View Full Version : Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
steveh
05-04-2007, 01:05 PM
It's been a long time since I'd visited this old favorite. I saw it on the shelf at a local and decided I was really in the mood for a good, precision lager and wondered if the GL was up to its historicallly good standards. It was.
I gauged this against the BJCP guidelines for a Dortmunder/Export and the only thing that didn't mark high was the appearance after the head fell quickly -- small price to pay for such a wonderfully flavorful beer, and that may have been my fault with a less-than-optimal glass.
Deep, clear gold color, fluffy white head while it held.
Aroma of mellow herbal hops balanced with a toasty, biscuit aroma - both of which grew vaguely stronger as the beer warmed.
Flavor of mellow, sweet, bready biscuit malt followed by pleasingly bitter hop finish. No caramal or diacetyl, as some have pointed out in other reviews (probably mistakenly). Heck, not even any discernable DMS!
Medium body with a soft mouth-feel -- maybe the best example of that character in any US lager I've tried.
An interesting side to the flavor is that I was noticing a very nice, sweet malt flavor that reminded me of something other than a German brew. I let the beer warm to near room temp and sampled again and I believe GL is using Belgian malts in this brew -- a nice touch.
This is the beer A-B ought to look at as a benchmark for their new all malt Mich. A great brew, and Dortmunder isn't my favorite German style at all.
S.
chazwicke
05-04-2007, 03:19 PM
You made my mouth water. Does reading tasting notes trigger Pavlovian responses in anyone else?
;)
HarkJohnny
05-04-2007, 03:21 PM
Originally posted by chazwicke
You made my mouth water. Does reading tasting notes trigger Pavlovian responses in anyone else?
;)
oh yeah! especially for Dortmunder Gold!
I picked up a sixer after reading your review and I must agree, what a great beer.
My palate/knowledge is about equal to a pee wee footballer vs NFLer compare to you but I know what I like.
My wife tried a glass and her first comment was "Wow that is a really balanced beer". She said it's one of her favorite beers.
Now if I could only find it for less than $9.99 a six.
Originally posted by chazwicke
You made my mouth water. Does reading tasting notes trigger Pavlovian responses in anyone else?
;)
Yes.
dparsons
05-05-2007, 02:06 AM
Originally posted by chazwicke
You made my mouth water. Does reading tasting notes trigger Pavlovian responses in anyone else?
;)
With this one yes. I can taste it. I've brewed a lager with the Dortmund yeast and it gives a wonderful soft maltiness.
steveh
05-05-2007, 02:38 PM
Originally posted by CJ01
Now if I could only find it for less than $9.99 a six.
Wow. Must be the Mich. deposit? Mine was $7.99.
Glad you guys liked the review.
S.
wortchillergoal
05-05-2007, 02:39 PM
Originally posted by steveh
Wow. Must be the Mich. deposit? Mine was $7.99.
Glad you guys liked the review.
S.
I did. Now send me the beer and see if I like that as well.
steveh
05-05-2007, 04:57 PM
Yer on yer own there, goalie boy. At least until I win me that lottery!
S.
Originally posted by steveh
Wow. Must be the Mich. deposit? Mine was $7.99.
Glad you guys liked the review.
S.
Yeah the curse of SE Mi, Im happy when I can find SA Boston lager for that price.
I enjoyed the brew more than review but without the review no brew. lol
steveh,
I agree. A-B should shoot for GL Dortmunder Gold as the "new" all malt Michelob. I wish they would. GL Dortmunder is on my short list of must haves. I HOPE that by going all malt and trying new things, they are headed toward making Michelob something of a craft style beer. With enough encouragement from us, maybe they will. All of the Michelob specialties are drinkable, but fall short of really being good.
The Alchemist
05-09-2007, 06:26 PM
After reading these posts about Great Lakes I couldn't help but tell you this story. Back in 2002 during the football season my buddy and I were meeting each Saturday at Oglebay Park in Wheeling,WV to watch the Buckeyes play. We met here because they carried Dortmunder Gold. Apparently the owners of GL had meetings at the resort and talked them into carrying their product.Since it was by far the best beer they had on draft, we always ordered this. Well, we ended up going every week because OSU went undefeated and we couldn't jinx them. The bartenders recognized us and always knew what we wanted. Finally, after all these weeks and I believe into the following year, one of the bartenders comes up to us and with other bartenders looking on with interest, asks me ,"Are you the owners of GL?"
