Moondog Ale
Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Moondog AleMoondog Ale
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From:
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #9
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,040
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 8.4%
Reviews:
150
Ratings:
217
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 28, 2023
Added:
Jun 19, 2008
Wants:
  41
Gots:
  8
Inspired by our rock 'n' roll city, Moondog's smooth body and undomesticated hop bite set the stage for late night howling.

Wild, floral hop scents shred their way through a tail waggin’, toe tappin’ blend of crisp, sweet malts.

30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CRJMellor:
Photo of CRJMellor
Reviewed by CRJMellor from Arkansas

4.04/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a clear, light copper with a golden glow. One-finger white head produced on the pour. Thin minor lace as the pint is drained.
Aroma of very light pale malt and maybe some crystal as well. Some peach, tangerine and other citurs hits.
Flavor of pale malt over shadowed by some perfumy/flowery notes. I swear I get tangerine and boysenberry but got me a little stumped as to style and flavorings.
Mouthfeel starts as any pale does but the enters into an ever increasing light citrus profile with a slightly cloying aftertaste.
Drinkability is very solid and very refreshing. Nice summer beer, not sure I agree on the ESB designation but very nice beer.
Mar 21, 2004
More User Ratings:
Photo of Bluerabbitbell
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania

3.56/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12/28/23 On tap at Great Lakes Brewing.... Special Christmas gift trip with DW.

Clear, deep amber in color. Very slight head

Aroma.... But much on the nose. A slight spice.

Taste.... Malty, bright, light (little depth) but definitely has a nice bite balance, not too much, not too little.

Reminds us of a bitter lager.

Not fans.
Dec 28, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

Oct 30, 2019
 
Rated: 4.04 by themayorkoch from Ohio

Mar 21, 2019
 
Rated: 3.83 by Lelampp from Ohio

Mar 03, 2019
 
Rated: 3.92 by travelguy from Ohio

Feb 26, 2019
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
$ 2.00 (Including tax)/16 oz can ($ 0.125/oz) from Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA. Reviewed 2/18/19.
“Enjoy by 12/11/18” stamped on bottom of can. Stored in reefer at distributor. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 42 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Light gold, clear.
Head – Large (Maximum 5.2 cm, aggressive center pour), off-white, medium density, average retention, diminishing to an irregular lacy six to twelve mm ring and a partial layer of thick, rocky islands.
Lacing – Fair. Complete ring of tiny to small bubbles, with a few stalactites.
First pour – Light yellow, clear.
Aroma – 4 – Light floral hops and some caramel.
Flavor – 4 – Begins just slightly bitter with a bit of well-balanced floral hops and caramel malt. Ends with caramel. No alcohol (5.5% ABV) flavor. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3 – Thin, watery, soft carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 4 – A very tasty, easy-drinking ESB.
Feb 18, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 ounce can into signature pint glass, best before 4/3/2019. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep golden/amber color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, red apple, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, light honey/nutty, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of bready malts and light-moderate earthy hops/fruity yeast notes; with solid strength. Taste of big lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, red apple, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, light honey/nutty, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, minty, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, orange, peach, pear, melon, red apple, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough/crust, toasted biscuit, light honey/nutty, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of bready malts and light-moderate earthy hops/fruity yeast notes; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready, and fairly crisp/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Slight lingering resins. Zero warming alcohol for 5.5%. Overall this is a delicious ESB. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of bready malts and light-moderate earthy hops/fruity yeast notes; very smooth and fairly crisp/refreshing to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish. Feels like Northern Brewer hops. Very clean and nicely rich English malt showcase, balancing earthy hops, and restrained fruity yeast complexities. A very enjoyable offering, and impressive spot on style example.
Feb 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.39 by WesMantooth from Ohio

