Commodore Perry
Great Lakes Brewing Co.

 

This is the first IPA I have ever tried. I see what the rage is about I suppose. It’s like you threw every flavor profile from beer into one single one. It smells great, like a sharp flowery/fruity jasmine flavor. It doesn’t taste bad at all, first impression comes off as sweet and sharp and fruity and then it covers the tongue into more bitter and earthy. I don’t think this is bad at all, I was expecting some bullshit. As a first IPA this ain’t bad and shows what beer CAN taste like.

A: crystal clear; deep gold in color; 1+ finger finely pored ivory head that receded to a rocky thin cap; nice rings of lace;

S: slight caramel sweetness balanced by earthy, citrusy, peppery hops;

T: slight caramel sweetness balanced by grassy hops; from the middle through the finish, the citrus and peppery character came in; moderate bitterness at the end;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish; hides the ABV well;

O: a really nice example of the style;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a crystal-clear gold with a foamy white head and great lacing. The aroma is fairly subdued by todays IPA's standards but has a very pleasant balance between a lemon/pine, herbal hop character and a breakfast cereal graininess. The flavor follows suit, and as with other Great Lakes beers I have had, it is more pronounced than the aroma. A firm, clean piney bitterness opens into herbal, citrus hops balanced by a moderately sweet, bready malt backbone. A mostly drying finish leaves some bitter pine and citrus pith notes on the tongue. Overall, a very pleasant beer that is very different than most of the other IPAs on the shelfs these days. I am not sure how British this beer is, it seems more old-school American to me, but regardless it is still excellent.

 

From the tap @ Great Lakes Brewpub.