Great Lakes BC Kills Another One

Just out of curiosity, how did the Dortmunder used to taste?

 

Personally, I was never a huge fan of Nosferatu. Nevertheless, I always hate to see a big, boozy, hoppy beer like that get killed. Here's hoping they replace it with something similar.

 

So now you're saying it wasn't GLBC that killed it but that it was the hops market/shortages that did it?

 

The last year before they axed Holy Moses it was off consistency from its previous summers. For me, that was a great witbier, that was always available in my area, as well as affordable. Maybe one day they will resurrect Moses!

 

FWIW, I agree with you. I remember this being comparable to Lagunitas Imperial Red, but it tasted off this year.

 

Guess I was thinking of this:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/73/1792

And FWIW, I don't recall it ever being all that hopped up. Seems pretty similar to other years.

 

Wasn't Nos re-branded as a Red IPA this year instead of a Stock Ale? And it got maltier? Weird move on their part.

 

2011 was the first year that they labeled it 'imperial red ale'. Before that it was labeled 'handcrafted stock ale'. Although I doubt they ever had trouble selling this, I assume that they changed the label because too many newer generation drinkers had no idea what a stock ale was. You've been around a while and should know better.
Stock ales are a malty style. For that matter so are reds. Nosferatu was never what I would call 'hop driven'. I had my first one of this year last night and can tell you that this beer has in no way declined. Honestly I think you're thinking of a different beer.

 

I haven't tasted it recently, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt...

Maybe they were forced to buy less hops, and allocate them to other beers, thus changing the recipe of this beer? Honestly, this beer seems to me like it would be better suited as being more malt forward.

 

I'll agree that it wasn't as hoppy as in years past. However, it's still incredible.

 

Just had one a week ago on draft. They killed it, alright - it was delicious!

 

ROFL! This is as hoppy as it has ever been. If you want a malt bomb pick up a dopplebock and drink if before Nosferatu. It turns into a malt bomb in January and February.

 

I never found Nosferatu to be overly hoppy. It's definitely maltier than typical IPA variants, and I'm fine with that. Balanced brewing has been a Great Lakes signature since it's beginning.

 

It was never an IPA. Ever.
Or by IPA, do you mean "beer".

 

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt before this post. Red Right 88 is absolutely NOTHING like Nosferatu. They couldn't be confused with one another even by a novice beer drinker.

 

I'd imagine that most likely the employees sample the beer throughout the stages of fermentation to ensure it tastes as it should, and that if anything was remotely off during a taste panel they would immediately go down to the tank farm and take more samples to test in the lab and check their records to see what might of happened during fermentation which might of caused the issue.

 

Aha! I'm not as crazy as you think I am! At least, not because of this topic.

 

Never thought you were (at least on this topic :-) ). But since you said you'd never seen it described as an Imperial Red I thought you'd like to.

 

That beer is banging. Fuck all the naysayers who keep saying shit isn't "hoppy enough" as if that is the only criteria that makes a "good" beer.