Feb 07, 2019
 
Rated: 3.44 by nater919 from New York

Jan 31, 2019
Photo of Nephilium
Reviewed by Nephilium from Ohio

3.84/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Mild hop aroma with floral and earthy notes, pours a clear amber with a full white head. Light bodied, with a touch of malt sweetness in the beginning. This is balanced by a very nice earthy and herbal hop note. There's a very mild bitter finish, with a small amount of residual sweetness. Overall a very good take on an ESB.
Jan 18, 2019
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A-Pours a very nice light amber color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma has honey and floral hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a nice honey and floral flavor
M-A light bodied well carbonated beer
O-A very nice easy drinking beer
Dec 23, 2018
Photo of Bum4ever
Reviewed by Bum4ever from California

3.53/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Straight gold color with a good amount of beige head that is frothy.
Smell is a lot of bread followed by slight honey and grain
Bread, malt and caramel. Almost tastes like a Belgian style beer.
Light to medium body with a good amount of bitterness, very dry.
Overall: Think this one just had too much of a bread flavor to it for me.
Oct 28, 2018
Photo of Tucquan
Reviewed by Tucquan from Pennsylvania

3.62/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Had this on 2018-10-22 in Columbia, PA from a 16oz can with a best by of 2018-12-15

A - Very clear gold with a 1.5-finger white head and good lace.

S - Mildly bready, honey, grassy and herbal spice. Not very aromatic.

T - Biscuit, bready Pils malt, honeysuckle, white pepper, grassy spice and then a punchy bitterness, which was more than I expected. It tastes like a 50/50 mix of a Surly Helles (which is also on the bitter side) and a German Pils.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Finishes dry and acerbic.

O - I enjoyed drinking it but I prefer ESBs that are less bitter and more malt forward.
Oct 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by West_Chester_Ale_Tester from Ohio

Oct 20, 2018
Photo of buschbeer
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio

4.02/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1 PINT can
Served in a Great Lakes pint glass

This beer pours a brilliant golden color. It is topped with an inch of beige head that leaves little lacing.

The smell is biscuit, toast, and some floral hops.

The taste is biscuit with some hoppy bitterness.

Light bodied. Medium mouthfeel

While Great Lakes may not make trendy beers they do make classic styles perfectly. This is no exception.
Oct 08, 2018
Photo of SaltofOH
Reviewed by SaltofOH from Ohio

4.17/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Can, enjoy by 12/15/18. GLBC 30th anniversary tulip.

A: pours a crystal-clear, brassy gold with a thick, 2-finger foamy beige head. Roiling small-bubble carbonation. Thick sheets of lacing on the side of the glass I wasn’t drinking from.

S: earthy hops and dry malt. Slightly floral, slightly grainy. Like the inside of a grain silo.

T: dry, malty arrival. Mild sweetness in the middle, followed by the faintest citrus, then a pronounced, but not excessive, floral hop note. Floral hop lingers. Missing the woodsy, earthy dankness present in some examples of the style. Also missing the signature GLBC malt taste.

M: lighter end of midweight; mouth-filling; very well attenuated, but taste lingers, with a little residual slickness on the palate. Invites another sip.

O: I love ESBs, and I always knew GLBC made this beer, but it was a brewery exclusive. I am thrilled they put it into cans, so between my love of the style and love of the brewery, I was willing to buy 12, even having never tried it. It was worth it. Fresh, balanced, malty but not sweet, floral but not medicinal. Classic. The only thing this is missing as compared to the best English examples is the yeast eater character. But since most English ESBs are a year old when you get them, this makes up for that loss by being fresh. This is a must try for fans of the ESB style done by American brewers. I ended up splitting the 12 with a neighbor, but will have no trouble enjoying my 6! Would love to compare to Burning River, side by side.
Sep 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3.53 by VelvetExtract from Massachusetts

Aug 29, 2018
 
Rated: 4.16 by DigitGrowler from Kentucky

May 12, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by BamfBacon from Ohio

Jul 12, 2017
Moondog Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 217 ratings