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Great Lakes Brewing Co.

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From:
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Flanders Red Ale
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.67 | pDev: 12.81%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
10
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 12, 2015
Added:
Dec 31, 2006
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MDekker:
Photo of MDekker
Reviewed by MDekker from Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I shared a pitcher of this with my brothers at Great Lakes.

A: Golden, hazy color covered by a solid layer of peaky foam that slowly fades. Good lacing throughout.

S: Smells dry, yeasty and hoppy, like straw, with some fruity, citrusy notes too.

T: A faint fruity and malty but overall very hoppy. Good.

M: Thick for a pale-colored ale, somewhat oily.

D: Consuming this was a good time - it was pretty satisfying.
Mar 08, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by ohtheguilt from Georgia

Feb 21, 2012
Photo of Rhynes2
Reviewed by Rhynes2 from Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Available only at the Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland. Served in a pint glass and came with a nice head on it that stayed around for quite a while. Some malts give off a caramel flavor and the hops add a hint of citrus to it. It goes well together and is a pretty decent beer. Carbonation is pretty good as well. My problem with this beer is that while it's a good beer, it just doesn't wow me. I'm very glad I tried it considering it's only available at the brewery but not one of my favorites from Great Lakes.
Feb 18, 2012
Photo of JohnGalt1
Reviewed by JohnGalt1 from Idaho

3.15/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Enjoyed back on 3/27/9 with inflatablechair.... Sam brought over the growler for a nice night of tasting some pretty rare brews.

Poured into my chimay goblet.

1/4" head.. with little retention and no lacing.. the brew is a hazy orange.

Nose is grainy .. slightly funky.. but fairly phenolic.. lite earthy hoppiness is lost in the mashup of aromas.

flavor is better .. slightly .. tons of grainy maltiness.. yeasty byproducts with a fairly dry finish.. herby hoppiness. lite medium body with a fairly lite carbonation...

3/3/3/3.5/3.5

I wish I had taken better notes.. Sam and I both questioned the "Flanders" designation of this one.. There were no "sour/acetic" notes to be found.. all flavors were mild at best.. the phenols more resembled bandaids than what I would want in a flanders... I think we both wanted to like this one alot more, but the truth was left on the counter in a growler that was 1/3'rd of the way full at the end of the night.
Apr 21, 2009
Photo of ndekke39
Reviewed by ndekke39 from Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Split a pitcher of this with my brothers at the brewery. The board said it was 5.8% ABV and 45 IBUs. Decanted into pint glasses.

Appearance has a whipped cream-like foam - thick enough that the server could pour more foam on mine. One finger of foam, big and pillowy. Definitely unfiltered. Cloudy orange, lots of lacing on the glass.

Aromas are heavily yeasty, with bananas and bread dominating.

Tastes like a combination between a typical Belgian and an IPA. Lots of grapefruit.

Medium mouthfeel - appropriate for the style.

This is a pretty drinkable beer - somewhat complex. Definitely worth a try.
Mar 24, 2009
Photo of nrbw23
Reviewed by nrbw23 from Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A- Pours a golden orange color. Very cloudy, hazy, with a froathy head. Head has good reention and leaves a lot of lacing down the glass.

S- Fruity and yeasty was the first thing I picked up on. Followed by some hop citrus. Could clearly tell this has some sort of Belgian influence on it.

T- Follows the nose really well with addition to some nice peppery spices.

M- Light to medium in body and good carbonation.

D- Okay I guess, not a big fan of the style.
Mar 09, 2009
Photo of neenerzig
Reviewed by neenerzig from Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Another on-tap only "pub exclusive" that I enjoyed during my visit to the brewery last night. Served to me in a standard pint glass. This beer pours a hazy, amber orange copper color. The white head was about 1/2 inch when poured. Sets go a good solid surface coating several minutes later. Good lacing. Has a caramel, citrusy aroma and not much else was detectable to these nostrils. Has a slightly roasted caramel malt taste upfront, followed by a citrus hop flavor. Maybe a bit of apricot too. The citrus hop bitter flavor dominates the beer at first, then the flavors kind of balance themselves out as the beer starts to warm up a bit. Has a fairly crisp, frothy, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate to heavy carbonation. Easy to drink, especially as it stats to warm up a bit.

Eric
Mar 02, 2009
Photo of cabsandking
Reviewed by cabsandking from Ohio

2.99/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pours the color a hazy brown/amber and some peach hues against the light. Slim white lace ring and swirl. The aromas are a little odd with some slightly skunky hops hitting the nose first and followed by something earthy, faint floral notes, and old barley. The taste has medium hop bite... dry, bitter, straw, lightly toasted grains, husk, and pale malt sweetness. Increasing perfumy, oily floral characters and caramel malt notes develop late. Neutral balance with all flavors coming together in moderate strength. Thin to medium body and a simple mouthfeel. Im not sure where the “Belgian” comes into play here, as the yeast didn’t really play a big part. Good beer but far from a Flanders.
Jan 08, 2007
Photo of becktone
Reviewed by becktone from Ohio

4.26/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the growler the beer pours a murky orangish brown color. The head wasn't all that great, but that could be due to a dirty growler, glass or the fact that I've had it in the growler for four days. Because of the aforementioned (I assume) lacing is also lacking. From what head and lacing there is it looks to be creamy.

Aroma from this beer is full of fruity esters and clove/banana phenols. From the aroma it is easily identifiable as a belgian inspired brew. Other darker fruit aromas are also present as well as something peanut like or nutty. Hop aroma at first was hard to distiguish untill I tasted the brew. The citrus hop character blends very nicely with the esters and phenols.

Hops hit the palate first with some intense citrus flavors. Fruity esters then meld into the foreground of this beers profile. The esters are nicely balanced with more hops this time a bit more grassy, and then the beer finishes with some oak flavors. All in all its a pretty complex brew.

Lightbodied in the mouth with lower carbonation levels. The oak character at the end of the flavor profile makes this beer feel like its got a dry finish-It slides down quite easily. At first this beer didn't really impress me that much, though after really examining it I have found a new appreciation for it. This is a brew I'd definitely buy again. But I now must excuse myself for I've a growler to finish!
Dec 31, 2006
Rubicon from Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 10 ratings