Black Ice
Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Great Lakes Brewing Co.
 
Ohio, United States
Style:
Belgian Dark Ale
ABV:
7%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
4.25 | pDev: 9.18%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
8
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 25, 2013
Added:
Jan 20, 2010
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 4.75 by Brownsfan13 from Ohio

Feb 25, 2013
 
Rated: 5 by oline73 from Maryland

Nov 15, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by throwback from Ohio

Nov 14, 2011
Photo of brew3crew
Reviewed by brew3crew from Ohio

4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Had on tap in a pint glass at the brewhouse.

A- dark black in color with moca head
S- hops and malt hit the nose upfront
T-tastes like it smells. hops upfront and the malt follows
M-medium bodied and smooth
D-had before my tour. Went down so fast i had another
Jan 28, 2011
Photo of TurdFurgison
Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
I had this on tap at the brewpub in January 2011. The serving notes state "A dark ale with malty notes and bold hops presence", IBU 55.

Not sure what to expect from that description, maybe a dark IPA or a hoppy stout.

It's dark amber-copper colored, clear, with a thin off-white foam. On smelling this doesn't smell like a dark IPA, instead it's got a lot of fruity esters. A touch of smoke and some fresh hops behind that.

It tastes bitter, much more bitter than implied by the aroma. Strong citrus character, very little malt.

The body is average for an IPA, somewhere north of water. Overall OK, but way too bitter in an unappealing way, I couldn't drink more than one.
Jan 25, 2011
Photo of jampics2
Reviewed by jampics2 from Ohio

3.99/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap @ GLBC. Served in a pint glass. This is not a Belgian Dark Ale - it's Great Lakes Black IPA, as confirmed by the servers and bartenders.

What a wonderful head on this beer! The one finger fluffy white head looks like tapioca pudding atop the black body, some brown and even ruby edges, particularly at the bottom. This has to get a perfect score, and the bartender who poured it needs a raise!

The smell is primarily comprised of roasted malt and hops, giving some chocolate touches and some citrus. There are some pine hops and just a hint of grapefruit and perhaps orange, but the hops aren't slamming. I also get a hint of green olives, which is a bit off. But overall, the smells I get are pleasant enough, but this just doesn't jump out of the glass.

The hops hit first in the taste, followed by chocolate roastiness and a medium bitter end. The hops give impressions of orange, grapefruit and pine. The malt base is very pleasant and never even crosses into porter territory. I wanted this to be more of a hopped up Ed Fitzgerald before I had it, now I'm glad it isn't. It leans much more towards the IPA side of the fence, particularly when it warms and the bitterness takes hold. Very little booze in this one, well crafted but a hair short of the best black IPA's in the world.

The mouthfeel on this beer is typical of Great Lakes IPA's in the pub, and that's just great with me. It's more of an English feel, where the carbonation is subdued but the body is creamy and medium in the spectrum. Very, very nice for this beer. Add that the drinkability is better than average, and I'm sold. That being said, this falls a tad short of the greatest in the world but is a nice Midwest version of the Cascadian. Something I'm glad to have tried.
Jan 12, 2011
Photo of nrbw23
Reviewed by nrbw23 from Ohio

4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A- Pours a black color with a nice brown head. Head leaves some nice lacing around the glass.

S- I'd say there is quite a bit going on here...starts off almost like a normal IPA with a bunch of hops hitting you in the face and then comes in some roasted malts.

T- Follows the nose nicely. Quite a bit of hops coming out in the forefront and followed up by some nice roasted matls. I'd say this one is more like a black IPA.

M- Fuller side of medium in body and low in the carbonation.

D- I was lucky enough to try this one twice at their pub and it grew quickly on me. Its a a solid brew with a lot going on and its easy to drink. I'd grab this one up again if it comes around.

edit: A fellow BA fiveo2270 just filled my growler with this one again...I'd almost say its more of a black ipa or as he said a mixture of Ed Fitz and Commadore Perry, which I also think is right on.
Mar 11, 2010
Photo of bamadog
Reviewed by bamadog from Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
I don't know if I've ever rushed to The Party Source to get a growler before as their prices are typically a little more than I care to pay, but this offering definitely grabbed my attention and I made sure to get there for it (and at $10 for 1/2 grower, I can live with the cost). Poured from the growler to a tulip and the review is from notes taken on 3/4/10.

Appearance: Pour is a dark brown/near black and is nearly opaque with the exception of some deep ruby and mahagony highlights; starts with a short one centimeter light tan head that fades quickly to a creamy ring and thin film on the surface; loose spotty lacing is left behind on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Interesting... Fairly hop forward and they are bitter and citric; deep dark sweet fruit presence (like red grapes or possibly currants?); slight roasty malt presence as well. Quite a bit going on there.

Taste: Quite nice and very well-balanced and blended flavors of the hoppy bitterness, the sweet dark fruit/berry and the burnt coffee roastiness -- really matches the nose, nearly to a "T"; the hop bitterness lingers nicely and owns the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is mild; body is moderately thick and leaves a thick coating, particularly on the roof of the mouth; pretty nice overall and about what I would expect.

Drinkability: I really like the flavors a lot and the balance and blend is great; it does sit a little heavy though and at 7%, it would probably start to creep up on me pretty quick. Always happy to get something new from GLBC, but I'm not quite sure that the style it's listed under here is correct as it really doesn't strike me as a Belgian, but probably falls more under the catch-all American Strong... just my $.02.
Mar 04, 2010
Black Ice from Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 4.25 out of 5 with 8 ratings