To my eternal stupidity I said "No". We probably could have been drinking free for quite a while. That was my two seconds of fame.
steveh
05-10-2007, 07:47 AM
Originally posted by The Alchemist
To my eternal stupidity I said "No".
Heh, heh. I'll follow that with a story that backs up the moral; Quite a few years ago I took a girl out for an evening of Jazz in Chicago's South Loop. After the show we stopped at Kitty O'Shea's for a drink and ordered a couple beers (Guinness for me). I paid the bar tender and he brought my change in a few minutes. Talking and sipping, I looked down and saw that my pile of change was a bit tall and I called the 'tender back (he looking somewhat concerned) and told him I'd only given him a 10, and he'd given me change for a 20. He was very appreciative, so much so that in a few minutes we received another round on the house with the moral credo, in the gentleman's fine brogue, "Honesty is always the best policy."
Just imagine that the bar tender at Oglebay Park thought all the better of you for not scamming him!
S.
chazwicke
05-10-2007, 08:34 AM
Originally posted by steveh
"Honesty is always the best policy."
AGREED!!!!
steveh
05-10-2007, 08:56 AM
And good Karma points.
S.
The Alchemist
05-10-2007, 03:43 PM
I would never have made a good thief. I have no ability to lie whatsoever. I always tell a good friend of mine ,who is a lawyer, that is why I never went to law school.
barleyburps
06-03-2007, 10:31 AM
I picked up a 12 pack sampler of great lakes this morning and having tried one of each, I have to say I'm greatly impressed.
All 4 of these beers were incredibly smooth and a testament to the brewmaster.
Edmond Fitzgerald Porter
Burning River Ale
Eliot Ness Ampber Lager
Dortmunder Gold
I was expecting a weak link out of at least one, but everyone of these beers was very smooth, nice mouthfeel/body, and malty.
The pale ale was very well balanced, slighty less hoppy than SNPA.
. . . kudos. . .
steveh
06-04-2007, 07:31 AM
Originally posted by barleyburps
I have to say I'm greatly impressed.
You sound surprised, even after all the praise heaped on GL around here. They're a solid brewery.
S.
I bought a sixer of Burning River Ale last night and I really didn't like it. It wasn't bad but it had a strange mouthfeel to me.
It seemed under hopped, maybe that's the way a pale ale is supposed to be and the ones Ive been drinking are closer to IPAs (Bells, SN, etc).
It did taste better after warming a bit though.
I was expecting something special after trying Dortmunder Gold.
steveh
06-04-2007, 12:29 PM
Originally posted by CJ01
maybe that's the way a pale ale is supposed to be and the ones Ive been drinking are closer to IPAs (Bells, SN, etc).
I would put the GL BR right in line with Bell's Pale and SNPA, neither of which are close to IPAs in character. You sure the sixer was fresh? Can you describe the strange mouthfeel?
We have a local that keeps GL's Pale on tap almost all the time, I enjoy it when the hop craving hits.
S.
Originally posted by steveh
I would put the GL BR right in line with Bell's Pale and SNPA, neither of which are close to IPAs in character. You sure the sixer was fresh? Can you describe the strange mouthfeel?
We have a local that keeps GL's Pale on tap almost all the time, I enjoy it when the hop craving hits.
S.
I still have 2 bottles left so I will try to taste and describe the mouthfeel later tonight.
I had finished off a few SN Celebrations and Founders Centenial IPAs about an hour before trying the GLs.
8/9/07 drink by date on the bottles.
MichaelM
06-04-2007, 01:45 PM
the only complaint I have agaisnt the burning river is its VERY grapfruity... and thats just a personal taste thing(I am not very big on the real citrusy hops) other then that I drink alot of GL beers and often LOL
chazwicke
06-04-2007, 01:52 PM
Do they use Amarillo hops?
steveh
06-04-2007, 02:26 PM
Originally posted by CJ01
I had finished off a few SN Celebrations and Founders Centenial IPAs about an hour before trying the GLs.
Heh -- there's your problem. No wonder you couldn't appreciate the more subtle, mellow beer! Hard to taste anything else after being hit by hop bombs.
S.
