Great Lakes Independence Ale

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

Lightly hoppy with a medium bodied maltiness. Pours a fair amber color with a half inch thick off white head and good lacing. Some citrus and faint pine hop aroma coupled by mild sweet malts. Middle of the road ale.

tap at coles- i was not thrilled with this great lakes offering- strong malt flavors dominate, along with some faded, oxidized hop flavor way in the background- unpleasant bitterness. i was looking forward to switching to something else after my first sip.

Draft. Thanks to Tmoney99. Pours a dark goldish amber color with a nice white head. Aroma was hoppy with sweet malts coming through. NOtes of pine, grass, floral hops, and citrus come out. On the palatem it is a little dry. The flavor brings out more of a solid maltiness and it finish with a floral hoppy bite. Pretty good, but nothing too special.

On tap at Coles, Buffalo NY. Poursa nice amber orange. Aroma is caramel, light soap, butter. Taste is bready, caramel sweetness, bitterness in the finish. not a big fan of ambers but this is decent

Draft @ Party Source. Pours a clear dark golden/amber color with a medium off white head. Aroma was floral and citrus with some caramel malt there as well. There was a slight soapy hint to the nose as well. The flavor opens with a soft bready malt, mild caramel, and citrus hops. The finish has a nice bitterness with more toasted malt coming through. I didn’t get much sweetness from this. Medium bodied, decent.

Draft from Party Source. Poured a clear dark copper color with an average frothy white head that was mostly lasted and had good lacing. Good malty and earthy hop aroma. Medium body with slick dry texture and soft carbonation. Moderate to heavy balanced smooth flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Good brew.

Imperial draft served on tap at Binnys South Loop (Chicago, IL). Pours a sunny clear copper, decent offwhite head that sticks around laces well, decent carbonation liveliness. Aromas are some nice floral and grapefruit hoppiness, grass, caramel and toffee malts. Initial is smooth caramel english malts, nuttiness, good bitter floral hops. This is an ESB by the book off the bat and a very nice one at that, more intense than it’s so called "Amber" tag. Good bitterness balanced by toasty English malts, drinks very well with sweetness and bitterness in harmony. I can applaud any ESB that is served in honor our nation. Finish a bit of toffee sweetness with moderate bitterness. Top effort bya brewery that does ESBs very very well.

On tap at Chappys in Dayton. A malty, not too hoppy amber ale. Almost similar flavor to the Elliot Ness. Sweet malts, light fruitiness, and just enough hops to add a nice moderate bitter finish.