Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA - Great Lakes Brewing Company

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled served in a weizen glass

A - Clear golden/orange amber with a 1 finger foamy white head with good retention and excellent lacing.

S - Strong caramel notes and little earthy, muddy funk, with citrus and grassy hops and very sweet malt

T - Surprisingly bitter given the sweet light nose, this IPA is no joke. Sweet floral and caramel malt at the start swing into a dramatic strong grassy, herbal, very bitter hops finish. It is like hang gliding gently through a valley then slamming into a rock face. Really neat beer experience.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, creamy.

O - Very dynamic better, and very bitter for an English IPA. Really dig the herbal and earthy tones.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 20:58:32 | More by williamjbauer

flagmantho

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Label says best by 7/3/12, so we're good.

Appearance: pale orange hue with a light effervescence and a light haze. Head is nearly two fingers of frothy ivory foam. Nice looking, and stylistically accurate.

Smell: dank and musty aroma of earthy, funky hops with a sweet malt backbone underneath. Not bad, but just a bit too murky for my taste.

Taste: sweet malt with lots of funky hop flavor, as in the aroma. Bitterness is on the low side. Not bad, but it's not very clean; the hops seem muddled and not optimal.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good level of carbonation and a good creaminess. I like this.

Overall: a decent enough beer, but its flavors are muddled and not ideal.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 17:44:38 | More by flagmantho

rangerred

Tennessee

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

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a hazy dark gold with a half finger white head. Not too good head retention but pretty decent lacing.

The aroma has lots of citrus, especially pineapple and oranges, and some sweet bready notes.

The flavor is a little bit lighter on the citrus but it is still present with orange and just a little bit of pineapple this time. There is the slightest hint of toffee and would along with some alcohol towards the finish. Bitterness is fairly high throughout and lingers on the back of the throat.

Overall, a tasty IPA but a little less malty than I was hoping for from an English IPA. Still, the malt that is there fits well and all in all, I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 01:51:45 | More by rangerred

Mineo

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a bright golden color. Extremely heavy on the malts, though the after-taste resembles citrus wrapped in a tootsie roll. Nicely balanced. Tastes better than it smells -- but that's often the case for English IPA's like this. A recommended purchase, though Great Lakes has produced better.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 00:50:44 | More by Mineo

garymuchow

Minnesota

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

I've had a few bottles before this review, so this is a review of several samples.
Most glasses have had a fresh hop aroma, but always with a strong malt base, but more pale malt than stronger/sweeter type.
This sample has less hops than other. Also seems to have a bit of yeast.
Pretty rich overall, both from full malt, but also from a hop oil. Bitterness is long and drying. Nice sweetness up front - sweetness from both malt and hops. Clearly both english and Am. style hopping. Complex and interesting.
Rather full mouthfeel and carbonated on flatter side, which I prefer.
This was a better beer than I expected. Overall good drinking beer. Better than most for style and a new favorite from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 19:46:16 | More by garymuchow

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served from the bottle into a Napoli Grande glass

A- Poured a clear pale orange color with a two finger soapy head that left lots of chunky soapy lace

S- Very fresh and slightly astringent aroma. Very earthy, caramel notes, citrus, and floral aroma. This beer smells exactly like when you walk into the Great Lakes production facility

T- Sweet cracker and biscuit malt character with caramel notes. Lots of earthy and grassy hops with some citrus and spice notes. Pretty bitter for an English IPA but well-balanced with the sweetness from the malt. As it warms you get a little bit of alcohol in the taste

M- Medium body, prickly carbonation, finishes dry, some nice alcohol warming

O- This is one of the beers that really got me into craft beer and I still love it. I can't believe I have never reviewed it.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 00:24:56 | More by Hoptometrist

Luigi

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours out a mild hazy orange color with a massive off white head. Holds three fingers at first and then settles down to a thick blanket of foam and chunky lacing. The head retention stays until the last sip.

The aroma is full of citrus and floral aroma, with a nice balance of bread like malt and mild alcohol sweetness.

the first flavor to hit the palate is the rich citrus notes. Grape fruit and orange hint from a complex mild sour flavor with a sweetness from the malt. The alcohol does have it's role in bringing a balanced flavor.

Medium bodied and easy to drink, but take it slow at 7.5% ABV

Over all this is one of finest IPA's in America. I would buy this ale again and again!! Cream of the crop.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 04:18:44 | More by Luigi

TenHornsProud

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear orange with a white head that lingers and laces.

