Great Lakes Imperial Dortmunder - 20th Anniversary Beer

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: European Strong Lager
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Fairly clear orange/amber body with effervescent carbonation, thin-medium clumping tight off-white head. Grassy nose with wet hay and clover honey. Tangy. Biscuity body with leafy, spicy hops, floral, backed with light sweet malts. The balance is tilted towards the hops, which finish the beer in bitter, leafy fashion. The cookie dough and lemon that make Dortmunder Gold so appealing are subdued here. Solid, still.

Thanks to black95tt for sending this one! Clear dark yellow with a minimal off-white head. Sweet candy aroma, hops are in the background, almost covered up by the malt. Creamy, full bodied with a sweet palate. No bitterness.

clear amber w minimal head...aroma of sugar, cereal, bread, and grain...flavor is large in sugary malt, bitter hops, and alcohol...nothing special

12 oz bottle. Pours a clear copper with a 2 cm quickly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma of sweet malt, not much else. Initial flavor is sweet, a hint of spice. Flavor switches to a little bitter on the backend. Not strong flavor-wise. Moderately carbonated, light to medium body, light lacing, and a hint of alcohol in the aftertaste. Overall, slightly above par for great lakes, but that isn’t saying much.

This has a very rich golden color that is completely clear. The aroma is heavy with honey and white pepper. The flavor is almost a little too sweet, but keeps just shy of cloying so you can actually finish a bottle. This would not be good in a bigger bottle unless you had friends to share it with.

This has a real malt sweetness (liquified, sweetened wheat bread and cornbread) that’s for sure - so much that it just about overpowers the good hoppiness. Thick bodied, practically. Lighter, strawlike palate elements just don’t stand a chance here; this is amped up, like a well-hopped malt liquor. It even has a good sized alcohol burn, like a good corny liquor. Even the aroma is boozy.The elements are fairly tasty, but this is not a good summer beer.

To be totally truthful, I go into these imperial lagers with great distrust and trepidation. I only tried this one because Dortmunder Gold is so good, and Great Lakes is a great brewery. While this is among the more handleable versions of an imperial lager I’ve had that isn’t saying much. Try it and see. Want some of my four pack?

12oz bottle. Deep gold color, thin head that fades fast. Smells like your typical American attempt to take a classic exercise in subtle complexity and completely ruin it. Flavor follows suit, sweet upfront and annoying bitter in the finish.

12 oz bottle courtesy MikeTD. Pours a beautiful gold color with a thick white head. Doughy bread flat aroma. Taste is malty smooth with a spicy hop bite. I like the hop presence in this, it’s kind of what I’d like to see more of from lagers. They have a nice noble grassy spice to them. Hops make up for the aroma.