Great Lakes Blackout Stout

Beer: Great Lakes Blackout Stout
Brewery Location: Cleveland, OH
Beer Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 9%



Can you tell from my reviews recently that it is getting colder outside? I truly love this time of year for beer. Don't get me wrong I love a good APA or IPA in the summer, but even more I enjoy a fine stout or porter during the colder months of the year. I've got a few bottles of this beer and this is my first one in a very long time for review. I am enjoying this beer while watching my Alma Mater Ball State keep their win streak alive against Miami of Ohio.

This stout poured a dark opaque black color with pecan brown highlights around the edges. It was capped off by a small dark brown head that left some incredible lacing for the entire beer. The smell is a combination of roasted malt, bitter chocolate, currants, and a certain nutty quality to is as well. The flavor profile follows the nice very nicely with upfront flavors of dark roasted grain, bitter chocolate, dark fruits, coffee, and anise. There is a hint of sweetness and smoke lingering on the back of the palate as well. I don't get any alchohol burn either from the 9%. The mouthfeel is very thick and chewy, but it still manages to render itself very smooth. Someone needs to tell this beer it has 9% ABV in it, because the way it drank I would have had many more of these.

This is another great beer from Great Lakes. If I could get this locally I would certainly stock up on this beer, and it would be a staple for me through the winter. My bottle was just under a year old and tasted great, and I would like to taste this one fresh and see how I enjoy it, because I think there is a hop prescense that I am not really picking up on this one when has a bit of age on it. Once again, well done Great Lakes for making another fantastic beer.

Cheers!
Matt

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Beer: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Brewery Location: Cleveland, OH
Beer Style: American Porter
ABV: 5.8%



Are you thinking about Gordon Lightfoot when hear the name Edmund Fitzgerald? I have to say that I think of that song before I think of the ship that went down in Lake Superior in the 1970's.

I've reviewed several offerings from Great Lakes, and I have to say that they must be included in any discussion about great Mid-Western breweries, and really around the US for that matter, and every time I review a beer from them I say the same thing: "I wish we got them in Indianapolis." Their beers are set a good price point, the beer is tasty and consistent, and I like they use a bit of history in the name of all of their beer.

This beer pours a very dark brown color with slight ruby highlights around the edges with an inch of creamy head on it. The lacing on this beer is impressive and stayed for the entire beer. The first scents are of coffee, chocolate, and roasted grain. The smell is comforting on this cool evening. The flavor profile is spot on when I think of a porter. I get loads of dark roasted grain, caramel, coffee, and a slight chocolate taste, and a touch of hop bitterness as well. The mouthfeel though I think has a bit much carbonation, and could be toned down a bit. I am not really bothered by it, but I think it could be toned down a bit. The drinkability is very nice and would be a great session porter.

This is an outstanding example of a porter. I've had plenty of porters, but this beer melds the smell and taste together wonderfully. This was just about as perfect a porter as I've had recently.

Cheers!
Matt

Great Lakes Eliot Ness

Beer: Great Lakes Eliot Ness
Brewery Location: Cleveland, OH
Beer Style: Vienna Lager
ABV: 6.2%




I've almost worked through most of the Great Lakes beer I've gotten in trade. This was actually a beer I've never had from Great Lakes and I honestly wasn't much of a fun of the Vienna lager style, so that is why I waited so long to drink it.

You might be wondering what a Vienna lager is, and it is obviously named after the city where it originated. The style has fallen off, and not many breweries actually brew this style any more. When its popularity fell off in Europe the German/Austrian immigrants that went to Mexico revived the style, and today many Mexican beers like Negra Modelo and Dos Equis are Vienna lagers. The biggest name in Vienna lagers that you have heard of is Samuel Adam's Boston lager.

Eliot Ness pours a clear ruby color and will change to rustic brown when held up to the light. A frothy small tan head sits upon this estically pleasing beer. Upon first smell I get tons of the malt scent hitting upfront with the earthy hops coming into play right behind it. I normally don't think of a beer style like this having this nice of a nose on it. As the beer warmed I got more scents of sweet caramel with toasted grains. The flavor profile is a perfect match when compared to the nose. The toasted grain comes through first with a bit of caramel sweetness to it as well and ends with a slight touch of hops in the finish. The mouthfeel is very smooth with great balance and the medium carbonation. The drinkable is very good on this offering and I would like to replace some IPA's in my rotation with this beer.

Great Lakes has another well made and delicious beer. This is a tasty lager that I would have around if I was able to get it locally. This beer absolutely blows Sam Adam's Boston lager out of the water though. As Eric Asimov puts it "this is a beer that won't get in the way of conversation." He didn't say that about this beer, but it fits here for me. A great beer for about any occasion that I say again, Great Lakes please come back to Indianapolis!

Cheers!
Matt

Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

Beer: Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale
Brewery Location: Cleveland, OH
Beer Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6%



Great Lakes is another one of my top breweries out there, but unfortunately we can't get any here in Indiana unless you live in South Bend. I've heard some stories on why we don't get Great Lakes beers in Indianapolis anymore, but I don't put much stock in them. Great Lakes brewing was the first micro-brewery in Ohio back in 1988. I've been drinking Great Lakes since my very first trip to Jungle Jim's down in Cincinnati several years back. This beer I am reviewing along with their Dortmunder Gold would have permanent places in my fridge if I could buy them locally. This beer is available in every state that touches us and as far north as Wisconsin and as far east at West Virginia. With gas prices at four dollars a gallon though, it is much easier and cheaper for me to trade for them with people from Ohio. I received this beer along with several other Great Lakes offerings in a recent trade.

This beer is named after the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River that helped to spark environmental change.

This beer pours a slightly hazed orange color with a decent cap of bright white head on it. The scent is really nice for an APA. Loads of fresh citrus, floral notes, and sweet malt in the nose. It is assertive, but it also doesn't cross the lines into other bigger beers like an IPA, and I think it is really nice and refreshing. The flavor profile is a good balance of bitter hops and sweet malt. I get more citrus than pine in the flavor profile that is balanced quite well with the almost bready malt. The mouthfeel is very smooth with maybe slightly above medium carbonation. The drinkability is really nice, and as I said before I would give this beer a permanent home in my fridge if it were available locally.

Obviously you can tell this is one of my favorite APA's. Alpha King is my favorite APA, but Alpha King is classified as an APA, but to me it is more like an IPA. It isn't going to blow your socks off compared to bigger beers, but in terms of style guidelines and how refreshing this beer is makes it a keeper to me. This is one of my go-to beers during the summer months, and when I think of a "lawnmower beer" this beer is my favorite. If it were possible I would really love to see Great Lakes come back Indianapolis.

Cheers!
Matt