Smells of bready, astringent grapefruit and some other floral notes.

Taste is bready, cracker stone fruit that goes into a more grassy and floral middle before ending on a bitter, slightly spicy hop note with lingering sweetness.

Medium to lighter body with overly present alcohol. Oddly boozy.

A fine enough IPA that is malty and hoppy with notes of spice and stone fruit but too boozy for its own good.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 03:33:08 | More by TenHornsProud

cragus

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

355mL bottle into snifter
A - Pours a clear golden amber with a finger of rapidly dissipating head and no lacing.
S - Grapefruit, soap, apple, very light note of cherry
T - Citrusy hops, grape, apple, and a surprising amount of maltiness for an IPA.
M - Moderate body with low carbonation.
O - A tasty beer. A bit maltier and less citrusy than I usually like IPAs, but tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 05:44:24 | More by cragus

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle into tulip. Courtesy of my brother. No date on the bottle.

A- Slightly hazy bright orange pour with a two finger sticky off white head. Lacing is chunky and sticky.

S- Sweet malts, peaches, mango and strawberry. Slight pine. There is a subtle spiciness to it (almost like it had rye added to it)

T- Sweet peaches, grapefruit and a little pine. Malt backing is chewy with a lingering bitter finish and a touch of alcohol.

M- Light to medium body, good carbonation and a touch of alcohol warmth.

O- Surprised I've never tried this before. I am more of a West coast American IPA but this was enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 22:13:53 | More by korguy123

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes taken at a cask party.

Semi-hazed orange-ish amber in color just like most other IPAs on the market, a slim ring of foam for a head, some minor lacing left behind. Aroma and flavor both contained an very high amount of orange and grapefruit peel to pine resin ratio over the top of a balancing toffee malt. Hits the sweet-bitter balance and really close to the smoother texture / medium carbonation I prefer in my IPAs. Mainly this one is memorable for the citrus peel focus over other kinds of hopping.

Serving type: cask

05-06-2012 04:25:52 | More by WastingFreetime

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Light amber in color. Weak standing for a head, and what was left of it went away in a heartbeat. I'm left with a waning gibbous of foam on the surface. 2.5

Ripe orange and grapefruit hop presence with a bonus of earthy humulus tones and semi-herbal quality. Biscuity malts with a noted sweetness that carries out from the mouth of the glass. 4.0

Chewy grains that are nicely baked like flaky crusts. Huge earthy tones dominate the citrus of the hops. Hoppier than most English varieties. Not as sweet as expected, nor as bitter, but the bitterness surely holds up for awhile in the finish. A little chlorinated. Still some nice stale bitter orange and spice notes about in this one. 3.5

Lower tier on carbonation. And, the body is thin enough to reveal the alcohol. Could have a few more 'blankets on the bed' to make this more drinkable. 3.0

A great-smelling and decent-tasting English IPA, but seriously missing that 'sling-one-back' drinkability that usually forgives any sins (flaws) to the brew. Still recommended. Perhaps falling short because I had a sip of a tasty Penn Cheeky Yinzer earlier this evening. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 02:46:54 | More by thecheapies

TheBrewo

Michigan

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

This brew was served from the tap at MacGregor’s Grill and Tap Room in Canandaigua, NY. It arrived in a flared pilsner glass. This beer showed a pale golden color. It held a one finger tall white head which gave medium retention. Clarity was full and translucent, with no sediment noted, and carbonation appeared moderate. The nose sang with brisk hops of citrus and huge pineapple. There were notes of green apple acetylaldehyde, warm mustard seed, lightly toasted pale malts, and faint fusel booze. These all melded gloriously together, with a syrupy sweetness of honey and melon. Our first impression was that this beer was by far the best of the day, and was nicely fruity. As we sipped, pale malts and pineapple sweetness started things off. The hops exploded with herbal and citrus qualities, pulling us to the middle and the peak, which showcased more bitter hops, with spice, and honey sugars to cut. The finish of the sip was wrought with more even, spicy hops, which gave some grit and earthiness to the final flavoring. The aftertaste breathed very bitterly, of grassy, leafy hops, Band-Aid medicinals, peppery, minerals, gravel, and fusel booze. The body was medium, and the carbonation was medium. Each sip was cool, with a dry coating, leaving an astringent streak down the tongue. There was great froth, slurp, cream, and pop to each sip. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drinks with great ease.

