Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale - Great Lakes Brewing Company

fitrock2112

Ohio

4.51/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured the Burning River into a pint glass.

A - Nice amber colored beer has a finger and half of golden head. Looks like a pale ale should.

S - Nice hop bitterness, some malt sweetness comes through as well.

T - Very tasty creamy pale ale. Again some hoppiness initially, but the sweet malts come through mid palate. This brew has some body to it. Really nice.

M - I have to admit this is nice and creamy, medium carbonation.

O - Great Lakes does a fine job here, the best Pale Ale I've had to date.
Highly Recommended ! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 20:16:49 | More by fitrock2112

SportsandJorts

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: a deep orange, a little bit reddish. a finger or so of a white head that fades pretty quickly

Smell: sweet fruits right up front, only distinguishable is apple, citrusy hops.

Taste: sweetness but more from caramel malts not, fruits, none distinguishable but still there and citrus hops. pretty hop-strong and bitter but balanced nicely

Mouthfeel: lighter body and fairly refreshing. slightly bitter lingering but very clean

Overall: This is probably my favorite pale ale not to use rye or toasted malts. the fruitiness from the yeast reminds me of english style yeasts, and it works out nicely here. definitely worth a try if you can spot some fresh stuff on the shelves.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:39:51 | More by SportsandJorts

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.81/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Acquired from a friend on a trip to Ohio.

A- Pours a golden orange slightly hazy body with a thick 2 finger white head that reduces to some uneven foam on the top of the beer. Leaves some uniform lacing.

S- Citrus, yeast, lemon peel, sweet caramel, grapefruit, toffee.

T- subtle pine and citrus sitting on a light caramel malt, honey, nearly vanilla backbone. Not much bitterness of aftertaste. Not much as far as flavor.

M- Medium body, medium-high carbonation.

Middle of the road pale ale. Maybe the hops have faded with time.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 02:13:02 | More by gcamparone

CardiacNP

Louisiana

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A decent american ale from Great Lakes Brewing Co. Purchased at Fox & Hound in Ohio

Golden Color Clear nice head and lacing

Lightly hoppy and mild floral aroma.

Spicey hoppy taste

Smooth mouth feel. moderate carbonation Floral taste and mild hop finish

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 02:02:09 | More by CardiacNP

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Smells almost like orange juice. Bright fruity hop nose right off the bat. Notes of grapefruit and citrus.

Super orange hop flavor up front with underlying grapefruit notes. Hop flavor rolls over the tongue and stays consistent through out the sip. Medium bodied with a touch of malt sweetness. Sweetness lingers but bitterness builds with each sip make for quite a balanced beer. Goes down almost too easy.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 20:04:46 | More by jtierney89

gr0g

New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear, golden amber in appearance. Nice head formation and retention, with some equally nice lacing left behind. Aroma is floral with a bit of grapefruit rind. Nothing special, really, though it's worth noting this bottle is 3 months old.

A well-balanced take on an APA in terms of flavor. Moderate bitterness from start to finish. Cracker-like grain note from the malt body. A little bit of vague citrus from the hops. Solid, but kind of boring - just like the aroma. The smooth, slick mouthfeel redeems it a bit.

A solid pale ale, but there are better ones around.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 16:58:32 | More by gr0g

thlayli87

New Jersey

4.19/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes.

A - Amber-orange color with a finger head that fades to a sticky ring. Decent lacing.

S - Fruity with notes of peach and mango, bready malt.

T - Caramel malt, fruity sweetness, bready, with a lingering hop presence that's not evident in the nose.

M - Medium body, some chewiness on the tongue, very drinkable.

O - This is an exceptional pale ale with a pleasant tantalizing fruitiness that doesn't overwhelm. The fruitiness complements the bready and malty flavors very well. Drink this one as fresh as possible to experience all the fruity goodness it has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:30:10 | More by thlayli87

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured hard with only about a finger of head. Pours rich amber with. Standard. I'm not really impressed with the smell. The beer's nose is a little stale. I almost get some lagered notes. There are additionally some bready qualities in the scent, followed by a mellow earthy (and somewhat mossy) background. The flavor was not at all what I was expecting. The lagered scent follows through in the taste, but is followed by very rich (medium darkness) malt flavor. There is medium sweetness and a crisp dry finish. The hops are interesting in this beer. Not a large profile, but most present in flavor (as opposed to bitterness or smell). I mostly taste earthiness (fresh cut grass and moss). There is a bit of fruit here too, but not a typical citrus hop bomb. The fruity qualities are subtle, smooth, and complex. The mouth feel is typical and well-executed for an APA: a smooth texture, medium carbonation, and medium body. Overall this is a fine brew. It's not my favorite APA, but it turned out being quite drinkable and interesting.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:10:34 | More by lunarbrew

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A - Clear copper, white head has decent retention and lace.

