Great Lakes Anniversary Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company

pbrian

Connecticut

3.1/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Best By March 7, '04. Yeah right. Poured a hazy golden with loose murkey flakes that were impossible to decant. Weak white head that left quickly without a trace of lace. Surprisingly tart, citric aroma. Taste was kind of a mess. Interesting parts, but didn't meld at all. Started very fruity sweet (melon-ey), a little tart spicyness tried to dry it out, but failed. Finished cloyingly sweet leaving alcohol vapors behind. In general, it's hard for me to find a triple/trippel/tripel I don't enjoy. This is the closest I've come to finding one.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2004 16:30:36 | More by pbrian

MikeCactusGordon

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.5%

04-16-2013 13:30:27 | More by MikeCactusGordon

Erockss

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%

02-10-2013 03:21:44 | More by Erockss

Jupitersample

New York

4/5  rDev +0.5%

06-09-2012 20:52:20 | More by Jupitersample

Nate

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.5%

05-16-2012 22:16:56 | More by Nate

jmo2k1

4/5  rDev +0.5%

03-26-2012 03:41:45 | More by jmo2k1

uziangis

Ohio

2/5  rDev -49.7%

01-13-2012 02:28:53 | More by uziangis

Blueribbon666

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%

01-08-2012 13:16:14 | More by Blueribbon666

ninner00

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.5%

11-15-2011 17:53:15 | More by ninner00

tmoneyba

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured hazy medium amber with large rocky off-white head that lasted longer than it took me to drink it. Aroma was very complex of malt, hop and fruit. Flavor was as complex with the same character as aroma with a long spicy finish. Medium to full body with moderate acohol finish.

Good brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2009 16:00:26 | More by tmoneyba

karengarys

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This Anniversary ale, which was cellared for about 2 years and is at about 55 degrees now slow pours a hazy amber, leaving little head, but a fluffy ring and island sit in the middle.As I watch it, super tiny bubbles are slowly emerging, creating various patterns on the top of the drink filling half of my daquari glass. Small islands of bubbles stick to the side of said daquari glass as you set it down after a drink.

Smell is very fruity and slightly sour. I pick up notes of banana, mango and mandarin orange.

Taste is quite sweet. More dark orange, banana and pears. Is this an alcoholic beverage? I cannot believe how well this hides the alcohol. On that aspect, it is rivaling, maybe surpassing the best of the real belgians (specifically, it hides the alcohol better than St. Bernardaus Triple). Amazing for an American brewed triple.

Mouthfeel is very creamy. Very very creamy. And it stays that way.

Finish is sweet. The creaminess in the mouthfeel stays through the entire finish, another amazing feat.

I wish I could throw a party serving nothing but this instead of champaign. It is one excellent beverage. It may have been a bit sweet for the style, but for my tastes it worked VERY well. I highly recommend giving this a shot... ...if you can find it...

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2006 01:50:36 | More by karengarys

edmundfitzoil

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Anniversary Ale poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a wine glass. The bottle's best by date is Novemeber 17, 2004. I know it's past its date, but the beer is a tripel and one I had looked forward to waiting on, for as a fresh beer it had been a tad too much in mutliple directions.

The beer poured a gold with a nice touch of orange. The head was white with a fizzyiness to it and left no head. The nose is heavy on summer time sugary fruits and sweetness. The flavor proves to be lightly sweet with a mild amount of fruitiness (apricots and oranges). The mouthfeel is light and the drinkablity and abv level are well hidden in this particular, probably overly aged, bottle.

Notes. I will return this summer for a review of this ale fresh and on tap, but found it surprisingly nice to sip in its state here from this bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2006 04:43:56 | More by edmundfitzoil

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - clear honey gold color with flakes floating about. A dirty white head recedes fairly quickly, leaving a partial covering. Gets clouded up with the last few ounces poured in.

Aroma - sweet, yeasty, an earthy, slightly musty undertone.

Taste - very malty and sweet, candi sugar and yeast dominate the flavor. Pleasant woodiness follows the swallow along with some mild hoppiness. Warming alcohol to finish up, it shows off some peppery flavors as it warms.

Mouthfeel - thick, syrupy, big beer feel. About average carbonation.

Drinkability - delicious brew from the GL.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2006 16:20:44 | More by brewdlyhooked13

merlin48

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, thanks to cmarushak for this rare, 2004 classic. Pours into a tulip glass a hazed, honey amber body with a persistent, two finger head that is a creamy vanilla. Active carbonation is very apparent through the slight haze. Patchy sheet lacing adds to the striking appearance.

Lovely aroma rivals some of the better Belgian tripels. Honeydew melon, kiwi fruit, clover honey, orangerind, pineapple, bubblegum, coriander, and white pepper. Very nice to inhale!

Mouthfeel is excellent, with a medium body and velvety medium carbonation.

Taste is dominated by a sweet tropical fruitiness comprised of pineapple, melon, and kiwi. Coriander, white pepper, and orangerind add appropriate spiciness. Alcohol presence is very muted for the style. Yeastiness is present, but not a major player.

