Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster - Great Lakes Brewing Company

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an orange slightly hazy/cloudy colour with good carbonation. Tastes of citrus, with tropical fruits in there to go with the good hoppy bitterness. Considering the high 9.1%, this drinks down very smooth and its well masked. This brewery pumps out some good, quality beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:59:50 | More by WeedKing4

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very citrusy for a double IPA, without a lot of the spicy hop flavors or heavy malt notes, or accompanying pine often found in this style. I like that as a change of pace- tastes a bit like Sweetwater IPA if that were revved up to 9.1%- lots of grapefruit with a touch of orange, sweet clean malts, and a resinous finish that still comes off as fairly clean, and a short bitterness at the finish. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 00:40:59 | More by Georgiabeer

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. Reviewed alongside Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.

A: Very cloudy light orange with one-finger, white, foamy head that lasted a minute or two. Also, tiny particles. Great lacing.

S: Seriously, pineapple was the first thing I noticed. Then orange and subtle hops. I like the smell.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and solid hop bitterness. Fruit and bitter hops are what I taste primarily. Some malt (almost burnt flavor) in the finish.

M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Crisp and very warm going down.

O: The thick cloudiness with little particles and the pineapple aroma really stood out to me about this beer. But the head was disappointing compared to the Dogfish Head, and the flavor was a bit too fruity for my taste. The mouthfeel also wasn't as smooth as the Dogfish Head. Overall, interesting flavor, but the 90 Minute IPA was the real winner.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 01:36:21 | More by SolipsismalCat

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into CBS snifter.

A) Hazy amber, with a nice 2 finger head. The head settles to a dusting, which is maintained throughout. Excellent lacing.

S) Wonderful tropical fruit aroma, pineapple and mango. There is ripe peach too. Pleasingly sweet with a drop of pine and citrus. Just a hint of alcohol.

T) Pretty malt forward, but enough hop bitterness for adequate balance. Follows the nose pretty closely. Sweet pineapple, fresh oranges, and peach syrup. Finishes with some hop bite and brief alcohol tingle.

M) Close to full bodied, pretty thick and coating. This has moderate carbonation. Drinks pretty smooth. No alcohol burn. Nice...

O) Really enjoyed this, can't believe I hadn't tried it earlier. This ranks right up there with some of my favorites in the style. We all know some beers get pretty hyped, I would argue this one deserves a little more. Glad to recommend.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 05:00:35 | More by RoamingGnome

Jfriz25

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Hazy golden with some orange. Not a lot of head even with an aggressive pour.

Smell- In a word: amazing. Like sticking your nose in a bag of hops. Definitely the highlight of this beer.

Taste- Big orange on a wave of bitterness. Good malt backbone and sweetness balance it nicely. On the verge of being too sweet but it never gets there.

Mouthfeel- Typical sticky medium body as most good IIPA

Overall- The smell is great, I almost don't want to drink it. It tastes very good as well but is a little bit one note. It's a very good not but that is what separates awesome from spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 19:45:49 | More by Jfriz25

Jamesplarson

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured overflowing from the tap at the sugar maple mke wi.

Appearance is a great hazy copper holds the light well

Smell is a little lacking I would like to have more of a nose for this one but it might detract from the flavor...

Taste is a full on hop monster ripping the enamel from your teeth filling your mouth with a full flavor well balanced with a sweet malty back bone

Mouth feel is hard to grab because of the hop presence however the sweetness does balance the bitterness well

Over all one of my favorite double/imperial ipa's in the world. As well as one of my favorite beers period.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2012 01:40:35 | More by Jamesplarson

koopa

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle received as an extra in a trade with a generous BA thanks!

Appearance: Pours a fairly clear dull orange with honey folds. Crown is 1.5 fingers, white, shows medium retention and lace.

Smell: Little bit of herbal hops over caramel malt. Maybe my extra isn't so fresh?

Taste: Sweet sugar, herbal hops, a touch of red fruit, some caramel sweetness but mainly bready malts that keep it from being cloying. A dash of alcohol presence as well.

