Great Lakes Grassroots Ale

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: Saison
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Date: August 20, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Roadtrip
Appearance: hazy light gold, frothy off white head, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet and spicy aroma, touch of funky feet
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of spicyness, growing touch of funk
Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

Growler acquired in trade with goryshkewych (thanks!). Poured a medium and slightly hazy golden color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of ginger (but not over powering), bready, herbal, grass, and some citrus. Tastes of ginger, citrus, a little fruity (bananas), and spices.

12oz bottle–pours a rich white head and yellow/gold color. Aroma is floral/musty, yeast. Taste is chamomile, floral/musty/earthy, yeast, some spice hops. Towards medium body. OK/soft carbonation. Thanks to jwc215 for sharing.

Bottle courtesy of schroppfy. Pours a hazy gold with a white head. Smells of cookie dough, ginger, peppery, yeasty, some earthy hints. Tastes of ginger, peppery, tea, some vegetal hints, grassy on the finish. Enjoyable.

I picked this up at the Sam’s in Downers Grove, Illinois. Although not listed as such here, the commercial description calls it a Saison. (It also says it was formerly Hale Ale, a Saison, and it’s not aliased. At least there’s a consistency here.) It pours a golden body that rapidly reduces to a ring. No lace. Foremost in the nose is the chamomile, followed by a honey malt sweetness, and then more spices. It tastes of soft fruit with a citrus touch, chamomile, and other herbs. The finish is moderately dry and spicy. Not bad.

Hazy golden color with a small stable lid of off-white bubbles. Aromas of dry thistles, damp grains (including corn), lemon grass, lavender, and chamomile. Interesting but not exciting. Start is lightly sweet with some thistle components. Malt works its way in by mid swallow. Aromatic herbs creep into the finish. Quite thick in feel. Linger has a bit of lemon oil, grass and oats. Again interesting, but...

Bottle shared at local BA tasting and draft at Barley’s Smokehouse. Poured a clear yellow-amber color with an average creamy white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate to heavy herbs, lemon and earthy aroma. Medium body with a slick texture and lively carbonation. Medium citrus sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. This is a good beer for style and my expectations where met.

Bottle and served in my Great Lakes snifter (the rare time I actually will use it): A slightly hazy golden hue topped by a nice fluffy head and outstanding lace. The aroma has notes of chamomile, sweet basil, lemon zest, bready malts, pear and grassy flowery esters and a hint of Dimethyl Sulfide. The taste starts spicy and sweet with a bit of a fruity undertone. The edges do show a hint of lemon acidity which prevents the beer from becoming cloy. There is a flowery herbal presence from start to finish. The mouth feel is soft and a tad chalky. Overall not so bad but over spiced and not attenuated enough. The yeast should have done more work here.