S/T - Nicely balanced pine hops, bready, biscuit malts, caramel sweetness, touch of diacetyl. The medium body is very smooth across the palate and finishes crisp and clean.

O - Easy drinking pale ale, well balanced. Crisp, clean flavors. The touch of diacetyl doesn't really take anything away from the drink.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 13:59:48 | More by garuda

MickeyBeer

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- Pours a deep golden color with about one and half fingers of head. Nice retention, some active bubbles rising, and nice lacing left on the glass.

S- Really great hop aroma. Bitter and citrusy with a bit of malt backbone as well.

T- Deliciously hoppy APA. Bitter, with a little bit of maltiness to balance it out.

M- Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Really smooth and easy to drink.

O- An excellent APA. Good aroma, taste and mouthfeel. I will have to grab this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 00:31:58 | More by MickeyBeer

barnzy78

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, pours deep golden with a frothy, white head that fades into a foam leaving some sticky lacing. Citric aroma with biscuity malt & a touch of caramel and yeast. Tastes are a nice meld of toasted grain, caramel, grassy herbal hops, grapefruit pith, a bit fruity, and some hoppy spiciness on the finish. Medium mouth-feel with ample carbonation. Overall, a very solid go-to APA that fits the style perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 00:54:20 | More by barnzy78

AmitC

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Enjoy by date crossed - 3/3/13

Excellent pour. Just a tad thicker than one finger thick off white colored head. A lot of bubbles rising up vigorously. Excellent lacing on the sides. Very clear pale golden color. Looks really phenomenal.

Aroma is a tad bit moderate in strength. Very similar to its elder brother Commodore Perry. A bit rustic, off beat wild weed aroma. A good amount of malt notes.

Flavor is very much the same but with a jest. A nicely balanced flavor that gives a hint of hops but is not bitter. A little bit of orange peel and grape fruit mix towards the end. Finish is very slightly bitter with a lot of dryness.

Mouth feel is light medium. Very easy, smooth and sessionable touch. High on carbonation and effervescence.

Style Rate: 4.25
Personal Rate: 4

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:14:38 | More by AmitC

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland, OH

A: Pours a crystal clear pale amber in color with some moderate to heavy amounts of visible carbonation and some golden yellow highlights. The beer has a finger tall off-white head that quickly reduces to a medium patch of very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light aromas of caramel malts with some moderate aromas of floral and citrus/orange rind hops.

T: Upfront there are light to moderate flavors of pale and caramel malts with just a touch of sweetness. The malts are followed by light to moderate flavors of floral and citrus/orange rind hops which impart a light bitterness which lingers for a short amount of time.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of crispness upfront.

O: This is an easy drinking beer that pairs up well with the food served in the brewpub at Great Lakes - I think this beer would go with just about anything. Easy to drink and refreshing, enough hops to be interesting but still enjoyable and not overly bitter. This is just about sessionable (just a touch high on the ABV to really be a session beer).

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2013 12:33:05 | More by dbrauneis

JG-90

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

bottle into glass

A - Clear light copper color. Yields an impressive large foamy head with nice retention and heavy lacing

S - Pale malts, stale bread, a little bit of floral, and less fruit (can tell right away it won't be a "west coast" pale ale)

T - big malt start, then funk, followed by a hint of pineapple and grapefruit, then floral, with a wet-biscuit finish. A little malty for me, but is balanced very nicely

M - Medium body for a Pale Ale with medium-high carbonation.

O - I always go for hoppier beers, but this malt forward APA was a pleasant surprise, very solid beer

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 21:51:18 | More by JG-90

JPlo

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark golden color. Hazy clarity. Head lasts above average with great lacing.

Feel: medium bodied, with moderate carbonation and a finish that's long and slightly wet.

