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Gulo Gulo I.P.L
Wolverine State Brewing Company
- From:
- Wolverine State Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- India Pale Lager (IPL)
Ranked #35 - ABV:
- 7.1%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #20,851 - Avg:
- 3.77 | pDev: 10.08%
- Reviews:
- 19
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 14, 2023
- Added:
- Apr 04, 2011
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 15
This ground-breaking style combines the essential ingredients and hopping methods used to create a world-class I.P.A. Then using our expert lagering techniques and house lager yeast we created an instant favorite among the existing and steadily growing number of “hop-heads” and craft “lager-heads” in the beer world today. Gulo Gulo I.P.L. is hopped with Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, Warrior and Pilgrim hops. It is dry-hopped once in the fermenter and then a second time with whole-cone Cascade hops before packaging.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tectactoe:
Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan
3.79/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Took home a sixer of this after visiting Wolverine State's brewery in Ann Arbor. It pours out a light-ish iteration of copper with really good clarity; essentially no haze at all, it appears the lagering has clear the beer up quite nicely. The soapy, eggshell colored head fades quickly, but has the ability to grow to gigantic proportions by swirling the glass... give it a try!
Earthy, deep-rooted and grassy hops line the aroma; there's a light pungency that comes with the hops, too, as they push the profile towards "piney" but don't quite enter that territory all the way. Biscuity malts are pretty heavy, but not as heavy as the sweet caramel malts that get stronger with each degree of warmth the beer receives. The hefty malt bill backs the hops up quite nicely, though the hops definitely "win out" and dominate in the end.
The flavor also shows good balance - nice, fruity and raw hops converge with a handful of sweet malts; deep oranges, pungent and leafy hops, fresh, herbal grass... there are some other pretty juicy fruits lying around in there, but they're a bit harder to identify. I'll just call it "citrus and pine" and call it a day. The solid malty base contains heavily toasted crackers and a big zip of caramel sweetness, though it never overshadows the hops, which are zesty and spicy in the finish. Crisp, snappy mouth feel, light bodied and slightly sticky.
Very good beer, although I fear that this one falls victim to the "IPL syndrome" that I've come to find with many beers of this style - the heavy hoppage of IPL's covers up the lager yeast flavors a bit too much, and you've gotta wonder, why not an IPA? I will say, though, that the lagering gives this beer a nice, refreshing, clean and crisp finish. Very good overall, and I'm glad that I picked up a sixer to share with friends.
Jul 15, 2013Earthy, deep-rooted and grassy hops line the aroma; there's a light pungency that comes with the hops, too, as they push the profile towards "piney" but don't quite enter that territory all the way. Biscuity malts are pretty heavy, but not as heavy as the sweet caramel malts that get stronger with each degree of warmth the beer receives. The hefty malt bill backs the hops up quite nicely, though the hops definitely "win out" and dominate in the end.
The flavor also shows good balance - nice, fruity and raw hops converge with a handful of sweet malts; deep oranges, pungent and leafy hops, fresh, herbal grass... there are some other pretty juicy fruits lying around in there, but they're a bit harder to identify. I'll just call it "citrus and pine" and call it a day. The solid malty base contains heavily toasted crackers and a big zip of caramel sweetness, though it never overshadows the hops, which are zesty and spicy in the finish. Crisp, snappy mouth feel, light bodied and slightly sticky.
Very good beer, although I fear that this one falls victim to the "IPL syndrome" that I've come to find with many beers of this style - the heavy hoppage of IPL's covers up the lager yeast flavors a bit too much, and you've gotta wonder, why not an IPA? I will say, though, that the lagering gives this beer a nice, refreshing, clean and crisp finish. Very good overall, and I'm glad that I picked up a sixer to share with friends.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
3.77/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Been looking forward to trying an IPL and this is local so picked one up for me to try and it's an interesting thing. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I spent most of the drink trying to figure it out.
The pour is a dark, almost murky amber and almost no head. Well, not sure what I was expecting so maybe it's right?
The aroma is compelling, perhaps the best part for me. Floral, bready, yeasts, malts - all combined into an unusual but good aroma.
The taste started confused but settled down as it warmed a bit. Hard for me to define, the closest I can get is a thinner version of an ESB.
OA, I may get some more to see if I can better define it, but as there are so many other beers out there that I already know I like more, I may not.
But hey, at least give it a shot. You never know what will flip your switches.
Mar 26, 2021The pour is a dark, almost murky amber and almost no head. Well, not sure what I was expecting so maybe it's right?
The aroma is compelling, perhaps the best part for me. Floral, bready, yeasts, malts - all combined into an unusual but good aroma.
The taste started confused but settled down as it warmed a bit. Hard for me to define, the closest I can get is a thinner version of an ESB.
OA, I may get some more to see if I can better define it, but as there are so many other beers out there that I already know I like more, I may not.
But hey, at least give it a shot. You never know what will flip your switches.
