It is best to confirm the identity of any mystery aloe by looking at the flowers. In the case of Aloe vera they look like this
Your plant could be Aloe vera but it could also be other things (there are ~500 species of aloe, plus hybrids). I don't think anyone will get hurt from using the gel topically, on the skin, but it may not be helpful either.
I realize it is not always possible to identify an aloe based on flowers in the northlands. For what it's worth, there are a few poisonous aloes, but they are quite rare in cultivation and tend to give off a "ratty" smell. In any case I would caution against actually consuming any aloe without positive confirmation of the flowers first (or human confirmation from the source, not just a plant tag).
Come spring your aloe will enjoy a slightly wider pot (say 2" wider for starters).