Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA - Great Lakes Brewing Company

MrIncognito

Virginia

4.14/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - poured from a 12oz bottle. Clear orange body beneath a foamy 2-finger white head that retains well and leaves good lacing. Moderate amount of tiny bubbles rising from the bottom

S - Not overly powerful in the nose but what is there smells nice. Citrus and pine hop presence with a toffee maltiness. Floral without being overly sweet in the nose

T&M - Moderate carbonation keeps mouthfeel smooth with just a touch of dryness. Citrus hops hit me first with a nice orange zest followed quickly by earthiness and some very light pine. A bit of toffee sweetness in the swallow. Mild hop bitterness lingers for quite a while but never becomes stale. I really enjoy the meld between citrus and pine hops with the earthy quality. Very drinkable

O - I enjoyed this very much and would certainly not hesitate to make this a daily beer. Great flavors and structure. Complex enough to be interesting all the way through the glass

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 14:08:33 | More by MrIncognito

mscudder

Georgia

3.94/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served in a pint. A bit old, best by 5/27/13.

A -Nice frothy off-white head with a transparent caramel hue. Impressive retention leaving great lacing.

S - Sweet toffee, hops and a slight malt presence.

T - Lots of malt and earthy tones hit me strongly. Light hop bitterness, although leaving much to be desired, although i can only suspect that the beer's age is the culprit. Toffee is apparent. Bitterness brings out the fruit, mostly on the finish: grapefruit, pineapple....perhaps some melon.

M - Medium body with fair carbonation. Not a typical IPA, although suited well for my taste.

O - I suspect this beer is amazing when fresh. For what I was able to get my hands on, I am glad to have five more.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 01:38:12 | More by mscudder

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.79/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz, Best by 7/7/13
Riedel tulip

A: Clear orange color. Layer of bright white. Lacing sheeting. Good carbonation.

S: Bright orange. Citrus fruits and pine. Light malt.

T: Light bitterness on tip of the tongue. Lots of citrus notes: citrus and orange and lemon. Dry finish.

M: Light medium bodied.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 15:17:34 | More by inlimbo77

57md

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance is a orange-straw color with two fingers of fluffy head. The nose is distinctly hoppy, but also spicy as if there might be some rye in this offering. The taste and finish match the nose perfectly - bitter and spicy. This is a very good IPA that does not easily fit in the East Coast /West Coast definitions of IPAs.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2013 04:48:00 | More by 57md

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle.

Pours hazy gold with a quickly fading head of white. Barely a trace of lacing for the duration.

Aromatics are a mild blend of pine and malt. Quite subdued for an IPA.

Medium bodied with a crispish, lightly tacky mouthfeel.

Piney hops and a light malt backbone start the palate. A drying bitterness to balance follows through.

Finishes with fading pine and malt with a hint of cardboard.

This beer is pretty unremarkable and a bit faded.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 01:11:42 | More by brewandbbq

thedoubler55

New Jersey

3.39/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: A clear orange in color, very transparent, about a finger of white head at the top that left some nice lacing around the glass you drank it.

S: A fresh scent, some citrus, caramel notes, hops and a bit of malts to go with it.

T: Some earthy and grassy notes up front, that closes down with some caramel hints and citrus as well, slight bitterness to this one.

M: Medium bodied, dry finish and a good amount of carbonation.

O: This was an ok brew, I tried it because my local liquor store just received a couple great lakes brews so I figured why not, A very normal IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 20:32:42 | More by thedoubler55

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - poured into frozen tumbler w/ 1" head. Golden haze. Head lasted for only 2 sips

S - light hoppy, not overpowering

T - Slightly better then average

M - Smooth, not too bitter or overly carbonated

O - A decent beer but not worth including into steady diet

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 23:58:28 | More by Segelstrom

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

A - Golden orange with 1 finger off-white head.

S - Fruity nose, with mango and hint of pineapple.

T - Hop forward, tropical fruit notes, and a dry bready finish.

M - Medium body. Fuller and thicker than expected by the beer's appearance. Coats the mouth and tongue nicely.

