Eliot Ness

[MiScusi]

has anyone seen this on tap around Southern California?

[jsmurphy]

No. Is it "Untouchable", or what?:D

[MiScusi]

nice pun :D Man this sounds like a great beer too bad we cant find it around here

[studentofbeer]

you mean great lakes stuff? i dont think they distribute out west. wish i could get some dortmunder gold tho.

[BluesHarp]

You guys should have no problem getting some "East of Big Muddy" guys to trade you some Great Lakes beers for a few of those fine CA IPA's...:)

[Caffinehog]

Don't waste your time on Elliot Ness. It's one of those beers they brew so that even the alcoholically challenged will be able to find something they like at the brewery.

If you want anything from Great Lakes, it's the Edmund Fitzgerald porter or the Dortmunder Gold. And the Blackout Stout is wonderful. But the rest is a waste of time.
And I'm from Akron, so I've tried them all.

[BluesHarp]

I'm going to respecfully disagree...I think the Elliot Ness Vienna Lager has a really nice caramel malt flavor; a very smooth and very drinkable lager. I'm drinking a Nasferatu Old Ale as I type this, another one of their beers that I like.

Can you explain what you mean by "alcoholically challenged " ?

I drink everything from 4% Pilseners to 23% Dogfish Head World Wide Stout...and can enjoy them all...

[hops99]

Don't waste your time on Elliot Ness. It's one of those beers they brew so that even the alcoholically challenged will be able to find something they like at the brewery.

Back up the truck. Are you thinking of the Locktender Lager instead? THAT is the one beer from GL that is akin to a lighter macro lager - the Elliot Ness, like BluesHarp said, is an outstanding Vienna Lager. In fact, I believe it's the highest rated Vienna Lager over at BA, and for good reason. To each his own I guess.


If you want anything from Great Lakes, it's the Edmund Fitzgerald porter or the Dortmunder Gold. And the Blackout Stout is wonderful. But the rest is a waste of time.

Back up the truck some more. IMO the Burning River is a terrific Pale Ale, the Christmas Ale is top-notch, Nosferatu is great, the Moondog Amber seasonal was very tasty - heck, I just drank a couple bottles of Conway last night - delicious. I could go on and on....

[Grog]

I was lucky enough to try the Eliot Ness and the Dortmunder Gold last week via a trade with Jake (thanks again). Although the caramelly flavor was a bit more than I was expecting for the style, it was an excellent beer as was the Dortmunder once again, not what I was expecting (more residual sweetness than usual) but delicious none the less.

I don't see the BMC crowd jumping all over themselves to get at this beer, there is too much flavor. It may finish a bit sweet, but it's very well balanced. Hopheads might hate them, but hey are superb beers. I look forward to one of you OH guys needing some west Coast stuff for trade so I can try the full line of Great Lakes. (HINT! HINT! :D)

-G-

[Jake]

Yes, along with sending Grog some of Eliot Ness & Dortmundger Gold I keep some for myself and enjoyed them both. I realize that the ratings on BA is only other drinkers opinion, but 137 drinkers rated Eliot Ness over 4.00. With that said caffinehog is entitled to his opinion. There has been beers both on BA and this site that other have raved about that I did not like. Eliot Ness is not one of them.

[fretlessman71]

Wow... when I'm done with my marathon, and clean out the rest of my fridge, I'll have to trade for a whole boatload of GL beers. Had the Christmas Ale late '03; very good indeed. But I have to say - the picture on the label looks like a bad 70's attempt at being artsy-fartsy or something.... no pizazz; no wow factor or anything. Just don't get it....

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by Caffinehog
But the rest is a waste of time.
And I'm from Akron, so I've tried them all.

I am not even going to waste my time argueing with that broad of a comment. I'll let the others throw their stabs.

BTW, I am from the Akron area, too. Have tried them all, and must say that GLBC is what other micros are judged by for me. It's pretty hard to find something this side of the Miss. that comes close to GLBC's quality. And quality throughout the the whole line, that is.

