Great Lakes Glockenspiel Weizenbock - Great Lakes Brewing Company

csmiley

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to prototypic for hooking this one up.

A - Pours a muddy copper color. Head is decent but fades rather quickly. Some delicate lacing ramains in the glass.

S - A nice smooth banana aroma rolls off this beer right out of the gate. Quickly following is a combination of wheat and grain. Hints of clove and bread show up about midway and hold on til the end. Alcohol is hard to pick out in the aroma.

T - Big fruity banana flavor stands out on the front end. No wheat? Smooth maltiness follows with notes of honey and bread. Wheat is evident about midway. Note on the wheat: This beer starts out very smooth and I was a little worried about the absence of wheat in the beginning. Worry no more. The wheat is like a kick in the taste buds once it has a chance to come through. Very nice. Some lemon and clove spiciness rounds out the flavor. Alcohol is noticeable but never gets in the way of the other flavors.

M - Medium bodied with low carbonation. Finish has a tartness that lingers for just long enough before revealing some sweetness.

D - Drinkability is very good at 8%. I would normally limit 8% brews at one per sitting but this one goes down too quick and easy not to have another. This is a very nice weizenbock overall. It's smooth and tart at the same time. Banana is smooth and permeates all aspects of this beer. I'd really like to see this make it into a bottle as a regular seasonal offering. Easily recommended.

Serving type: growler

10-18-2008 17:56:38 | More by csmiley

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to klewis for the trade. This is my favorite style, so the anticipation has been building. I've been wanting to try this for quite some time...Review # 1,500.
Appears a hazy dark caramel color with a 2 finger tan head that slowly fades away. Plenty of spotty streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of caramel, clove, cocoa, bananas, black pepper, and yeasty bread.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with more of the citrusy hops finding there way up front in a a refreshing, caramel, clove bomb.
Mouthfeel is smooth, yeasty, cocoa and caramel lingering along the palate.
Pretty nice stuff.

Serving type: growler

12-07-2007 02:21:44 | More by weeare138

Risser09

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks to weeare138 for sharing ths growler of his favorite beer style.

Appearance: This beer pours a translucent brown color with a minimal ivory head the leaves a little bit of lace upon swirling.

Smell: Pronounced malt build with additions of apple, orange, cloves, pressed cider and wheat malt.

Taste: Distinct bready flavor that is creamy with dried fruit flavors. Cranberry, raisin, and caramel. There is a cider-like sweetness and some banana bread similarities. Very cool.

Mouthfeel: At eight percent abv, I think this is a real winner. The alcohol is barely noticable. The body is both superior in creaminess and smootheness. It is mouth coating and soothing. Definitively a five.

Drinkability: Another area in which this beer excels. Many wheat beers are light and airy but this one is bready and creamy. With the alcohol not cloying, this is a definite winner. Try it, you'll like it.

Serving type: growler

10-20-2007 13:23:22 | More by Risser09

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to weeare138 for sharing a growler of this beer at a tasting at my place last week. It is a very tasty brew and one that is not easily attainable. The Weizenbock style is not a favorite of mine but this is a very solid stab at the style, and a tasty brew as well.

Appearance: Emerges from the growler a murky brown caramel hue looking thick and muddled. Ivory tan head forms and fades with little lace.

Smell: Banana, sweet caramel, caramel apples and some woodiness. Makes me think of orchard crates.

Taste: Ripe banana and apples, cinnamon and clove with caramel and cookie dough to boot. It has a juicy wheat element as well. A hint of raisins and spices stick to the cheeks.

Mouthfeel: It has a big malty body smooth and malty and certainly wheat nearly cover the 8% abv completely.

Drinkability: It is a big wheat beer. It is tasty and eats sorta like a meal. I tend to think of my wheat beers as refreshing and light but this one is a good desert.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: growler

10-14-2007 21:06:58 | More by Phatz

superspak

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into weizen glass, best by 11/28/09. Pours very hazy and cloudy reddish orange color with a small foamy 1 finger off white head with decent retention that reduces to a ring of lace pretty quickly. No glass lacing. Aromas of big caramel covered bananas, biscuit, molasses, light orange zest, spices, and a bit of alcohol to round it out. Some excellent aromas here, very inviting. Taste of big banana, caramel, pepper, biscuit, clove, and molasses. No bitterness on the finish; but there is some lingering notes of caramel, banana, bread, molasses, and spices on the finish for a bit. Medium carbonation and body; with a very nice creamy and smooth mouthfeel that drinks easily. No alcohol noticed other than a slight warming after the finish. Overall this is an excellent and delicious Weizenbock at almost 2 years past freshness date. I wonder if they will ever bottle it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 03:37:29 | More by superspak