Overall, what we found to be most enjoyable about this brew was the blend through the nose, and the follow through in the taste. This beer had the perfect amount of syrupy sweetness to complement the lightly toasted malts. The fruitiness and fresh hop qualities put this one over the top, with every category being stylistically sweet, even, and robust.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2012 14:18:49 | More by TheBrewo

C20Percent

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a pale golden-yellow with a semi-bubbly cream colored head of foam. Not much else to speak of here, though. Very limited amount of bubbles. No sediment. Those are the factors that -- for me -- push an appearance to the 4-5 level.

S: A sour-orange aroma with a caramel malt background. Earthy notes finish the aroma off. Kind of a little of everything here. I'm not a huge fan of malts in my aroma. I prefer heavy citrus of heavy pine, but I like this.

T: Pleasant surprise here. First, definitely getting the sour citrus picked up in the aroma. Very nice. A very malty finish -- that if I close my eyes kind of reminds me of a porter. Finish is also dry and bitter. But, at the same time, this is a very refreshing beer. The malt doesn't distract me like it does in some beers. Pretty good taste here.

M: This is where the beer wins me over. Love the feel. The body is noticeably lighter than most IPAs. Think lager type feel. And, I love that. Don't get an opportunity to drink many good lagers, so a good IPA that feels like one is wonderful. Also, should make mention of the well-managed abv -- 7.5 is on the heavier side, but it's well-managed here. Perfect carbonation. Perfect feel. Kudos.

O: Gotta be honest -- wasn't expecting much from this beer. And, it kind of blew me away. Great Lakes only recently came to NOVA, and I had heard a lot of good things about the brewery, and it delivers here. Great beer -- so tasty, so drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 18:31:58 | More by C20Percent

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle with a drink by date of 5/14/12

A - A clear copper, with 1 finger of head and a slight sticky lace left on the glass

S - A HUGE citrus hop aroma. Alcohol is prevalent. Smells delicous

T - Citrus hops upfront, with a huge bitter aftertaste. Wow, very well balanced. Citrus, then bitter hops. Finish is a little too bitter.

M - Light bodied, smooth.

O - When I took my 1st few sips, I thought it was a very citrus forward IPA, but then as I worked my way through it, I noticed it has a huge bitter aftertaste

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 06:30:24 | More by BeerDawgs

tut2528

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -13%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

pours about 1-1.5 fingers worth of head, retention is high and a little more on the thicker side. pretty decent lacing as well. appearance is very transparent and thin. its just a shade darker than a american light lager. very unimpressive. it is also important to note that this brew is 1 day past its "please enjoy by" date of 4/16, so this may be an unfair review.

S: hops dominate the nose, but there is also a strong barley character and a sugar malt backbone. a light citrus is present and surprisingly, no alcohol present.

T: first things that are noticed is the initial hop component and the very crisp finish. breaking it down, this beer has a very nice orange/citrus aspect along with a touch of grape fruit. there seems to be a spice in there as well, but i am unable to determine which spice. again, the alcohol is very well hidden.

M: definitely medium bodied, strong hop bittnerness sits along the back.

O: this is a decent beer, but not great. when consumed directly out of the fridge, i enjoyed the balance and the hop content that was complemented by the fruits. but as it warmed (within 12-15 minutes), the balanced was thrown out of balance, and the fruit notes really begin to subside making this beer less desirable.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:47:46 | More by tut2528

UCLABrewN84

California

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to drewone for sharing this one at jmgrub’s tasting.

Pours a clear honey orange with a foamy beige head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus zest, and some spicy and peppery hop aromas. Taste is the same with a mild bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good IPA but I like the way it smells more than the taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 00:42:34 | More by UCLABrewN84

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-golden, slight darkness with a stable white head

S-mostly hops. some citrus, some grains. good aroma

T-comes in with a syrupy and bitter taste of hops and citrus. it tastes as if the ABV is higher. matching after-taste with some herbs with the bitterness.

M-medium ceamy carbonation with a creamy finish

O-easy drinking IPA though not worth it if others are available. worth a try though.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2012 01:48:16 | More by AdamBear

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a bottle at Cork City in Hoboken, NJ

A: Pours a golden yellow to orange in color with some light hints of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall off-white head that shows very good retention properties with a thick cloud-like layer remaining over the entire surface of the beer. Significant lacing is observed.

S: The smell is dominated by the citrus hops - more of an orange/orange zest aroma than lemon but with some more subtle hints of lemon as well. Overall not too intense a smell to this beer though it does become more pronounced as the beer warms.