[studentofbeer]

great lakes is one of the companies i miss most after relocating west. to me they are definitely one of the top craft brewers in the country--imo basically every style they put a hand to comes out well. what impresses me most is their ability to do both lagers and ales extremely well. not many craft brewers even try lagers, even fewer do it well.

i enjoy the elliot ness, but prefer the dortmunder and the edmund fitzgerald even more. then again, vienna lager may not be my favorite style. still a good beer tho.

[chazwicke]

I have only had their beers sporadically and I once attended a tasting hosted by former Brewer Andy Tveekeram (sp). I think the brews I have sampled were all terrific. This is one brewery with a great reputation that i have not yet visited. I will though.

[fidcastro]

Originally posted by MiScusi
has anyone seen this on tap around Southern California?

I've got a few bottles of the Ness in my beer fridge. Normally I'd offer to trade something for it, but you probably only live about 5 mintues from me. If you've got anything that's not from around here I'd be willing to trade.

[MiScusi]

Unfortunately my only means of getting beer is BevMo, Trader Joe's, and anything else in the area so I dont have any hard to find brews. It's not that big of deal. Since i'm new to trying as many different beers as I can there's nothing that I really *need* right away.

[hopjack13]

Edmund Fitzgerald is the only thing i've tried from them and i thought it was one of the best porters i've tried. but sadly you well not find it in socal , unless you trade 4 it.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Caffinehog
Don't waste your time on Elliot Ness........If you want anything from Great Lakes, it's the Edmund Fitzgerald porter or the Dortmunder Gold. And the Blackout Stout is wonderful. But the rest is a waste of time.
And I'm from Akron, so I've tried them all.

Lots of people seem to disagree. Based on the entire line-up, GLBC shows up at No. 3 on this list of American Breweries:

USA! USA! (http://www.beeradvocate.com/boba/072003/breweries.php)

Cheers!

[chazwicke]

NIce list. I see Three Floyds is 6 and Old Dominion, my local comes in at 31.

[Mikejesmike]

Originally posted by Caffinehog
Don't waste your time on Elliot Ness. It's one of those beers they brew so that even the alcoholically challenged will be able to find something they like at the brewery.

If you want anything from Great Lakes, it's the Edmund Fitzgerald porter or the Dortmunder Gold. And the Blackout Stout is wonderful. But the rest is a waste of time.
And I'm from Akron, so I've tried them all.


No way,I would say Great Lakes is my favorite brewery.The only beer I've had that didn't impress me like their other offerings was Locktender Lager.I've had 10 of their beers and enjoyed them all,so I'm definitely going to have to disagree that the only thing worth drinking are the ones you mentioned.

[Mikejesmike]

I think the only way you can get Eliot Ness on tap is if some kind person ships a keg to you from Ohio,other than that bottles would be more practical.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Mikejesmike
I think the only way you can get Eliot Ness on tap is if some kind person ships a keg to you from Ohio

We get Great Lakes brews on tap in Northern Illinois all the time, my local good-beer-bar always has one tap of GL going all the time - Burning River was on this past week.

S.

[Mikejesmike]

I thought Great Lakes only sent bottles across the nation and kept the kegs in Ohio.

I was referring to the person in California,who wanted to know of the availability of kegs.

[hops99]

On a semi-related note, I stopped by the brewery Wednesday with my brother and we had an outstanding lunch, and the beer, as always, was top-notch. Conway Irish Ale, Wolfhound Stout, Blackout Stout, and Burning River for me. Yum.

The Blackout Stout is really an incredible beer.

[chazwicke]

I'm heading that way next weekend. I'm hoping to see the Rock n Roll Hall of fame and Great Lakes Brewing.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Mikejesmike
I thought Great Lakes only sent bottles across the nation and kept the kegs in Ohio.

Sorry, they sneak some kegs into Illinois. ;)

S.