Very well crafted Tripel by this Ohio brewery. This one has aged quite well and I love the suggestive label depicting a huge slice of cake.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2006 23:58:15 | More by merlin48

sopor

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Vibrant, clear golden-wheat color brew with a small amount of sediment swimming around. Thin creamy head leaves a small uneven and splotchy film. Smells of sweet candy and yeast with touches of honey, followed by spice and hop bittering and a hint of alcohol. Tastes reminiscent of Starfruit, bananas and grapes hit up front with flavors of yeast and candy sweet malt. Spices that I can’t quite identify and a small alcohol kick come in with the soft yet perfectly bitter hops. Moderate body is perfect for a tripel with nice delicate carbonation. Pretty drinkable for 9.5%, perhaps goes down too easy, but not ultimately drinkable. A spicy and syrupy tripel that will not be a regular, but is definitely welcome in my fridge!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2005 18:35:30 | More by sopor

12vUnion

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Starts as a peachy-amber color. Thin lace at the top. Barely any head at all.

It smells a touch fruity. Perhaps a light apricot and apple smell from the Belgium style yeast. Hints at hoppiness and even a bit woody. Smells a little sweet. I'd say it smells a bit reminiscent of Chimay Cinq Cents.

Again, the taste is somewhat comparable to Chimay White. But it certainly isn't anywhere near as well rounded. The taste is confused. It's got a bit of yeast at the bottom of the bottle, but it doesn't come off very yeasty in flavor. It's fruity and sort of sweet at the start, but by the time it finishes it has turned fairly bitter. It peaks in the middle with a hop and alcohol 1-2. The finish is a little hoppy, a bit apple/grape peal bitter and the rest is alcohol. I don't care for the finish. The pleasant tastes are quick to fade away into bitters. The taste is too quick to really enjoy. It leaves the sour spots on the tongue tingly and warm.

It's not the best drinking triple. Most good Belgium triples wow me. This one...doesn't hit the mark. It's nearly there, but just not yet. It's good, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2005 04:54:30 | More by 12vUnion

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served in a tulip glass slightly chilled from a bottle.

Pours an orangish honey color with 2" of sticky, eggshell white, foamy head that starts to dissipate right as it pours but it does so slowly. Some sediment found making it a bit hazy holding into the light.

Very aromatic! I can smell it a foot away and can make out some characteristics as well. Very sugary aroma that reminds me of mandarine oranges. I get also a nice healthy dose of hops which almost seems a bit like cascade with a bit of earthy mix. The spice I smell (cloves or nutmeg) make almost an olive aroma from first whiff. However, I'm very excited to try this one!

Full body lends itself to a very citrusy flavor (oranges); very sweet; more sweet than the bottle implies. I also get a nice taste of sweet spices right up front followed by the citrus body, and a strong drying alcohol finish. It actually tingles my tongue a lot before swallowing. Some olive flavor also found in there, but as weird as that sounds it is pleasant.

Full-bodied for sure! Strong alcohol presence as well as a moderate bit of tingly bubbly carbonation throughout the sip. Alcohol is a bit much and hurts some flavor I think.

Although I happen to like it, I think there are better that represent the style. I'd have another, and I enjoyed it. I think anyone would!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2005 01:40:24 | More by Fish113d

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.63/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

thx dogbrick for this special treat

first off, love the label. anniversary cake. excellent. nothing about the label says belgian or tripel (trippel? triple? whatthefckever). pours a golden orangey clear color with no head, some bubbles clinging to the corners. spotty lacing.

aroma is all lemony, orangey band-aids. some sugar cookie in there too, sweetens as it warms. not as bad as it sounds.. rather appealing actually. something in there is kind of piney, like a new car smell. fascinating.

tastes great!!! thick mouthfeel with a instant lemony sweet jolt, followed by a bready bitterness with alcohol and banana in the finish. some pear brandy notes in the flavor as well. boy is this a huge and freakin complex beer. the alcohol is compromised by the twirling fruitiness.. gets lost in the shuffle. this is what unibroue strives to be... think la fin du monde with less yeastiness and more raw flavor. as i drink it, it becomes lighter and lighter.. sweeter and sweeter. i love the ride this is taking me on.

a beer like this is usually burdened with butter.. this beer suffers from none of that and what a relief that is.

great lakes is consistent quality, and this beer is no exception. i need more of this now please, thank you.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2005 04:44:12 | More by goodbyeohio

mattcrill

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to cmaruschak for giving me a chance to sample this one. There aren't many left and he was nice enough to spread the wealth.

Presentation: Bottle states that I was supposed to enjoy it by "Nov 17, '04". Oops. That means they brewed it in August so it's a year old. Still, I can only imagine that good things come to those who wait.

Appearance: Pours a slightly cloudy golden honey color with a thin bone white cap. Carbonation noted throughout the body and some yeasties floating around. Maybe some chill haze going on here but I've been suitably warned by the brewer so I won't take any points off here.

Smell: A flowery aroma with hints of honey and Belgian yeast. Nicely balanced and very complex.