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Great Lakes continues to impress with their awesome beverages. The Glockenspiel is noe exception. The beer pours a dark copper with burnt orange highlights. No real head of which to speak, just some thin wisps on top & a small ring around the perimeter. Marginal lacing at best. The smell includes sweet nose with just a bit of tartness. Light fruit notes - banana & apple. Hints of clove. The taste exhibits more tartness than in the nose; almost sour with banana & orange tones. The mouthfeel is a bit downgraded due to the heacy ABV. The body is heavy Overall it's drinkable, but nothing about it screams exceptional by any means. Worth a shot, but I'm no hurry for another.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 23:06:49 | More by WoodBrew

warnerry

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Best by 11/11/09; consumed 8/23/11
Guess I didn't quite make the best by date, but this has been stored cold most of the time.

A - Pours a deep coppery red with quite a bit of suspended material and two fingers of tan head. Head dissipates quickly with no lacing.

S - A pleasant sweet smell of candied sugar, some dark fruits, quite a bit of banana and some clove. Also a decent yeast presence as well.

T - Similar to smell, with more spice presence. Seems to have held up quite well. Alcohol presence is minimal. For such a big beer, there is a of a watery taste. Still nice though.

M - medium mouthfeel with a somewhat watery finish.

O - A nice weizen bock that has held up pretty well. Haven't had it fresh for comparison, but I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 01:32:06 | More by warnerry

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

large three finger deep head of white foamy lace. Some of the most visible carbonation I have ever seen streaming up off of this one. Just an absolute ton of carbonation refilling the head every moment.

lots of grassy grain like smells in hear with a decent enough amount of yeast thrown in for good measure. Definitly a very lively and right smell, this was sure to win people over. grain for that matter. A very Belgian like flavor, witha good amount of light fruit like yeast and hints of pears and apples mixed in among the various grain like flavors. Blended very well with no trace at all of the alcohol inside. This was so amply carbonated I do not even know where t begin. Just a great light feel and smooth, crisp, clean finish. Really a winner here for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 01:53:09 | More by mikesgroove

headbucket

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

One of my last bottles from the release in Spring 2009. This has a enjoy by date of 11/28/09.

A: A nice brownish/red color, near to plum. Poured with no real head at all, just some small bubbles that bubbled up to the surface and quickly dissipated. A bunch of little floaties suspended in the beer.

S: The smell of alcohol is present throughout, but there is a nice bit of banana, clove, and some darker fruits with a bit of brown sugar sweetness.

T: I wasn't the biggest fan of this when it was first released, not exactly sure why.At first when I started drinking this bottle, I wasn't too into it again but as it warms I am enjoying it more. The flavor is brown sugar caramelized bananas with some clove and dark fruit mixed in as well and a bit of alcohol. I don't think it seems as sweet as it was when first released.

M: Thick but not too sweet and a little prickly despite its lack of head and seeming to be a little undercarbonated.

O: At first I was a little disappointed with this, one of my first real experiments with aging, but I am enjoying this beer very much. The sweetness seems more under control now than it was when fresh, and there is a good mix of the banana, sweet, and dark fruit flavors. It is going down rather easy as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 20:45:37 | More by headbucket

ElliotNess

Australia

5/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

3 years. That's how long it has been. I didn't know at the time that i would be turned into a weizen bock fan. I was at the time 23 and big into the hoppiest IPA's around. The Glockenspiel caught me off guard and surprised me with it's variety of taste, fullness, and overall complexion this was an unforgettable brew. This is nothing short of the best. Looking forward to the next beer to top this one.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2011 22:28:55 | More by ElliotNess

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance - I'll agree with the label as to the general plum color. Lots of very fine sediment in suspension. Smallish head, reduces to nothing but a thin collar.

Aroma - roasty but sweetish grain, goes a touch metallic after a minute. Estery banana sports a little vapory alcohol touch as well. Nice peppery accents after some setup time.

Taste - big grainy malts, to the sweet side like a malt liquor. Way better, though. The clove and banana are intense, the abv making them even moreso. The flavors blend well and the swallow ushers in a nice warmth. The abv lends a spicy, sometimes peppery note. Finishes with lingering clove and banana.

Mouthfeel - notable heaviness and smoothness, middling carbonation.