O - Pretty decent, but nothing really outstanding about it. I would drink it again, but probably wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 11:56:57 | More by thlayli87

cosmicevan

New York

3.76/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

old bottle that i got my hands on somehow...best before 3/26 so a bit out of date...take this review with a grain of salt.

a - pours a deep transparent orange with hints of amber. frothy 2 fingers of head.

s - caramel sweetness, toasted malts. candied sweetness. citrus is mostly faded, but still glazed in the background.

t - toasted caramel with a soft hint of citrus.

m - some bitterness in the finish. soft, easy drinking.

o - overall would like to try it fresher...but not a bad english ipa at expiration date. malthy, some citric sweetness, nice toasted caramel.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 04:32:09 | More by cosmicevan

Nicked

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Light golden hue - classic English IPA. Sticky spiderweb lacing.
S- citrusy hops and lovely rounded, buttery malt
T- Here's the big stand out! Delicious and crisp. Tangy, citrusy hops and sweet buttery malt. End is mild and bready. Time for another sip!
M- Medium MF, suits the beer well. Little bit of fizz.
O- Excellent representation of the style. Tasty! I could session this all day. :)

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:43:25 | More by Nicked

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.39/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

A - pours a crystal clear light gold with a white head. Nice lace. Bubbly.

S - weak intensity for the style. Citrus and pine hops. Soft malt. Not impressive.

T - drinks like a pale ale with mild citrus hops with a soft piney finish. Tastes alright, but weak for the style.

M - medium body. Slightly oily. Creamy. Low-medium bitterness with a medium sustain. Mild sweetness.

O - not bad. Pedestrian, unoffensive and on the weak side of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 23:47:15 | More by GuzzLah

Groomsy

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a nonic. Best by date of 04/12/13.

Great Lakes year-round IPA pours a golden color that has some hop residue in suspension. The sediment is a little unexpected, as most IPAs I've had are very celar and undoubtedly filtered. The sediment is welcome though, as it adds a definite "rawness" to the brew. CP is topped by a two-finger head of tight white bubbles that leave stringy, webby lacing down the glass. A textbook look for an IPA, I'd say.

Since this is classified as an English IPA, don't expect the burst of Cascade par for the style. While the signature grapefruit, orange, and pine characteristics are there, there's also an herbal, earthy bitterness present, as well as some fresh floral notes. The hop presence is pretty big on this one, but some bready/caramel malt hangs in the balance and provides a solid sweetness, and some fruity esters from the yeast are also there. While not a citrus bomb like many other IPAs, this is a very solid beer with its aromas.

Commodore Perry is incredibly smooth for an IPA but is bursting with flavor. The Cascade hops hit the tongue with their signature flavors of grapefruit and pine resin. A substantial malt presence of bread flavors and caramel cut this in the middle, and the finish comes with notes of floral hops and some earthy, tea-like bitterness. This beer strikes a good balance between the American and English style profiles for the IPA, and that in and of itself is a great feat. A well-balanced but assertive IPA.

With a dry and slightly fruity finish, Commodore Perry has a medium body with smooth carbonation. This is very drinkable even with a bitter finish. Also quite refreshing.

Great Lakes is just a solid brewery, period. Commodore Perry is proof that they know how to stick to a tried and true formula for a traditional style while still putting a nice twist on it to stick out from the pack. While not a mind-blowing, earth-shattering IPA, I'd rather have Commodore Perry, which can absolutely hold its own with such a great sense of balance.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:54:45 | More by Groomsy

Chickenhawk9932

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours clear pale gold with a frothy white head with decent retention and nice lacing.

A nice floral aroma dominates the nose backed by herbal, citrus, and pine notes.

A nice sharp floral/herb bite up front, followed by biscuit malt notes. Ends crisp and dry with lemon. This is an easy drinking IPA, it has some big flavor, but it sneaks up subtly and is well balanced. The alcohol presence is a little sharp - otherwise it is very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 20:31:41 | More by Chickenhawk9932

AmitC

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Pale golden color. Just about less than a finger thick off-white colored head with decent retention. Excellent lacing. Clear with some very fine suspensions. Translucent.