T: This beer has a fair amount of lingering hop bitterness which is contributed by the citrus hops present (this is more of the citrus zest/rind taste). There is a very light amount of malts in this beer.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Very enjoyable and a nice beer but probably too hoppy/bitter to be a sessionable beer in my opinion. The citrus hops are really highlighted in this offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 12:25:00 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle at Cork City, Hoboken, NJ

A: The beer is clear yellowish orange in color and has no visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high white head that slowly died down but never completely faded away.
S: There are very light aromas of citrusy hops in the nose; however, these become much stronger as the beer warms up.
T: The citrus flavors in the taste are much more pronounced compared to the smell—grapefruit stands out in particular. There is a light to moderate amount of bitterness and no malty flavors are noticeable.
M: It feels medium-bodied and slightly crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy drinking and has lots of citrusy flavors without being too bitter.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 07:22:06 | More by metter98

NardiByNature

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden with pretty nice clarity. The short and sticky head; settles into a faint cap. Leaves tons of lacing.

S: Some fruits in the nose are the usual suspects – grapefruit, orange juice, maybe even some of that sticky apricot smell. It’s sweet but the smell is spicy too. It has some of that peppery hop quality in-common with a pilsner.

T: Fruity, bitter, and a little peppery at once. Relatively complex. Theres a citric component, apple, white pepper, and bread crust. Nice.

M: The finish is great – juicy, bitter, and a little dry.

O: Solid offering. There are lots of very good IPAs out there; this is one of them. It’s clear, bitter, and features some juicy fruit.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 23:35:42 | More by NardiByNature

littlelorib

Virginia

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

Date of 05/15/12 stamped on the bottle.

Pours a crystal clear orange with a half finger of creamy head. For such a small amount of head, it does last a while. Smell includes a hint of malt sweetness, but mostly hops - piney and citrus. The taste starts with hop bitterness, but then blends with malt and finishes with dryness. Its actually very nice and not as hoppy as i was expecting. It has a nice light to medium body and a smooth mouth feel. The alcohol is well hidden.

My first English IPA, and it does have a different feel and taste than the American IPAs that i have been tasting. I am enjoying the multifaceted taste as the other flavors of the brew pull the hops into a nice balance. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 00:11:27 | More by littlelorib

WMEugene

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

My exploration of Great Lakes' lineup continues.

A - Pours a clear golden color with a small head and pretty good lacing.

S - Light floral hops, a bit of citrus mixed with the malty backing. Nice, but not particularly strong.

T - Nice citrus flavors, hop bitterness merge with the bready, biscuity malts. Well balanced, and definitely an East Coast style IPA.

M - Medium bodied, very crisp and drinkable. Once again, very well balanced and an inviting brew. Almost perfect mouthfeel.

O - This is a very good and enjoyable IPA. It doesn't overwhelm, but it doesn't try to. Recommended if you want a basic IPA to enjoy and have a few of. After trying some of their other offerings, I can say that I'm very happy to have Great Lakes in Virginia now.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 17:44:24 | More by WMEugene

dtreindl

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Excellent IPA! Drinking a 12 ounce bottle.

Perfect balance of malt and hops. Fresh aromatic hops greet the nose. Mouthfeel is great too, a little chewy foam, not overly carbonated. Flavor is top notch IPA! Great Lakes claims this is an English IPA but I think the citrus and light pine hops resemble more of an American IPA.

I don't like too much malt counterbalance in my IPA because I think hops should be on display and not overshadowed with malt sweetness. In this case I think Commodore Perry has just enough malt backbone to act as a pedestal for the delicious hops on display.

It's not a modest abv at 7.5%, but I could drink this stuff all night! In fact...I might just do that.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 00:28:12 | More by dtreindl

wedge

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoy by: 05/14/12 - With a shelf life of 90 days according to their website, I assume this was bottled quite recently.

Clear golden color with a tight, creamy looking white head on top. Pulpy citrus and melon hop aroma...dried fruit, herbs, and wood as well over a hint of cereal grain. Sweet grapefruit and pine flavor from the US hops contrasted by the leafier, somewhat vegetal, Fuggles. I'm not sure it's a combination I would have used, but it ends up pretty tasty all the same. Slick, oily, zesty, and bitter, it is undoubtedly an IPA, but I suppose somewhere in the grey area between American and English. Pretty good, though it just doesn't wow me in any way.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 22:32:22 | More by wedge