Drinkability - an excellent beer from GL. These are too easy to knock back, it took some effort to save this last one for review.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 03:55:12 | More by brewdlyhooked13

BB1313

Ohio

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I ended up storing a 12oz bottle from when it was released in 4pks in 2009. Pours a deep brown w/ nice head and lacing. Smells like bananas and cloves; very yeasty. I'm also picking up so candied sugars and dark fruits. This is a bittersweet beer. The hops have faded, giving it a sweet malty backbone. Heavy beer, smooth, creamy, not overly carbonated; full-bodied. Drinkability isn't bad, but like I said, it's pretty heavy. The alcohol is more masked now w/ some age on it. The original booziness brings the overall down just a tad.

Great example of the style by Great Lakes.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 00:36:40 | More by BB1313

matjack85

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Found a 4-pack of these at the Binny's in Plainfield, IL. 12 oz brown bottles with a little blurb about the beer on the side label, but no freshness date.

The beer poured a cloudy iced tea color that didm't let that much light through. With a hard pour I was able to create a 3-fingrt off white head, but it disappeared within a minute leaving just a thin rim on top. The lacing was decent.

Wow! This really smells like a weizenbock. Big wheat malt and banana nose with a nice helping of spicy clove along with a little alcohol.

Sweet malty wheat flavor with the banana adding even more sweetness. Cloves and alcohol help balance the sweetness as hops are kept to a minimum here at just 20 IBU's.

This is a smooth almost creamy brew with medium body and moderate carbonation.

The alcohol in here is not totally hidden, but it didn't stop me from downing all 4 of these. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2010 07:35:01 | More by matjack85

beeragent

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a weizen glass.

A - Pours a dark copper, forming a 1/2 inch tan head which faded quickly. Light lacing slides down the glass.

S - Strong aroma of malted wheat, along with a noticeable alcohol presence, and a hint of spices.

T - The taste is dominated by the sweet malted wheat, creating a delicious blend of wheat, cloves, and banana. Nothing too complex but very delicious. The alcohol is well hidden, but slightly apparent in the finish. Everything you would expect from a weizenbock.

M - Heavy bodied with an average amount of carbonation throughout. Very smooth and clean on the palate.

D - Great flavor and body. The aroma was not as clean as expected, as the alcohol was a little more pronounced ( and I know at 8% it will be more noticeable). Overall a great example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 23:13:52 | More by beeragent

cudmud

Illinois

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

Appearance: Deep ruby red with a steadt stream of bubbles. Kind of thin on the head and lace.

Smell: Wonderful scents malts, yeast, and hops. In addition, I detect a hint of raisins.

Taste: Very sweet up front with a distinct wheat flavor. Finishes with balanced hop accents.

Mouthfeel: Thick and chewy.

Drinkability: Darn good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 02:41:13 | More by cudmud

sixerofelixir

Ohio

2.53/5  rDev -37.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12 oz bottle drank in season of release, September 2009. Review from notes.

Color is a cloudy dark copper/plum mixture fused with hanging carbonation. 'Bock' definitely comes to mind in both the vision and taste. After the 1st taste, I'm waiting for something else to happen, but it doesn't. Heavy wine notes, both in taste and mouthfeel - virtually no aftertaste. Light, sparkling-wine like effervescence. Virtually no hops (or clean malt barley) notes to speak of. Wheat is up-front, but generally this tastes like a mediocre ice beer. Very one-dimensional, and almost seems like a crafty way to get rid of (expensively, mind you) bottom-of-the-barrel hefeweizen. I didn't like it at all. I gave away the other 3 beers from my 4-pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 04:48:46 | More by sixerofelixir

dfillius

Michigan

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

Poured into a pint glass

A: 2/3 finger tan head with poor retention - nothing at all left even. Crystal clear orange-red is stunning. Only negative is the poor head.

S: Strong clove and rum raisin. Lots of phenolics, ginger snap, molasses. Complex and sweet pastry like.

T: Sweet, brown sugar. Dark fruit, molasses, slight ginger, breathy alcohol, slight green finish. Almost cloying. I'd like more roasty notes in this. Tasty, though not my favorite weizenbock.

M: Not too warm. Surprisingly smooth, unremarkable. Slight green finish.

D: I would order a second but I wouldn't buy a sixer. Tasty, no problem finishing a glass.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 17:27:05 | More by dfillius

DmanGTR

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes on 7/12/09

A - clear deep garnet with a quick 1/2" head that fizzed away quickly. I guess the 8% abv killed it. 3.0

S - Rich caramel, figs, bananas, and vanilla. Light earthiness too. 4.0

T - Lots of smooth caramel, some dark ripe plums, a little banana, and carob. Complex and tasty. Yeasty bread taste apparent after swirling and adding the sediment. 4.0

M - Rich, full bodied, very smooth carbonation. Excellent! 4.5

D - Extremely drinkable. No alcohol detected at all. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2010 18:01:41 | More by DmanGTR

fropones

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a nice copper reddish brown with a nice thick khaki head with good retention.