Aroma/taste: Hops are floral with slightly citrusy and herbal. Malts a carmelly, grainy, little nutty.

Overall, nice hop with a mild/smooth, tangy malt finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 18:50:22 | More by JPlo

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

From: Binny's, Champaign, IL
Date: Best by 1/13/2013
Glass: Standard US pint

Great Lakes' APA is a well-balanced take on the style, with interesting orange citrus scents and flavors being prominent alongside a grainy, cracker-like malt contribution. Neither side ever overpowers the other, though the bitterness threatens to in the closing moments of each sip. A pleasantly balanced APA with some unique characters to it. I'd pick this up again if in the mood.

Pours a 2cm high head of off-white colored bubbles, which has above-average retention, gradually settling to a fairly thick cap atop the body of the beer. Lacing is also above average, leaving thick washes of lace along the entire perimeter of the glass. Body is a fairly bright copper-orange color, with light brining out brighter and paler orange and yellow hues. Carbonation is visible through the transparent body, and while numerous, does not seem aggressively active.

Aroma is of orange rind, very mild citrus, lightly floral, with sweet pale malts. Definitely going against the trend of ever-hoppier and more fruity APAs, this one sticks closer to the 80s-90s APA roots with noticeable malt and hop notes, both of which never go to extremes. Perhaps somewhat anachronistic considering the insane flavors that can be coaxed from APAs today, the balance is still appreciated,

Front of palate is at first juicy and sweet, like fresh orange juice, then quickly becomes crackery or biscuit-like and sweet, as from pale malts. Mid-palate is cracker-like with notable orange rind flavor and hop bitterness that still does not manage to overpower the malt component. At times, I'm reminded of a hoppy, sweetened iced tea (with a twist of orange) effect going on. Back of palate is substantially more bitter than mid, with bitterness being about 75% of the flavor, the remaining being of citrus fruit esters and cracker-like malt flavors. Aftertaste of hop bitterness with orange rind and light malt sweetness.

Beer is medium-bodied, with carbonation of medium intensity. The result is never fizzy, just managing to effervesce slightly and gently foam the beer upon the palate. The mouthfeel is therefore somewhat foamy, slightly creamy, and generally smooth. Closes out dry, bitter, and slightly sticky.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 04:49:41 | More by falloutsnow

socon67

New York

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

A - Orange\amber pour with a frothy white foam. Lacing is decent on this one.

S - Scents of citrus and some sharp hop bitterness. Some mild spicy notes as well.

T - Pale malts and a tartness of oranges. The bitterness from a blend of hops is consistent but never overwhelming. Crsipness presents a very fresh taste.

M - Light feel but the body of this beer feels like a pretty robust pale ale. Bitter bite stays with you. Slight carbonation.

O - Having tried a few Great Lakes beers from a sampler pack, I'm really liking the products they produce. This is one of the better american pale ales that doesn't come off too dry, or masquerade as an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 19:48:42 | More by socon67

zrbeer1579

Illinois

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

Appearance: Somewhat dark copper-amber color with a one and a half finger white head

Aroma: Malt breadiness, citrus and floral hops

Taste: Semi-sweet bready malt upfront. Citrus piney hops with some floral.

Mouthfeel: Median bodied and carbonation. A pleasant bready-hop (light) bitter finish.

Overall: Even though this pale is malt dominated, the hops still make a nice present. There is actually a nice balance between the two. This is a good malt forward pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 03:26:26 | More by zrbeer1579

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint

The body sits a clean orange in color with tons of visible carbonation. A creamy ecru colored cap rises two fingers and falls slowly. Sheets of lace coat the glass.

Sweet biscuity malt bill up front with floral hops underneath. A touch of white grapefruit, earth, and pine lay low.

Sweet caramel malt hits first, followed by oily hops. Pine resin and grassy notes throughout. The finish is mildly bitter, balancing out the sweetness of the malt. Some white grapefruit and melon notes.

On the lighter side of medium with even carbonation. Smooth and lush.

This is a nice little APA. A tad too sweet, but contrasted well with some building bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 22:22:35 | More by ColForbinBC

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint. Haven't tried this before and I'm looking forward to seeing what Great Lakes does for a standard pale ale.