Mouthfeel: Thick side of medium bodied with ample carbonation. A small hint of chewiness is apparent and enjoyable.

Overall: In the ball park but close to the foul line :)

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 00:50:41 | More by koopa

atr2605

New York

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-pours a golden straw, soft orange color with an offwhite head with good retention
S-citrus,pine, honey
T-Citrus, honey, and sweet orange with a spicy npine in the finish
M-full bodied
O-Very well balanced double ipa. A bit unique too, had a tad more spice to it than many others that I have had. Defintely have it again

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 01:18:47 | More by atr2605

raznug

Ohio

4.73/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: LEM pours a dark orange color and is topped with a good inch of white head a good amount of lacing all the way down the glass.
Smell: HOPS HOPS and more hops. There are a nice blend of different hop aromas, there are citrus pine and grassy notes waff into the nose nicely.
Taste: This isn't my first time tasting LEM but it is just as tasty this time as it was the 1st. The taste is just like the aroma and is dominated by hops as a IIPA should be.
Mouthfeel: This is one of the tastiest IIPAs I have ever drank. It is easy drinking but still dominates the palate like a IIAP should. This is a first class beer by a first class brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2012 23:06:11 | More by raznug

juicebox

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've been a Great Lakes beer fan for some time, but it wasn't until this summer that I got the chance to taste this wonderful seasonal creation. I consider myself a hops man, and this beer is perfectly crisp and sharp, yet balanced in sweetness. Truly my favorite from a wonderful brewery

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2012 22:23:24 | More by juicebox

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a Barrington Brewery pint glass.

A: Hazy, golden yellow color with some orange highlights beneath a dense head of creamy white foam that left nice streaks of lacing. Scarce bits of yeast sediment were visible along with a steady pillar of carbonation.

S: Very lush and floral with juicy citrus fruit aromas and the scent of ground crystal malts.

T: Somewhat hot, peppery and luscious fruity malts from the get-go, this brew has a complex, full flavor. Spicy and sweet doses of citrus and caramel malts roll together with grapefruit and lemongrass imparted by a big handful of bittering hops. The finish is a bit hot and booze with a steady fruit ester flavors that melds with hop resins.

M: Big, bold and full-bodied DIPA with plenty of resins and sticky sweet malts to go with the rush of hot, boozy heat.

O: A very flavorful DIPA but one that bordered on Ameri0can Strong Ale for me. The 9.1% ABV is quite noticeable, as the brew seems to pride itself on hop assertion more than malt balance, which is fine, but it made the malts cloy a bit when it seemed harmony of flavors shouldn't have suffered at all. I'd have it again as a standalone brew to get the full scope of things next time.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 19:37:03 | More by Gambrinus1184

macrosmatic

Florida

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into pint glass.

A: Dark gold to apricot in color with some haze. One finger's worth of white head forms. Good amount of visible carbonation.

S: Fruity (orange, apricot) and pine hops, bready malt.

T: Taste follows the nose very well with the addition of some tropical fruit (mango) and a bit of the onion hop character.

M: Nice, a bit on the thick side even for an IIPA. Finishes with a bitter tingly mouthfeel.

O: Pretty good, even if it's not the best in style. Would pick up a four-pack again.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 17:29:56 | More by macrosmatic

merc7186

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured on tap at Pizza Plant in Williamsville NY, poured into a goblet glass.

A: Hazy Orange/Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Decent Lacing

S: Piney, Orange, Grapefruit, Mildly Earthy

T: Piney, Oranges, Grapefruit

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter, Semi Drying

Overall, a decent DIPA with a nice hop forward nose and taste.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2012 21:29:09 | More by merc7186

siege06nd

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A. Pours a very hazy orange with a crisp white head. Decent lacing. About a half finger head.

S. Orange zest, pineapple, caramel, and some very light malt. A little bit of musty earthiness as well.

T. Very thick and juicy, with a big dose of caramel malt, some orange rind, mango, and resinous bittering hops on the end. Very sweet with very mellow hops. A very malt-forward DIPA with a slightly thin hop profile.

M: Moderate bodied with good carbonation.