S - Citrus and cloves, caramel malt and bananas. Not overpowering.

T - Lots of bananas and clove. Some toffee in here.

M - Nice carbonation, creamy mouthfeel.

D - Drinks very nicely. Alcohol fairly hidden, and very refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 23:08:03 | More by fropones

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

MMMmmm, nice brew. Poured aggresively and got an ok tan head that quickly subsided with no lace. Color is a hazy copper. Aroma is a Bavarian hefeweizen with loads of malt. Flavor is like aroma with lots of caramel and some toffee. Great body and carbonation. Finish is a bit sweet but decent.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 02:07:35 | More by drpimento

earthboundagain

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From Notes:

This beer is a wonderful shade of orange, it is bright and bold. The head is a light brown, but it is huge. The beer leaves some lacing and even a leg or two.

Ok smell is as follows: take brown sugar and melt it in a skillet, add fresh chopped banana and top with a dash of clove.

Ok the taste is just like the smell, but on steroids. We have some brown sugar malt, mixed with a huge banana punch and a blast of spicy clove. There is also a boozy taste, not to overpowering but you know it is there.

Mouthfeel is built on a strong medium body. The feel is more subtle then you would think, given the bold taste. This brew has a silk like quality.

The drinkability is where I am going to draw a line. This is a complex bold brew, with a booze punch. I would not recommend doing more then two at one sitting.

Thoughts are like this, this is Weizenbock. This is a world class brew the only thing I say that surpasses it is Aventinus.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 17:42:33 | More by earthboundagain

billab914

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Dogfish shaped pint glass. Poured dark amber in color with a half inch off-white head. The head retreated to cling to the sides where it left a little lacing but not much.

The aroma is sweet with some wheat and banana bread coming through as well as some hints of dark fruits such as plums and cherries. The taste has a lot of caramely sweetness to it with wheat and some banana nut flavors in the finish. Like the nose it also has a little dark fruit flavors to the taste as well.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and the carbonation is moderate. Drinkability is good, it was really a delicious beer that I really enjoyed. Would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2010 00:10:44 | More by billab914

Brent

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

More bock than weizen, strong on smooth, moderately roasted malt, but fell short on any yeasty notes I had hoped to come through with the wheat heritage. A touch harsh at the very end, with some rough ETOH, but otherwise a less distinctive beer than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 20:33:17 | More by Brent

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-beautiful translucent reddish copper colored beer. Thick tight head with huge retention coating the glass as it falls down the glass.

S-pretty big nose, very sweet. Some caramel malt comes in first with a bit of brown sugar. Sweet dark fruits set in next with plum and a touch of dark cherries

T-taste follows the nose, light caramel and brown sugar up front, a toasted malt sets the foundation, sweet dark fruits follow with ripe plum and dark cherries, notes of booze towards the finish and hints of honey.

M-medium to light bodied, extremely smooth with a syrupy texture, just enough carbonation, and a slightly dry finish.

D-extremely easy to drink, so smooth and tasty. Brings a nice mixture of tastes, another great Great Lakes beer...they are awesome!

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2010 02:36:43 | More by cpetrone84

AKBelgianBeast

Alaska

3.85/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to BA sprucetip for a great suprise box from the midwest. You da man Wade!

Pours a beautiful plum amber brown purple with a nice white head and a good haze after giving the bottle a swirl. Little lacing, but its there.

Nose is full of banana wheat yeast and some pretty forward malty sweetness.

Hmmm. Well, a very nice beer. Definitely a proper weizenbock as opposed to the pale versions we see from the more popular german brands (although i do like the pale ones more). A significant malt sweetness, and big sticky body. The yeast does peak through with large banana presence, but not like you'd find in a paler version. The finish is slightly dry, and there is some noticeable alcohol here.

Mouthfeel is quite thick, but not outside the higher end of the style. Carbonation is fine, if anything a touch low.

Drinkability is ok, but the alcohol is slightly bigger a presence than i would like here. The high viscosity doesn't help any here either, but overall certainly not anything terrible.

Overall, a tasty beer. Expect a proper full bodied weizenbock here, and not a pale version as many have become accustomed to due to the rising popularity of Vitus and Ayinger, which they deserve as they are great, but this is not the same style of beer. I like that about it though, and i like the fact that it actually displays some imperial characteristics. A fine libation, and one i would be happy to imbibe pretty regularly when looking for a nice sweet wheat beer without going all wheatwine on my liver. A good representation of the style for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 07:30:07 | More by AKBelgianBeast