Great Lakes Brewing Company Archives

Great Lakes
Lemon Hefeweizen

Jan 21, 2023

12oz can. Well I wasn't expecting much, and expectations were mostly met. Decent looking pour with a high, white head. The head is one of those very wispy ones that is relatively soon gone, but does leave some decent, sticky lace even if it is somewhat thin. Smell is a honey-lemon, a bit like a cough syrup that you might have. Not all that unpleasant. Tastes are obviously artificial lemon, but sharper and cleaner than the nose. There's basically nothing else there other than a mid-sharp lemon,...

Great Lakes The Wright Pils

Nov 27, 2010

12 oz single - many thanks go out to Micah for the chance to crack this one. Only from the brewery? Not sure, but that's what I remember hearing. Typical Pils appearance with a light golden body and a wispy head. the head lacks much presence for me. The nose and tastes are in the right ballpark, but a re a little too sweet for my liking when I consider the style. I like my Pils to have a really strong Noble/Saaz bite especially in the finish, and although this beer delivers some of that, it...

Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA

Feb 3, 2008

12oz single. Very, very light, golden yellow pour with soapy film of a head. The color is really unusual. Minimal lace. Mild citrus hops in the nose. Some sweetness as well. Sweetened grapefruit makes up the sharp hop profile. Balanced quite well. Quite a bit of sugary sweetness rather than a malt experience. Very simple beer, but tasty to boot. I'd prefer a lower ABV to make it a bit more sessionable, but having said that, the beer does not show the alcohol very much. Good stuff if you are...

Great Lakes Oktoberfest

Jan 24, 2008

Pictured 08/09/23 Original notes 01/24/08 Thanks go out to nlmartin as part of Secret Santa '07. 12oz bottle. Drinking this a couple of months after the best before date on the bottle. Not to worry, this hasn't suffered much in the interim. Amazing color on the pour - almost a radioactive orange color - quite stunning. Large head and a great looking beer. Quintessential Oktoberfest (rather than Festbier). Great sweet, tasty malts with a nice zing in the finish. Very moreish and a beer that I...

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Nov 23, 2006

12oz single, Liquor Barn, Lexington, KY, USA. Sep 20/06, 2797AM. Great looking pour with mild carbonation but a super large frothy head and some nice lacing. Aroma is a dry, laer/cider smell. Some apples. Tastes are EXTREMELY fruity. I was amazed at the amount of flavor that was here. A mildly tart, cranberry and apple sweetness. Very tasty. Taste is not too dry. Quite light. The more you drink of this the better it is.

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Nov 10, 2006

Updated Review 12/07 === Thanks go out to nlmartin as part of Secret Santa 2007. Much lighter in color than some of the same style. Still seems slightly alcoholic for the style. Still tastes good, but a little odd. Originial Review 11/06 === Purchased as a single on a recent rip to Lexington, KY. 12 oz bottle. GREAT clarity with a copper color and a nicely formed, capped head. No lacing. Some decent legs. Aroma is the typical spice with sweet alcohol notes. Taste is a tad more alcoholic than...

Great Lakes Blackout Stout

Jun 17, 2006

Poured into the Gouden Carolus mini-chalice. Black coffee colored with a head that disappears very quickly to leave no lacing or head. Sugary mouthfeel, but without the viscous feel. Liquorice taste with a dark burned, smoked malt background. Warming hop finish completes the package. Sweet, a nice RIS, but not my favorite.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Oct 5, 2005

Image from 2021. Original notes 10/05/05 Very nice. Good Porter color, extremely dark, but not quite black - there are some definite brown highlights coming through with this one. Aroma's are very creamy, coffee based, and this is replicated in the tastes. What I like about this Porter is the mild ABV and the creamy body rather than some huge assault on the senses. In that respect this Porter reminds me of the more traditional English Porters that combined easy, smooth drinkability with...

Great Lakes Nosferatu

Sep 14, 2005

Copper body and decent head and lacing. Solid looking beer. Aroma is strongly hop based and some little malt. It's not a bad beer, but it has one really bad characteristic. There seems to be an artificial and very strong bitterness throughout the whole drink. This is not a hop bitterness, rather a metallic sharpness that detracts from everything else. Mouthfeel is OK, with a smoothness, but cloying dry bitter finish. I'm afraid the extra bitter taste detracts from the whole...