Reviewed by loudmacleod from Ohio
3.92/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a clean, caramel color with a thin head. Earthy, floral notes on the nose. Nice hop bite that lies nicely over a malty backbone. A return to one of the first IPLs ever had four years ago.
Bottle / American pint glass / Paired with pretzels
Dec 16, 2020Bottle / American pint glass / Paired with pretzels
Reviewed by woemad from Washington
2.9/5 rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75
2.9/5 rDev -23.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75
12oz bottle received through the good offices of Whyteboar. According to the label, it was "packaged on: 1281: 1023." Hopefully, that doesn't mean it was bottled before last Halloween (I'm guessing the first set of numbers is a batch #). I suppose it could be pre-Halloween from as far back as 2018 or earlier, since no year is given. Incidentally, the label says the beer is 6.7% abv, unlike what is posted here on BA.
Poured into a shaker pint glass, this was a cloudy, dark amber color, with an absolutely monstrous, creamy beige colored head. Needed three pours over about 15 minutes. The color makes me think it is at 5 months old, and the head screams "infected." Not at all auspicious. Hoo boy...
Musty and tea-like aromas in the nose. Smells like sweet, bready malts and dead hops. Yep, this is an old one.
Tastes like an old, malty beer that's been spiked with tea.
Fairly clean, lager-like mouthfeel. Sadly, that's not much help at this point.
I really wanted to like this one. I rather like IPLs, especially as we move into spring and summer. This one is probably excellent when fresh. Unfortunately this was fresh quite a while in the past. This could easily be from over a year or two ago, and should never have been sold this old. Were I in Ann Arbor, I'd grab a fresh one, and report on it instead, but as that's unlikely to happen anytime soon, I gotta go with this one. Can't always be winners.
Mar 30, 2020Poured into a shaker pint glass, this was a cloudy, dark amber color, with an absolutely monstrous, creamy beige colored head. Needed three pours over about 15 minutes. The color makes me think it is at 5 months old, and the head screams "infected." Not at all auspicious. Hoo boy...
Musty and tea-like aromas in the nose. Smells like sweet, bready malts and dead hops. Yep, this is an old one.
Tastes like an old, malty beer that's been spiked with tea.
Fairly clean, lager-like mouthfeel. Sadly, that's not much help at this point.
I really wanted to like this one. I rather like IPLs, especially as we move into spring and summer. This one is probably excellent when fresh. Unfortunately this was fresh quite a while in the past. This could easily be from over a year or two ago, and should never have been sold this old. Were I in Ann Arbor, I'd grab a fresh one, and report on it instead, but as that's unlikely to happen anytime soon, I gotta go with this one. Can't always be winners.
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York
4.23/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +12.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Served on tap at the Wolverine State Brewery in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A: Pours a crystal clear, bright amber color with ochre highlights, a one and a half finger, off white head, ring and cap plus retention, but luxuriant, complex lacing.
S: Aromas are tangerine, brewing ice tea, and caramel.
T: Semidry. Flavor pallet similar to the nose. Balancing bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with strong carbonation. Drinks very smoothly and cleanly.
O: A delicious take on IPL. Mild, but fruity. Light, but flavorful. Enjoyed it.
Apr 14, 2019A: Pours a crystal clear, bright amber color with ochre highlights, a one and a half finger, off white head, ring and cap plus retention, but luxuriant, complex lacing.
S: Aromas are tangerine, brewing ice tea, and caramel.
T: Semidry. Flavor pallet similar to the nose. Balancing bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with strong carbonation. Drinks very smoothly and cleanly.
O: A delicious take on IPL. Mild, but fruity. Light, but flavorful. Enjoyed it.
Reviewed by neenerzig from Ohio
4.14/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.14/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Got this a few months ago on a vacation my wife and I went on a vacation to Michigan. This has been hiding in the back of my fridge behind a bunch of other beers until tonight. Poured into one of my pokal glasses, this beer pours a slightly cloudy/hazy medium copper color with a very fluffy, just slightly off-white, head that's well over an inch thick when first poured that settles to a solid inch thick with excellent lacing and good retention. Aromas of slightly toasted, bready caramel malts with a healthy dose piney, floral, and citrus hops. The taste is pretty much the same, with slightly toasted, biscuity malts with a nice slight zesty spice and resinous, floral, piney, and slightly citrusy hop bitterness. Good balance of the different flavors here. Has a somewhat crisp, slightly chewy and sticky, also fairly smooth, medium bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Has a pretty clean finish with a nice sweet and hoppy aftertaste. A very interesting beer here all around.
Eric
Apr 10, 2018Eric
Reviewed by ygtbsm94 from Utah
3.44/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.44/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Nose of citrus, floral, light biscuity malt, cereal, pine, grass. Taste light lemon zest, biscuity malt, citrus, foral/pine caramel, light honey, crisp clean finish.
Feb 01, 2017
Gulo Gulo I.P.L from Wolverine State Brewing Company
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
116 ratings
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