Great Lakes Grand Cru - Great Lakes Brewing Company

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy orange color with a nice white head. Head disappears after a minute, but leaves some nice patches of lace.

Sweet bread malt up front, with a nice amount of fruity esthers. Maybe some green apple and pear notes. A bit of a Belgian yeasty, spicy feel.

Sweet up front, with a nice bread-like malt similar to other Great Lakes beers. Fruity notes, ripe apples and pears. Slightly earthy and yeasty at the finish, but remains a bit sweet.

Medium body, with a fair amount of carbonation to lighten the body a bit. Just a bit of warmth. Pretty nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2012 00:31:45 | More by Bierguy5

Tyrawlings

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-22-2013 20:16:58 | More by Tyrawlings

whodeyvols

3.25/5  rDev -20.9%

10-28-2012 06:12:28 | More by whodeyvols

sonata2008

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Cloudy orange. Not much foam or lacing.

Smell: Not a lot up front. Slight bit of bananas.

Taste: First thing I taste is the phenols. Little bit of band aid, bubble gum. Definitely speaks of Belgian. Little bit of sweet, little bit of hops. Nicely balanced. Very fruity with stone fruit flavors - peaches, and plums. Slight bitterness at the end.

Mouthfeel: Very light effervescence.

Drinkability: Delicious, but don't chug it. I'd like to try it over a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream or a tart fruit cobbler. Yum!

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2012 01:55:41 | More by sonata2008

bsp77

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from tap into Tulip.

Appearance: Hazy orange with very thin white head.

Smell: Bready, orange, some light spice.

Taste: Very bready and fruity. Definite orange. Fairly sweet but the spicy yeast and/or hops keep it in check. Some coriander and clove on the finish.

Feel: Medium to full body, very smooth, moderate carbonation.

Overall: Tastes kind of like a Belgian version of their Christmas Ale, which is a very good thing. Please bottle this in 4-packs!

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2012 01:30:01 | More by bsp77

Brewmeist

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap into a pint.

Pours a hazy dull amber color, average head and lacing. Smells sweet, hint of hops, lilac. Average ale, has a subtitle pilsner hoppiness, slightly sweet, Belgian style yeast, well balanced, a little fruity. Nice carbonation, not a pallette offender. Overall a nice BPA, very similar to ommegang's. One of the better offerings from GL brewing.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2012 00:09:07 | More by Brewmeist

GrindFatherBob

New York

2/5  rDev -51.3%

06-18-2012 14:25:59 | More by GrindFatherBob

msarver16

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

06-07-2012 23:47:47 | More by msarver16

Zaphog

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

05-30-2012 17:27:58 | More by Zaphog

TruaxMJ

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

05-20-2012 04:31:19 | More by TruaxMJ

Blueribbon666

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

05-13-2012 11:30:24 | More by Blueribbon666

superspak

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

03-31-2012 01:27:28 | More by superspak

IrishColonial

Virginia

5/5  rDev +21.7%

12-15-2011 00:08:02 | More by IrishColonial

meetyouoverboard

Ohio

5/5  rDev +21.7%

11-14-2011 19:20:23 | More by meetyouoverboard

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the hand pump at TJs into a tulip glass on 6/9. This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to have any Belgian style from a cask setup, so I guess this will be the beer that provides the measuring stick to see if I will try another if the opportunity arises.

The pour is somewhat atypical of what you would see from just about any beer that is hand pumped. The head that forms is more indicative of a highly carbonated Belgian style than it is the 1-2 finger head that an English cask ale would produce. Reaching a full 2 inches in height before being allowed to settle a bit and get topped off, this beer from the start looks like a Belgian. There is some slight haze in an light orangey colored body, something akin to peach or apricot.

The aroma is fully of spice and fruits. Strong clove, white pepper, and coriander are all present, adding to this beer's Belgian pedigree. Apricots, peaches, and even some slight citrusy notes find their way in here, as well. There is a bready sweetness that rounds it out and pulls it all together, too.

