Category Archives: Great Lakes

Hi guys.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Great Lakes The Wright Pils produced by the Great Lakes Brewing Company located in Cleveland, Ohio.

I tried this brew a few months ago and am just now getting around to writing the review.  I know it’s getting cooler and Pilsners might not be the preferred style right now, but what the heck.  It’s my understanding that this was a new seasonal release for the Spring of 2012 also. 

From the website, greatlakesbrewing.com, we find this description of The Wright Pils.

Classic pilsner style with a flowery bouquet and elegantly dry finish.

Simple enough.  Let’s drink.

This brew comes in a 12 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 5.3%.

It poured a very clear, golden/straw color.  A very smooth, bright white head adorned the top of the liquid.  It was a touch soapy and the size was mostly “so-so”, but the retention time was ok and the lacing looked decent enough.

The nose was comprised of a clean and crisp bready malt.  Crackers and wafers along with some grassy hops and some lightly toasted grain.  I did, however, receive a slight waft of corn.  I’m not a bit fan of that, although it wasn’t strong enough to be distracting or “cheap” smelling.

The taste released a hint of fruity pear.  More of the grassy/grainy hops, which added a touch of bitterness as well as more of the bread and cracker savors too.  The corn reared its head again, but as it was in the aroma it wasn’t too much that I couldn’t enjoy the beer.  Very clean tasting all the way through.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied.  Dry, crisp, smooth, refreshing and thirst quenching.  The carbonation was good and a fair amount of flavor was left behind on the palate after each sip.

Overall, I thought this was a decent Pilsner.  A super easy drink that could be enjoyed thoroughly during warmer weather.  It’s straight forward and well made without being overly complicated or confusing, although enough aroma and flavor were discovered for contemplation.  This is a brew that a person can just turn up and drink in my opinion.  I’d pick it up again for sure.  I’d suggest you guys do the same next Spring when it rolls back around.  So, with that being said, give the Great Lakes The Wright Pils a go and see what you think.

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  I really appreciate it.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.7 out of 5
Grade:  B

Hello again folks.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Great Lakes Holy Moses White Ale produced by the Great Lakes Brewing Company located in Cleveland, Ohio.

It’s been sometime since I last reviewed a Great Lakes brew and this Spring Seasonal seemed like the perfect one to sip on this evening.

Here’s the description of this beer from the website, greatlakesbrewing.com:

A Belgian wit ale spiced with orange peel, chamomile and coriander.

Let’s get it poured and see how it is.

The Holy Moses White Ale comes in a 12 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 5.4%.

It poured a very cloudy, yellow color with hues of orange when held toward the light source.  Some brighter yellow highlights adorned the bottom of the glass as well.  The collar was bright white, fluffy, soft, soapy and kind of rocky.  It had a nice girth, the retention time was excellent and the lacing looked pretty good.

Within the aroma, I got some sort of weird plastic smell.  Hmm.  Once past that I received some orange citrus along with a very mild tone of lemon peel.  Significant wheaty characteristics.  An almost cracker like breadiness as well.  Spices of coriander and light pepper.  Overall, it wasn’t very muscular or robust.

The taste was very clean, crisp and soft.  More hints of the pepper and coriander spice.  The orange citrus was very, very relaxed.  The lemon seemed to stand out in the taste more so than it did the aroma.  Again, very bready with hints of wheat and yeast.  Decently well balanced with the flavor I thought, however a touch feeble all around. 

The mouthfeel was medium to light bodied.  Smooth, crisp, refreshing and thirst quenching.  A bit watery to be honest.  The carbonation was good, however the flavor didn’t really stick around too long after the swallow.

Well.  This is an ok beer I guess.  It was a little meek in the taste and the mouthfeel and the fragrance was a tad bit puzzling at first with that “plastic” characteristic.  It was very easy to drink though.  Definitely a warm weather session beer.  I believe I could put down several of these after a long, hot, hard day of work.  Sure, I’d recommend this brew.  I think it has some decent properties, although I don’t necessarily think it holds up to some of the other Belgian Wits that are out there.  Have you guys ever tried the Great Lakes Holy Moses White Ale?  What did you think of it?  Be sure to leave me a comment and tell me all about it.

Thanks for reading everyone.  It’s greatly appreciated.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.5 out of 5
Grade:  B-   

For today’s craft beer review I thought I would share a Porter with you guys.  It’s been a while since I last tasted one and I have been craving that malty goodness for several days now.

The Porter I chose was the Edmund Fitzgerald from the Great Lakes Brewing Company located in Cleveland, Ohio.

I’ve had this brew before and I remember really liking it, but that was some time ago and I didn’t give it a proper review, so I figured it was about time to do so. 

From the website, greatlakesbrewing.com, we find this small description.

A complex, roasty porter with a bittersweet, chocolate-coffee taste and bold hop presence.

Let’s not wait any longer.

This brew comes in a 12 oz. bottle and has an ABV of 5.8%.

The beer poured a black to very, very, very deep ruby in color.  Ruby highlights were abundant and shimmered through the middle, around the edges and at the bottom of the glass.  The head was tan colored, of very good size, smooth, fluffy, creamy and soft.  It held its size for a minute or two then settled to a fine film resting on top of the liquid.  The lacing was not quite as good as I thought it might be, but it was still commendable.

The aroma started with an excellent fragrance of bittersweet chocolate.  Further distinctions of fresh roasted coffee along with a light touch of vanilla cream totally pleased these nostrils.  Deeper still, I found well balanced notes of yeast and earthy hops, which added even more character.  This thing smells really, really nice and well balanced.  It’s practically begging me to take a sip.

As the beer was raised to my lips and I took my first sip I was greeted by an abundance of rich chocolate.  I also detected the slighted hint of “smoke” along with some roasted and slightly burnt coffee beans on the back end.  A “milky” tone was created, I’m guessing, by the yeasty goodness.  A decent tinge of earthy bitterness caressed the sides of the tongue, but otherwise this brew had a very “round” and “smooth” taste.  Very nice I must say.

The mouthfeel was more medium than full I thought.  It was smooth, creamy, slick and chewy.  It slid down super easy, all the while leaving an appropriate amount of flavor behind as a parting shot.

Well.  I still really like this beer.  It’s one of the best Porters on the market today in my opinion.  It’s super easy to drink and it’s full of flavor and appeal.  I would never turn this down if it was offered I don’t think.  The nice roasted and slightly burnt smell and flavor suited the crisp evening on which I tried this perfectly.  If you have not had the opportunity to purchase and sample the Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and you are a fan of this style, don’t hesitate…. pick it up.  I know I will do so again sometime soon.

Do you guys have a favorite Porter?  Leave a comment and we can discuss it.

Thanks for reading guys.  I trust everyone is having a good day?

Cheers.

Score:  4.3 out of 5
Grade:  A