Appearance: Looks like a decent pale ale. A clean looking clear gold-orange ale with a slightly "more than off-"white head. Decent head, didn't stick around too well, but lined the glass well enough.

Smell: Picked up a tiny bit of malt and about an equal amount of hop. Not much though.

Taste: A little less fantastic than I'd have expected from Great Lakes. Certainly not "bad," but it didn't knock me off my rocker either. Well balanced hop/malt levels with a slight citrus level on the end. Hops and citrus linger a little in the mouth.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, carbonation how I like it for the style, easy to drink.

This plays it pretty safe, which sadly means the drop-off to something cheaper in the region wouldn't be big. Anyway, if this was more competitively priced for me in my area in terms of bottled beer, I'd probably pick it 4 or so out of 10 times for an American Pale Ale. That's not a bad ratio, I figure, but it wouldn't demand my attention. Would certainly look at this on draft.

Given the ABV and how easy this drinks I feel like I could session this though, so that's kind of cool. That figures into the higher overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 05:04:13 | More by ColdWaffles

MadCat

New Jersey

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

Appearance: A nice brown color, with a short tan head that dissipates quickly, leaving little lacing

Smell: Some caramel malt sweetness, with hoppy notes

Taste: Starts off with sweet caramel malts with biscuit notes, transitioning to piney citrus hops

Mouthfeel: Medium body, full carbonation good mouthfeel

Overall: A pretty good brew, but maltier than is standard for the style. Highly enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 00:53:38 | More by MadCat

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle. bottle says to "enjoy by 12/21/2012" which is a different date than the Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold I just drank. I have had this beer before, and I remember it being quite good, so my expectations are high.

A - Nice dark orange copper color. This color is almost identical to that of a penny. Clear as day, you can see right through this beer. No real head on mine, just some white fizzing and some bubbles. Other than that, it is pretty clean looking.

S - Even for being so near the end of it's life, you can still smell the hops. As the beer warms, the bready biscuit smells are more enhanced. This is one of the only beers I can honestly say smell like biscuits to me after warming for a few minutes.

T - The bready malts are pretty dominant, and the hop profile is strong with this beer. This beer is very well balanced.

M - Very nice sticky resinous mouthfeel from the hop presence, but it isn't very thick or full-bodied, slightly on the clear watery side, but to me that only ensures it's purity. This beer is extremely tasty nonetheless.

Overall, this is one of my favorite Great Lakes beers, the Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster Imperial IPA is probably their best brew, but this one isn't bad either. Great Lakes doesn't make a bad beer out there as far as I'm concerned.

Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 02:36:34 | More by mfnmbvp

CloudStrife

New York

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

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Freshest by 12/25/12.

A: Pours a clear amber with a 1 finger white head. Some visible carbonation in the body. Head takes a minute or two to dissipate leaving some splotches of lacing.

S: A bready malt with hops in the background. Has a fruity citrus like hop aroma. Might not be as aromatic now that its nearing its shelf life.

T: Well balanced blend of a real biscuity malt and bittering hops. I really like the backbone on this one which is the malt that lingers far into the after taste.

M: Medium bodied with ample carbonation. Has a clean finish and is pretty refreshing.

Overall another solid brew from Great Lakes that really rounds out there mix pack. Isnt overly hopping to the point of scaring anyone away but still has enough to satisfy a hop craving.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 21:20:48 | More by CloudStrife

champ103

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear amber/copper color. A one finger white head forms, and recedes to a ring that sticks throughout. Light lace is left behind.
S: Plenty of hops in the nose. Citrus, floral, pine, and grassy hops. Grapefruit bitterness. Though balanced with some honey sweetness.
T: Again, very balanced. Hops are up front. Citrus, pine and grapefruit. Bread and biscuit malts with a honey sweetness. Simple, but nice.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. A bit thin for me though. Easy and enjoyable to drink. Just like a good pale ale, something I can come back to again and again.

A very simple, but nice example of a pale ale. Well done, something I enjoy and would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 22:52:11 | More by champ103

57md

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is a standard copper with a half finger of head. The nose is pleasantly hoppy. There is a definite hoppiness in the flavor profile, but it is not as strong as the nose would suggest. Rather, this APA is malt forward, but still delivers with a crisp, dry and bitter finish.

A very good example of a sadly overlooked style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2012 06:30:58 | More by 57md