Nose is dominated by grapefruit. Some rather bready notes and a bit off beat dry hopped weird aromas. Overall strength is mild to just about moderate.

Taste is just about the same. A bit of raw mango, some grapefruit flavors. Moderate bitterness in the finish. Palate effect is just normal. More balanced than i would like an IPA to be.

Mouth feel is medium to light bodied. Very low on carbonation for an IPA. Drinks very smoothly like a session ale or pale ale.

Overall falls in the pale ale category. Near Dale's PA but not quite as awesome.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 22:33:49 | More by AmitC

robhbest

Michigan

2.94/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Poured into tulip.

A: Golden yellow with 1 finger white head. Good lacing.

S: Sweet maltiness, not much hoppiness going on here.

T: Watery unbalanced, over malty mess, not a good bridge between hop and malt profiles.

M: Watery, flat and light for the style.

O: Nothing spectacular, not bad, just not good. I'll search for something else next time.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 02:01:16 | More by robhbest

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Type: 12 oz bottle
Glass: pint
From: Plum Market in Ann Arbor
Price: $10 a six-pack

Appearance: orange in color and with perfect clarity. a finger and a half of a white foamy head that hangs around and leaves a nice lacing.

Smell: herbal and citrus hops mixed with a fruitiness and a touch of grains

Taste: starts off with the fruit followed up by some hops. bread comes in lightly but is quickly taken over by more hops.

Mouthfeel: bitter and a bit sticky, but not overly either

Overall: this is the first IPA that i have truly enjoyed every sip of. I love the bread flavors that come through and the fruity beginning. definitely a must try for the quality and price

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 16:12:37 | More by SportsandJorts

ALBuff

Hawaii

4.06/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I wasn't expecting much from this IPA, but was pleasantly surprised. It's visually appealing, and pours a medium gold with a thin head that slowly trickles down the lengths of the glass. The nose is loaded with sweet malt, a little bread, and subtle hops...not it's best quality, but not unappealing by any stretch. The Commodore is sticky, sweet, and nicely balanced with ample piney, bitter hops. A little too much carbonation distracts from the thick, chewy texture.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 01:46:25 | More by ALBuff

tectactoe

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottle marked with a best-by date of June 2011 - I'm cracking this in February 2013. Yikes. Really curious about how this is gonna go down. Pours a golden, light-amber color with some tangerine highlights - hazy and cloudy to the core with a foamy, white head that sits pretty atop the beer and starts to leave generous lacing almost immediately. Some dense, spicy hops cloud the nose, right alongside a pungent grapefruit rind and citrus peel aroma. Some earthy and herbal tones bring up the rear. Very sweet and malty - it resembles an IPA that might be past its prime. Or perhaps a young, light barleywine with excessive hop flavor.

Lots of caramel malt in the first sip, and the many successive sips that follow. It's true - the hop "bite" has faded, giving way to the malt foundation and lunging it into the foreground. Fortunately, the malt bill is fairly solid and has lots of caramel, light toffee, and sweet bread to keep things interesting. Though the hops have degraded most definitely, they aren't completely dead - there is still a nice bitter twang and a huge, pungent grapefruit peel sensation. Some light white pepper flavored hops, slightly floral and leafy. The alcohol is noticeable, even at only 7.5% - but is that only due to the age of the beer? Some more sweet malts on the tail end with a light sugary follow-up. The aftertaste consists of a lasting bitterness and grapefruit pith. Medium-thick body, mildly sticky, slick, and oily. Carbonation held up pretty well over the last 20 months or so.

For being well past it's suggested prime, it surprisingly wasn't bad at all. Just not exactly what I was looking for, and to be fair, not what the beer is really meant to be. Despite that, the quality of the beer a year and a half past due is such that I'd be excited to try this one fresh. I will make sure I seek this one out when it's back in season, and my review will be subject to change.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 05:02:03 | More by tectactoe

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from 12oz bottle into becker. Slightly cloudy light yellow with a thin white head that flattens quickly but then sticks around. Thin but sticky lacing. Smell is malts and relatively calm hops. So far, just as would be expected from the tamer breed of IPAs. Taste defies nose, with a good deal of hops, finishing crisp and clean with lingering bitterness that keeps you coming back for the next sip. Mouthfeel is surprisingly fizzy and full. An excellent English IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 05:38:39 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

TheFightingMongooses

New Jersey

3.74/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Freshness date is 2/11/13, which means this beer is only a month from being past it's prime.