On the palate, the spices do start to run away with this. Far more phenolic than the aroma indicated, the clove and white pepper does have a dominating effect on the palate. Warm alcohol also squirms its way into the finish. The stone fruits are less notable, but still present. A touch of sweet candi sugar comes in late, but it is not enough to counteract the dominant spice. I would have hoped for a bit more balance here.

Out of a cask, I don't get the distinctive Belgian effervescence that the yeast so often gives. While the consistency was medium just as a Belgian Strong Pale should be, the overall impression of the texture fell short of what I expected. Belgians are better out of a tap, for sure. I hope I can try this one that way sometime.

Serving type: cask

06-11-2011 14:18:31 | More by NittanyBeerFan

MasterSki

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Prairie Moon in Evanston. Served in a bowtie for $7.

A - Served to the brim - no short pours here. There's a thin cap of foam that leaves behind splotches of lace. The body is a light hazed apricot color, with some slow-moving streams of bubbles.

S - Sweet stone fruits and fruity esters, faint banana, a bit of yeast spice, and light candi sugar.

T - Taste is a bit heavier on the spicy and peppery Belgian yeast, although it's still sweet compared to something like Duvel. Light peach and stone fruits along with some cake/bread character. Finish has a bit of coriander and clove - is this an Imperial/Double Wit?

M - Pleasant carbonation, smooth texture, lightly sticky finish, and medium-full body. No obvious alcohol present, although at 7-8% that's not surprising.

D - This is quite nice, although it's not a super unique take on the style. I would have preferred to see Rye of the Tiger or Rackhouse, but this was a nice gesture by GLBC nonetheless. Hope to see more of these brewpub exclusives in Chicago (or at least get some growlers!). I easily drank my glass and would gladly had another if I weren't in a rush.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2011 15:51:47 | More by MasterSki

shivtim

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at the brewpub. Listed at 7.8% ABV.

This is a very hazy straw color. Lots of little particulates. Looks almost like an unfiltered wheat. Small ring of off-white head, and sticky lacing.
Nose is very bready. Lots of yeasts and orange juice. Some orange rind too. Sweet and dense. Nice.
Taste is sweet Belgian sugars, yeasty and sugary citrus. Slight spiciness and lots of orange. Pretty tasty.

Solid mouthfeel and drinkability. A very nice offering from GL.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2010 15:46:47 | More by shivtim

nrbw23

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a hazy orange color with a thin white head. Head has little retention and leaves some spotty lacing down the glass.

S- Overall a pretty big smell. Smells of a ton of spices, malts, yeast, and fruit.

T- Pretty much exactly what I'd expect and followed the nose really well. It actually reminded me of Holy Moses on steriods. Quite a bit going on here and I'd say rather complex.

M- Lighter side of medium and carbonation was right on.

D- By no means is this my favorite style, but it is right. Its solid for the style just not my favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2010 07:22:29 | More by nrbw23

boatshoes

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stopped up in Cleveland for dinner and a drink. Had the opportunity to try two new beers, this one included, and was very excited.

Appearance- Comes off of the tap a hazy amber gold with a creamy looking half finger of white head sitting on top. Amazing head retention for coming off the tap, and the head sits there for the entire duration of the drink. Lots of sticky lacing left in layers down the side of the glass as well. A looker.

Smell- Lots of fruity esters and yeastiness coming off of this one. Banana, some bitter orange, and spiciness. Smells big and tasty.

Taste- Again, very fruity and yeasty. Lots of banana, orange, and bready yeastiness. Spices, cloves, and coriander come through as well. Quite complex but goes down incredibly easy.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Mouthfeel is substantial and creamy for the style, which makes the drinking experience even more enjoyable. Drinkability is stellar, a very easy drinking but quite complex brew.

