Great Lakes Brewing, Silver and Gold IPL

India Pale Lager, is this a new trend? I had never heard of any brewers doing a IPA in a lager style instead of the traditional ale style but recently Sam Adams released their Double Agent IPL and now Great Lakes is doing one for their 25th anniversary. This does seem like a good combo for Great Lakes because the beer that made them popular and started to win awards and accolades was their Dortmunder Gold Lager. Today, with IPAs being the hot beer category and Great Lakes producing a number of good IPAs, they have combined the past and present with an IPA brewed with their Dortmunder Gold Lager yeast. This makes for a very interesting combination with the hoppy aromatics but crisp lager finish.

When you pop open this beer the IPA lover in me is rewarded by a nice west coast style aroma. Citrus, pine and grapefruit waft from the glass giving this a good mark in my book for the IPA style aroma. This brew is clocking in at 7.5% ABV which seems to be a magic number with some of my favorite beers being right near this number (Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin, Uinta Hop Notch and Troegs Perpetual IPA). When you take your first sip their is a slight hoppy bitterness up front but it is quickly replaced by light, crisp lager finish. This beer reminds me of Lagunitas Fractional IPA or Founders All Day IPA (both of which are below 5% ABV and taste like a hoppy Bud Light). I have to say that while I was not a fan of the two "daytime" IPA I just mentioned, it was more because the price point was too high. The beers were easy to drink but if your going to buy a case for a party it would set you back $40 or more. This IPL is very easy to drink and with the 7.5% ABV it at least gives you a bang for the $9.99 buck that you will shill out for this 4 pack.

Overall, I would recommend this beer for a nice warm Summer night where you want to session a few IPLs. Its refreshing enough that is will cool you down while a few brews will do the trick. Keep your eyes open as I have a good feeling you will be seeing more and more beers in this style.

Personal Rating: 9 /10
Style Rating: ??? for a new style

Wanna try it now? Order it online at: 
https://www.whitehorsewine.com/proddetail.php?prod=704361440245

Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA

Here's a new brew from Great Lakes Brewing Company. This one is a seasonal that is taking the place of DoppleRock (a dopple bock beer that was good but didn't sell very well). This beer follows in the current up trend in IPAs, which we are all big fans of here. This particular seasonal is a big, rich malty double IPA. As Great Lakes says "Our Alchemy Hour Double India Pale Ale pays tribute to the North Coast's unlikely surf bums and the ancient quest for liquid gold, wherever it may live: in the ocean, in the lake, in a bottle.". This sounds like a good switch to me, Dopple Bock for Double IPA!

What exactly is the Alchemy Hour? On the West Coast, surfers have a term for that perfect time of day, when the waves are breaking just right and they feel like they can ride forever. They call it Alchemy Hour. I bet a few of these and you will be riding the couch for hours. This brew clocks in at 9.4% which is pretty normal for the style. Upon cracking this beer, I am immediately hit by a nice blend of west coast style hops. Good citrus, grapefruit, kiwi and pineapple aromas with just a hint of herbs. The beer is very amber in color which suggests a pretty rich malt blend. On the palate, this beer has a nice hoppy balance with the malt blend that they used. It comes off with a blend on bitter hops on the front of the palate with a sweetness that washes away the bitter notes. Personally, I'm a huge fan of that lingering bitter hop flavor so I was a little disappointed by the semi-sweet finish. Overall a great double IPA that is a solid buy for Hop Heads! Enjoy this one while its here.

Personal Rating: 8/10
Style Rating: 9.5/10

Wanna try it now? Order it online at:
www.whitehorsewine.com/proddetail.php?prod=704361440245

Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale

A reoccurring Spring seasonal from our friends at Great Lakes Brewing Company. I figured with St. Patrick's Day coming up I should try this Irish Ale.  I have been very impressed by other brews by Great Lakes in the past such as the Erie Monster, Nosferatu and Black Out Stout (All Four Packs).  

When poured into a nice chalice glass, it looks a lot richer then I originally expected. There is not much on the aroma, just some light malty bread and slight hints of caramel. It is an very smooth beer (very reminiscent of a lager) but with a light German sytle hop bitterness. To be brutally honest, this is not really my style of beer and I did not enjoy this one. I think it is pretty accurate for the style but unless your looking for something neutral and flavorless to wash down some corned beef and cabbage, I would pass on this one. 

Personal Rating: 5/10
Style Rating: 9.5/10

Wanna try it now? Order it online at:

https://www.whitehorsewine.com/proddetail.php?prod=704361990245