Chicago Christmas Ship

The origins of Chicago’s Christmas Ship date back to merchants in the 1800s that would sail wooden hulled ships to Michigan and purchase Christmas trees from the Indians to sell to people in the City of Chicago.  Their business boomed for the better part of two decades and then through ship wrecks and other more efficient modes of transport the business failed around 1912.

In Modern time the US Coast Guard and several well doing organizations have reinvented the Chicago Christmas Ship.The Ship goes up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to load trees then sails to Chicago to distribute them to needy families in the greater Chicago area.  Much to my enjoyment one of the holiday beers I drank this year donates a part of their profits to this charity.  So not only did I get to drink a good beer, but I helped to make someone’s Christmas a little brighter by doing so…

Goose Island donates a part of every sale of their Christmas Ale to the Christmas Ship, and they fill every bottle with some pretty good beer.

This is a relatively simple brew, but in its simplicity was solid flavor and a good holiday feel that I would definitely recommend and will purchase again.  This is a well crafted beer that poured a dark golden color which was translucent but cloudy.  The nose was almost non-descript  Light maltiness and subtle hops are all my nose could detect.

The flavor of this brew was very simple.  Malt and hops in a well balanced formula that made this 6.6 ABV brew very drinkable.   It just kind of went down and had a medium body with a good flavor.  It is hard to describe because it was so simple, but I liked it.

I also like the idea of helping others by drinking beer!  Finally, something I’m good at!  Merry Christmas Everybody.  I hope you all had a GREAT holiday.

-Don