O. Unlike any other DIPA I have had. Lots of malt-forward caramel and grain characteristics and an earthy bitter hop profile. It's well balanced and not overly bitter, in fact it's mostly sweet. But I expect a stronger hop profile from a DIPA and this lacks the punch that hopheads rejoice for. A well-made beer, but not really to style and ultimately not that memorable.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 20:46:10 | More by siege06nd

Sirwootalot

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in bottle, poured into Pilsner glass (couldn't find my chalice).

The absolute first thing I noticed about this beer was its heavenly aroma - resinous fresh hops, but with a strong boozy backbone of malt that could very well have been german or english. It pours like a normal IPA, with not a whole lot of head despite surprisingly high carbonation and a disarming clarity. If I hadn't smelled it first, on appearance alone i'd have guessed it was a mid-strength bavarian lager, not a DIPA.

The taste is sweet, drinkable, and intensely aromatic - resinous fresh hops dominate (albeit not by much), nowhere near as caustic or overpowering as in DIPAs like maharaja or abrasive. The beer has a profound backbone of incredibly delicious malt, which tastes almost more like what you'd find in candy than a typical beer. This is a fairly straightforward, non-risky, and very balanced tasting beer - there are few other notes to it besides simple hops and malt, although there's a strong hint of toffee as it sits on the tongue and an aftertaste very much like mild marijuana-induced cottonmouth.

The mouthfeel is sticky-sweet as expected for the style, yet compared to other stronger examples, fiendishly drinkable. For some reason, it dries out your mouth pretty readily, leaving a funky cannabis aftertaste that makes you want to drink more just to make it go away.

Overall, while this is nowhere near the most remarkable DIPA i've had, it's hands-down the most accessible. It's more of a 1.5 IPA, and to me at least that's absolutely fine.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 02:17:37 | More by Sirwootalot

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled served in a weizen glass

A . Pale straw a amber mostly clear with fluffy 2 finger white head with excellent retention and good lacing.

S pine hops, grass, malt, earth

T. Sweet caramel start with a well balance apex with pine hops and caramel malt fighting for attention. Nice moderately bitter finish. Not too much warming etoh.

M. Moderately carbonated, medium body, smooth and crisp

O. Chiefly pine hopped imperial ipa, well balance just not super complex or interesting.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 22:20:43 | More by williamjbauer

djmichaelk

Florida

3.48/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle courtesy of the incredibly generous laxer8811 (thanks Mike!), into a FFF nonic. Best by date 7/17 so probably bottled a little over two months ago.

A - Pours a nice clear straw-yellow, with a couple of fingers of off-white head. Decent retention, good lacing.

S - Cotton-candy sweetness, some melon and tropical fruit, and then maybe a little bit of cardboard-y oxidation, unfortunately.

T - Nice fruity bitterness at first, then that same sweetness from the nose. Mango, grapefruit, pineapple. Some earthiness in the finish.

M - Medium bodied, but carbonation is too aggressive. Not too drying.

O - I struggled with the first few sips, but it grew on me. I'd have to say I liked it enough and it's pretty good but it's just not in the same league as the big players like Pliny or Abrasive. I'd really like to see how this is when fresh, like within a week or two from bottling.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 20:19:46 | More by djmichaelk

gradergator

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice hazy orange into a Hoppin Frog pint glass. Nice hop aroma with some grapefruit and piney notes. Taste is very smooth and really enjoyable. I had low expectations with this beer and I am totally impressed with how smooth this beer is. Mouthfeel is moderate and just a really tasty DIPA. I think this beer is way underrated and would definitely recommend. Great job Great Lakes.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 02:57:01 | More by gradergator

Momar42

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into Duvel tulip

A - slightly hazy, deep straw yellow. decent head with large bubbles and good lacing down the glass. Looks the part of an IIPA.

S - loses some here. Hops are present just not as robust as desired in a IIPA. There is some citrus and pine, just would have liked more.

T - hops again are more subtle than desired. More apparent than the nose but slight still. The alcohol is also noticeable and that conflicts with the taste some. This beer tastes hot, and I suppose thats to be expected with an ABV of 9+. Enjoyable, but muddled.

