Great Lakes Commodore Perry (OH)

Great Lakes beers were available in western New York just long enough for me to buy a variety 12-pack, but then they disappeared. Now they're back in a style, even with a display in the supermarket.

I liked all four beers from the variety pack, and Commodore Perry (India Pale Ale) doesn't disappoint. "Don't give up the sip" is the punning motto. It pours a thick-looking gold body with a lacy head. The Commodore creates that explosive mouthful of flavor you want from an IPA. It's probably a little sweeter than others upfront, and slightly fruity and spicy. The bitterness and grapefruit aftertaste come through at the end. The label requests that you drink it at 45 degrees, cooler than I'd have thought, but mellows it out a bit for non-hop heads.

One of the better IPAs, IMO. What next for me from this brewery? I think Burning River Pale Ale is the only one I can get here that I haven't tried.

Great Lakes Eliot Ness/Holy Moses White Ale (OH)

The other two from the sampler pack:

Eliot Ness: A "deep amber lager" that would be great for the fall. Pours clear amber with a fluufy off-white head -- it looks great. The taste is unsuprisingly malty -- of caramel and toasted grains -- but there's also a decent hop presence that gives it balance. The finishes is on the dry side for the style, which I like. Its 6.2% ABV may be a bit much for a sessions beer, but it really doesn't come across as too rich or sweet.

Holy Moses White Ale: This one's named after Moses Cleaveland, city founder. It's an unfiltered brew, with a turbid straw-colored body harboring some floaties. This one also isn't too sweet. The spice level is fairly high, and the combination of that, the hops, and fairly high carbonation make it crisp and somewhat zesty. In 2006, Men's Journal had this listed as one of its 25 best beers in the US. I think that flatters Holy Moses a bit, but it's still something that would really hit the spot once springtime hits.

If I could only have one of these again, it would be the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, though time of year might alter my choice. It's too bad we can't get many others from Great Lakes here.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold/Edmund Fitzgerald (OH)

Where I live, we can't get many beers from Big Ten country. Cleveland is only about a two hour drive from Lakewood, NY (home of Southern Tier), but while the latter has its own shelf display at Wegmans, the former has been unavailable. Until recently, that is. Beers of the World now sells Great Lakes, including the variety 12-pack that I bought for an affordable $14-15.

Three of these four beers are listed among the 500 mentioned in Michael Jackson's Great Beer Guide. The downside is this probably isn't the best season for some of them.

Dortmunder Gold: Gold refers both to medals won at GABF and the color. "Not as dry as a Pilsner or as malty as a Munich-style lager," the label says. It is still pretty malty, with an earthy, grainy flavor to it. Hops make an appearance, but it isn't bitter. Nor does it finish cleanly, which is fine given its tastiness. It's more medium-bodied than light, with a decent amount of fizz. I like it, and intend to come back to it when the weather warms up.

Edmund Fitzgerald Porter: I think this one's even better. It's named after the doomed ship rather than the guy who the ship was named after (an insurance executive, BTW). Like Dortmunder Gold, it's listed as 5.8% ABV. It pours a very dark brown, but I can just see my fingers through the other side of the glass. Nice tan head that lasts. The taste is on the dry side, very roasty (almost smoky), and noticeably of coffee. There are some other flavors going on, but I like it because it's fairly direct. The body has a nice soft carbonation. It strikes me as being a tiny bit thinner than I'd like, but that's a minor criticism. This is a wonderfully drinkable porter.