Appearance - Pale amber with golden straw highlights. A nice white head leaves sticky lacing all the way down the glass. Substantial carbonation.

Smell - Some citrus with a good amount of piney hop bitterness. As it warms, a hearty, grainy sweetness develops and mixes well with the hops.

Taste - The hop character is mostly of pine, and there is a decent bready sweetness to support it. The bitterness hits on the aftertaste and sticks around indefinitely until the next sip.

Mouthfeel - The feel here is pretty outstanding! Dense medium body, soft and smooth. Carbonation tingles a bit.

Overall - A solid brew from Great Lakes (no surprise there). Decent hop flavors with a solid malt foundation, very drinkable with a smooth mouth presence. I definitely want to find it fresh!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 02:52:36 | More by TheFightingMongooses

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a shaker pint.

Appearance
Straw/gold with a short white head that dissipates quickly. Excellent clarity and low carbonation.

Nose
Very subtle. Apple skin, bread, caramel and some orange citrus.

Taste
Red apple skins and very light components of lemon and orange citrus. Very bready and mildly toasted malts. Splashes of apple juice and some grapefruit. Grapefruit zest lingers.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, creamy and crisp.

Overall
What's with all the apple flavors? This really isn't what I look for in an English IPA. It tastes strange, but is still rather easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 23:51:01 | More by justintcoons

ckollias

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a clear pale golden hue with a thin, 2-finger, white head that quickly dissipates down the side of the glass, leaving a nice trail, and ending in a wispy lace

S: Hoppy aroma mostly floral followed some citrus and malt scent.

T: Bitter hoppy flavor up front by a malty backbone and finishes on the hoppy side of dry.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Delicious IPA – good hop and malt blend.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 02:08:42 | More by ckollias

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a golden yellow color with a finger or so of head at the start. Thin film of head left on top of the beer through most of consumption with a small amount of lacing present. Smell is hoppy - piney yet fruity. Taste reveals more of a sweet and fruity hop flavor. Nicely balanced and for a strong IPA it is not too bold for those that are less into IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 00:46:21 | More by Oakenator

Alextricity

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Drink by 12/24/12, so the beer's a little more than a week past its best by.

Appearance: Pours a ... beer color. Amber. When held up to the light, slight amounts of particles can be seen. Head stays at about a finger, and the lacing's nice.

Smell: The highlight. A whole lot of fruity hops with a dash of spice. For some reason I was expecting an earthier aroma, but got fruity, floral hops. This could well be an air freshener.

Taste: It's tasty, but I get almost a ... gasoline taste? How I can enjoy this beer when I find that it sort of tastes like the SMELL of gasoline is beyond me. I'm going to attribute that to the fact that this beer is past its prime. The hops are there on the first sip, and the bitterness creeps up on the finish. There's some malt to try and balance it out, but this is certainly a hop-head's IPA. The alcohol is well hidden in the flavor, but there's a bit of burn ... though that could be from the hops.

Overall, a very solid, above average IPA. This beer could only be better on-tap or fresher, so I'd love to have it again some time.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 17:20:02 | More by Alextricity

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Poured a standard orange/gold color with a short white head that lasted a little bit and then died and left a nice lacing.

Smell: Smells lightly of hops and well enough of fruit, maybe apricot?

Taste: Seems a little salty, and definitely a tad sweeter than I'd like. The underlying pine and fruit flavors are good though, and the beer is pretty nicely balanced. It's got an interesting flavor, but I don't think its my jam for an IPA.

Mouthfeel: Nice medium body, goes down easy, a little sticky with moderate to light carbonation.

Not actually a big fan of this. Maybe the salty taste I'm picking up is an anomaly. I'll come back to this again in the future to see.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:47:11 | More by ColdWaffles