M - Hits this pretty well actually. Feels good on the palate and tongue. Coats and is fairly smooth. Finishes surprisingly clean for how big it is.

O - A really good IIPA honestly, that is undone to an extent by the high alcohol and lack of nose. This beer could be backed off to around 8% or so and would likely benefit (but then it might not be a MONSTER afterall I suppose). A stronger hop profile on the nose would help greatly too. Would love to find it on tap and see how it rates that way. Above average.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 03:26:43 | More by Momar42

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2012-06-26 in Columbia, PA

A - Mildly hazy orange-brown with 1.5-finger white head that fades fast but leaves good ringed lacing.

S - Stone fruit, sweet malt, vegetal/onion, hop floral. Nice but not real strong.

T - Characteristic Great Lakes malt profile. Orange candy, mild peat, quite spicy like a Nosferatu, peach and grapefruit juice. Aftertaste is a bit sweet, which balances the lingering bitterness. Alcohol is apparent.

M - Medium body and light-medium carbonation. Prickly and resinous.

O - Better than I expected from the smell. The orange and stone fruit flavors and balancing bitterness make up for it. I like it.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 21:26:19 | More by Tucquan

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-cloudy yellow gold with a thin and sticky cream colored head.

S-very creamy citrus hops. Medium strength. Great boldness to it. 

T-comes in with a strikingly bitter taste of the creamy citrusy hops. it's a strong and lasting taste. It's almost overly citrusy.

M-bitter! Medium creamy carbonation with a creamy finish

O-It's a very bitter ipa. Almost too bitter. The tastes aren't too great really. Theres not too much to this making me enjoy it. A good ipa when selections are very limited but they'd have to be extremely limited for me to prefer this

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2012 04:11:30 | More by AdamBear

dorianmarley

Ohio

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is opaque, dark orange with plenty of carbonation bubbles. Head and lacing are slim.

Nose is a lot of candy-like hops and sugary malt. There is some banana and oat.

Taste is sweet, sugary and creamy. There is orange zest and banana. The hops have a burnt quality to them: a dull bitterness. The malt is light, but sweet. The sweetness is sometimes too much and cloying.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with mild carbonation. The alcohol and hops make this a sipper.

Overall, this is what you would expect from an imperial, but taken in an unexpectedly sweet direction.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 02:00:48 | More by dorianmarley

buzzedup

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A. Very clear. orange honey color

S. very fruity. more fruit than hops on the nose .

T. very crisp. clean, some fruit flavors but the hops are present.

M. very slick in the mouth. good oily feel .

O. this is a very underrated IPA i would put this up against a Doubletrouble or a 90 Min. Has more of a sweet hop taste compaired to a pine tasting IPA. the 9.l ADV is very well masked. this one will sneak up on you on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 14:56:40 | More by buzzedup

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Three quarters finger of light yellow head that is decently glossy. Body is a clear wheat color that is more orange than yellow.

S - Some banana and clove to go with some smooth hops.

T - Lots of banana now. A bit of an off flavor that I can't pin point. May be just a little past it's prime. Nice orange peel and grapefruit flavors. There is a little booziness to it.

M - Drying with some ok carbonation and body. nothing special.

O - Decent all around, but nothing really stands out apart from the aroma.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 04:24:42 | More by RuckusDu

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.85/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a medium amber with an inch of white head that holds to the glass nicely. There is no sediment and the head's half-life is about 30 seconds without swirling. The nose of this beer is a bit of a monster with biting alcohol and pungent citrusy hops. This definitely pushes the DIPA limits with its abv, but could have used more aromatic hops. The taste is mellow with a hearty malt sweetness and complementary hoppiness. This translates to a well balanced, drinkable DIPA, but the alcohol unfortunately puts it over the edge. I can't sit here and relax with a couple 9% IPAs...I can essentially have 1 beer before call it a night if I'm expected to drive anywhere. Therefore, I think this beer could be toned down a bit...while still being big brother to commodore perry.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 02:22:55 | More by ThePorterSorter