minus 2 hours

Drank a lot of it this year. Just great stuff.

Have you had the Southern Tier Pumking Ale. I found it to be pretty intense in flavor (like drinking a pumkin pie), they sold out at my local bar

I need new glasses, because I read that as “it’s not in my pants.”

i’ve got 5 more left

My favorite line from that movie comes when Murray and Ramis are going into the recruiting station. A shopkeeper tells them they can’t park Murray’s piece of junk car there, and Ramis replies, “we’re not parking it; we’re abandoning it.”

if you drive through Ohio yes? I didn’t catch which direction you were taking on I 80 to SE Michigan.

Blacklisted? What ungodly thing did they do to deserve that? Put cinnamon and sugar on the rim of the glass?

Just tried the Anchor Steam Christmas Ale (2008). Very nice.

st. bernardus’ is the first one i’ve tried that i would put in the same ballpark.

I’ve been on a quest for a solid Pumpkin Ale for a while, and thought I hit the jackpot with the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. But no…. it was the brown sugar that Winking Lizard (again, those bastards!) added to it that enhanced the flavor. Having it on tap at other restaurants and out of the bottle left me underwhelmed.

yeah, people always talk about the coffee, but the omnipresence of excellent beer selection is the city’s greatest asset.

if you go there, and like beer. go to a place called Brouwers in Freemont. get over the hangover with a coffee from vivace. repeat.