Overall, I was surprisingly impressed with this one. Quite enjoyable, and I recommend that if you can get to the brewpub to give it a try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2010 03:20:55 | More by boatshoes

UDbeernut

New York

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the glbc tap room, poured into a pint glass

A: orange amber color, slightly hazy, slight head with fair retention

S: light citrus and spice notes, slight yeast and pepper

T: well balanced beer with light caramized malt, citrus, and clove like pepperyness.

M&d: light to medium bodied, like most glbc examples it is drinkable and almost sessionable for higher abv.

Cheers!!!

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2009 23:02:09 | More by UDbeernut

ClevoPiwo

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler into a snifter. The color is a nice hazy golden color with some lighter highlights when held up to the light.

The smell is a rich bouquet of citrus, various spices, yeast and a hint of malt sweetness in the background. Little to no hops present in the smell, as the spices and citrus (I'm guessing from the orange peel, not the hops) balance out the sweetness of the malt.

The taste is similar to the smell in its complexity. There is a nice full malty flavor up front with a flavor that is a tiny bit raisin-like. Spices and tartness from the orange peel come in next. The finish is pleasantly dry with just enough of that classic Belgian yeast dryness lingering on the palate.

Overall, a great take on a Belgian style pale ale by the GLBC. Alcohol is hardly noticeable making this one deceptively drinkable.

Serving type: growler

09-19-2009 15:56:18 | More by ClevoPiwo

TheViolator666

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from Great Lakes growler into pint glass.

A: Light yellow - straw color, a bit cloudy with a beautiful two-finger white head. Leaves very light lacing.

S: Smells very citrusy. Lemon zest, what I'm guessing is corrainder, oranges, a bit of sugar sweetness, a dash of floral hops as well as the typical Belgian yeastiness and various spices. Pretty big smell.

T: Taste is just as complex as the smell. Just the right amount of yeastiness and spiciness as well as the lemon zest, sweet oranges are the most present at the front. The hops don't come around 'til the aftertaste. Leaves the mouth dry.

M/D: Body is medium-light at the heaviest. Comes in strong, but leaves very quietly. Highly drinkable!

Surprised Great lakes could pull of an authentic tasting Belgian brew so well!

Serving type: growler

09-19-2009 15:34:01 | More by TheViolator666

adamette

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"pub exclusive" on tap. This from product description:

"Full bodied Belgian Ale Spiced with Coriander and orange peel with subtle citrus flavor and a complex finish"

A Opaque orange, cloudy, yellow orange with one finger head.

S Citrus, malty

T citrus, malty, complex, interesting, challenging

M Smooth, thick

D Very good to excellent. It is too bad that GLBC (Great Lakes Brewing Company) didn't offer this more widely than just a pub exclusive.

Notes: My favorite GLBC beer so far.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2008 20:04:34 | More by adamette

neenerzig

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another wonderful on-tap "pub exclusive" from Great Lakes enjoyed by me a few weeks ago. Reviewed from notes.

This beer is a cloudy orange/amber color. It reminded me of apple cider. White head is a good 1/2 inch thick when drawn before eventually settling to a very thin white ring lining the inside of my glass. Aromas of coriander, banana and orange, sweet Belgian candy, a trace of hops, and bits of clove and pepper. The taste is pretty much the same, along with a nice floral hop flavor balancing out all the sweetness, fruityness, and spice. Has a crisp, full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Very good drinkability. I really wish Great Lakes would brew Belgian style ales more often because this one was excellent!

Eric

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2008 03:04:17 | More by neenerzig

boulevard2

New York

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Grimace who drove this in staight from the brewery in a 2 ltr ticanter for my tasting delight.

Pours a nice light amber ale with much retention and little head. Very smooth and crisp on the palate and a heavy presence of alcohol at the finish. Tons of spice and hop overtone. As the beer warmed the alcohol and spice thickened. This is a great beer and I reccomend if you can get some to try it. This was my first from Great Lakes and am looking forward to trying some of their IPa's in the future.

Serving type: growler

01-26-2008 16:16:43 | More by boulevard2