Great Lakes Independence Ale

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

Sampled on draft at Johnny’s Wife’s Place in Jeannette PA this beer poured a medium amber color with a huge yellow-white head. The aroma was moderate floral and light fruity hops. The flavor was lightly tangy and bitter with a nice amount of fruity and floral hops and a nice malt backbone. Good balance though a bit thin in substance. Nicely Enjoyable.

On draught at Winking Lizard. The beer pours a clear reddish-amber color with a medium white head that diminishes steadily. Thin sheet of lacing on the glass. Hoppy aroma with grapefruit accents along with some malt. Medium body with a moderately bitter hops character. Notes of citrus and bready malt as well. The finish is citrusy hops and mild malt with a lingering bitterness. Above average overall.

Red-amber with good, creamy head / Nose of malt, dry hops and citrus / Light to medium body, crisp and hoppy, with good malts and finish / Flavors of toast, burnt spun sugar, and grapefruit / A very fine pale ale.

Draft at Dublin Pub in Dayton. Bright but dark copper with a pleasantly rolling bubbliness. Nice rich caramel malt forms the basis of this, but there’s also a nice crisp hoppy bite to bring it together. Yummy. (#3576, 7/4/2009)

Rating #15 for this beer.
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7/07/2008: GLBC Independence Ale has a cloudy amber/resin color topped by a small, frothy, beige/tan head. The aroma is lively and earthy with pine and citrus hops. There is also a good caramel malt presence and a mild to moderate amount of bitterness. The flavor has a nice caramel maltiness with resin, pine, and earthy hops. There is also a touch of citrus in the finish. This beer has a medium to medium-full body and is balanced and easy to drink.

Draught sample (ABV 6.0%; IBU 45) at the Great Lakes Brewing Company Brewpub in Cleveland, Ohio.
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7/02/2009: Great Lakes Independence Ale is bright and hoppy with fairly generous bitterness. The hop characteristic is grapefruit with plenty of sticky resin. There is just enough underlying toffee maltiness and toast to keep the beer somewhat balanced, although it still leans toward the hoppy side. Tangerine or clementine comes through in the finish. As far as appearance goes, it has a copper color with a lasting beige head. I would put this beer into the Pale Ale or even IPA category due to the fowardness of the hops and the level of bitterness. I like this beer quite a bit. It has lots of flavor and is more than interesting enough to warrant putting down a growler of it!

Draught (growler fill) from The Party Source.

Odd slightly freshly cut veggie aroma. Creamy head on a beer with an iced tea look. Strong odd flavors. Not too sue what to thinkl about the personality of this beer. Difficult at times. Bitter medicine finish. Virtually flat. Better give this one another chance, not as smooth as I expect for an amber. Yes, you can certainly tell this is 6+%.

On tap at GLBC. Clear amber pour with a big tan head. Citrus hop aroma with sweet and bready malt notes. Bready malt flavor up front, giving way to big hops and a bitter grapefruit finish. Tried this one side by side with Burning River and am not tasting a whole lot of difference. Good stuff though.

reddish with large white head. moderate carbonation. flavor initially of mild hop bitterness followed by some citrusy and floral hop flavor that finishes with some nice crystal sweetness that ends long and slow. pretty standard, if not sensational brew