All Cascades, Chaz. Summit's Pale has Horizon, Fuggles, and Cascade.
Originally posted by steveh
Heh -- there's your problem. No wonder you couldn't appreciate the more subtle, mellow beer! Hard to taste anything else after being hit by hop bombs.
S.
Could be, I normally dont buy 2 sixes of hop bombs, I didn't know what the SN was like but I enjoyed it.
Towards the end of the beer fest I went to last month my taste was off from all the big beers I sampled.
Okay the BR tastes much better tonight. It doesn't have the off mouthfeel I experinced last night. The only way I can describe it is greasy.
I'll blame on a few too many IPAs.
barleyburps
06-05-2007, 05:07 AM
You sound surprised, even after all the praise heaped on GL around here. They're a solid brewery.
It was all of the praise which made me decide to go with GL over another brand. . .
steveh
06-05-2007, 07:46 AM
Originally posted by barleyburps
It was all of the praise which made me decide to go with GL over another brand. . .
And..?
CJ, based on this thread I picked up a sixer of BR on my way home last night. It doesn't seem as light as SNPA, and there's the slightest earthiness from the hops and bitterness that could become overwhelming with too many bottles.
I wonder if there's a heavier character that comes from using all Cascades for the recipe as SNPA is never overwhelming to me (they only use Cascade as the finishing hop). Then again, maybe GL uses more malt for a heavier body, or their Cascades aren't quite as fresh. Nonetheless, it's a good APA for when the urge strikes.
S.
OhAodha
06-06-2007, 08:24 AM
I live nearby Great Lakes and while Dortmunder is a great beer it is pretty commonplace around here. I guess familiarity does breed contempt because I will go out of my way to try something else first only because I can get it so easily.
The beers at Great Lakes go well beyond just what is sold in the stores. They always have several seasonal beers only available on draft like Nosferatu stout and the new one, Prohibition Pilsner.
If I can make a suggestion, you should plan a visit to the brewpub. It is a pretty great operation. They have a beer school that they run several times a year http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/communityBeerSchool.php with an online version as well. If you visit they also run a free van service (powered by the oil from their deep fat fryers) over to the Indians games. Plus they have good food.
The place is worth a visit.
steveh
06-06-2007, 08:48 AM
Originally posted by OhAodha
I guess familiarity does breed contempt because I will go out of my way to try something else first ...
The beers at Great Lakes go well beyond just what is sold in the stores. They always have several seasonal beers only available on draft
This sounds just like we here in the Chi area and Goose Island, but I try to remember to support the locals as much as I can -- take nothing for granted.
If I can make a suggestion, you should plan a visit to the brewpub. It is a pretty great operation. Plus they have good food.
Couldn't agree more on this and add that the tour people were really good to us when we visited -- it's a great place.
S.
chazwicke
06-06-2007, 10:09 AM
Originally posted by OhAodha
I live nearby Great Lakes and while Dortmunder is a great beer it is pretty commonplace around here. I guess familiarity does breed contempt because I will go out of my way to try something else first only because I can get it so easily.
Same with some of our local brewery products. Old Dominion, Clipper City and even some PA breweries such as Victory that distribute to the DC area sometimes get overlooked.
OhAodha,
My wife and I spend our anniversary at the brewpub as a tradition. We were married in the month of November, which is lucky for us because the Christmas Ale is on draft when we're there. It is one our favorites. What do you think of the Christmas Ale?
I would like to try the Prohibition Pils sometime too. I bet it's tasty. How is the Octoberfest? I hear they are going to bottle it this year.
zsk
unkle bik
06-06-2007, 04:49 PM
Originally posted by ZSK
OhAodha,
My wife and I spend our anniversary at the brewpub as a tradition. We were married in the month of November, which is lucky for us because the Christmas Ale is on draft when we're there. It is one our favorites. What do you think of the Christmas Ale?
I would like to try the Prohibition Pils sometime too. I bet it's tasty. How is the Octoberfest? I hear they are going to bottle it this year.
zsk
Sounds like us.
The wife & I have been atending our "Annnual Christmas Ale Party" there for 12 years , now. We get together with a gruop of friends the day after Thanksgiving every year.
It is sacrilidge to taste any prior to that date, or purchase any from a store.
And yes. Ocktoberfest will be botlted this year.
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