Taste: Sweet honey, followed by that funky Belgian yeast, and then a clove-like, slightly peppery finish. A wheaty base is definitely noted and the sweetness, yeast, and spiciness is pleasantly balanced. No esters are noted as this is finely crafted.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a drier, crisp finish. Carbonation keeps it interesting but never dominates.

Drinkability: Not my favorite style but definitely the best one I've had yet. Could probably benefit from even more aging. I think I'll make sure all my Trippels have at least a year on them. Still, I cannot stop gushing about what a great brewery we have in Great Lakes. If you can find any of this left, make sure to grab some.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2005 19:01:56 | More by mattcrill

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fascinating all the flavors that you look for in a traditional Thai dish. Sweet, spicy, and nutty. Good yellow - orange color. Nice head retention that fades because of the high alcohol. Aromas of those belgian candies, spices, and sweet alcohol. With a malt backbone, the sugars create a bold sweetness and big pepper flavors. Fruity pears, peaches, apples, and ripe cherries. Nutty and oak flavors transcend like soy sauce or mesquite. Big alcohol throughout. High carbonation, with the alcohol and pepper creates tremendous power in the finish and aftertaste. Candied, peppery and alcoholic throughout. A tremendous beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2005 00:40:26 | More by BEERchitect

SupaCelt

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Golden honey colour. Small head with no retension. Particulate debris hangs in place like a curtain as bubbles cut their way through to the surface.

Smell: Hugely spicy and peppery. A bit of yeasty character is notable. Sweetness is alluded to in the nose.

Taste: Wow! Spicy as hell. The olde me would have cast this beer off at this point. Somehow, the spices do not bother me at this juncture. This tastes good. Great sweetness and bite as well. Fruity flavours with a dangerous but delectable amount of spices and a nice bitter quality for good measure.

Mouthfeel: Light yet heavy with flavours and alcohol. Good tingling sensations produced. Feels just right.

Drinkability: Being heavy on the diesel, I wouldn't consume massive amounts. It tastes good enough to warrant the desire for another round though. I like this one. Shockingly so. I was not expecting something this delicious to come out of the bottle. Another point worthy of mention is that it was supposedly best by November 17 and it is now about six months past that date. Still tastes fabaliss.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2005 18:13:03 | More by SupaCelt

meathookjones

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy light orange with a small white foamy topping. Scatterings of lace. Aroma is a mix of apples, other light fruits and a dash of spices. The scent was really good when it was first poured out but died unusually fast. Flavor is full of sweet fruits, a backing of biscuity malt and a slight yeastiness. There was a good bit of spice in the mix and it lingered on the finish. Quite a solid taste going on that it light and crisp but still packs in plenty of taste. Medium and creamy while going down smooth. Pretty easy drinking stuff for the complexity. I would have another if I had another.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2005 20:45:07 | More by meathookjones

elricorico

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This ale is a cloudy orange-brown colour with a thin layer of head on top. Plenty of tiny bubbles are flowing to the top.

The smell is strong, smells of candied sugar and black pepper. Smells nice.

The taste is sweet up front, that same sugar as the smell, then follows up with a hit of pepperry spiciness. The finish is very warm, and some of the alcohol makes it's presence known. The lingering flavour comes from a mix of the spiciness and the alcohol. That flavour fills the back half of my mouth with each swallow.

Mouthfeel is fairly nice, a bit stickier than I'd prefer, but it is comfortable to roll this brew around on your tongue for a bit. The beer is certainly not a gulper, it's high alcohol content and potent flavour make you take your time.

All in all, not bad, but I'd hoped for better. It's worth trying if you have any interest in Belgian style beers. Thanks again to my friend Praneel for the 6er of Great Lakes beers to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2005 04:54:24 | More by elricorico

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle, best by Nov. 04. Ok, so only a month past freshness date. Pours a hazy golden, slight orange liquid. Thick, white foamy head, dense bubbles. Head retention was fair. Smells of spices, orange zest. Pale malt, esthery, orange zest flavor. Some spices, and a slightly sour taste. Slight hop bitterness. Full body, high carbonation, slight creamy feel as well, Coats the tongue despite higher carbonation. Alcohol noticable. Wish I would have had this fresh, however still a pretty solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2004 02:45:04 | More by Bierguy5

CortexBomb

Michigan

3.05/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours out pale, strawish yellow with a moderate white head on top. Smell is dominated by malts, pears, and a definite sweet tinge.

Huge fruity flavours mixed with malts to start it out, and then that gives way to pepper, with an accompanying hop bitter on the back of the tongue which grows to a decent stature. A certain alcohol flavour and warming is also noticeably present, and the finish is a fairly defined bitter tinge. The alcohol presence which started at the middle and stayed through to the end was just over the top in comparison to the other things going on for my preferences, and it seemed to become more and more pronounced as the brew warmed, as did the hop profile and aftertaste. Relative to the others I've had in the style this is definitely sub-average.

Body is moderate and creamy, appropriate while the drinkability is moderately above average.

A Belgian, but the fact you can taste the alcohol noticeably and the stronger hop profile (which I don't think fits this style that well) make this one of the weaker Great Lakes offerings that I've tried.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2004 01:50:11 | More by CortexBomb