Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold - Great Lakes Brewing Company

optiontwo

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Happy to have Great Lakes in Minnesota and very excited to try this one especially now that it's muggy and hot outside.

A: Nice clear brew that's not quite yellow and not quite orange. It's literally gold. Not much head to speak of but I wasn't really expecting any. What head there is looks like it wants to cling onto the side of the glass but can't quite do it.

S: First whiff it comes off somewhat sweet like toffee or caramel but then turns into more of a bread like aroma with a touch of spice at the end. Doesn't blow the nose away, but that's nice.

T: Hm. Ok. It's great but I'm having a hard time describing the flavor. First, it really refreshes me and maybe that's distracting me. Alright, I get the sweetness from the aroma for a brief moment but then it turns quickly to a beautiful balance between malty bread (with just a touch of spice) and smooth grassy hop flavor and bitter. It's just so damn refreshing, without all the weird off flavors macro lagers have. This beer has already lived up to the hype. I should also mention that it finishes with a perfect amount of dryness. Balance is beautifully achieved with this brew.

M: Pretty much perfect for the style. Perfect carb, perfect dryness, perfect bitter, slightly smooth. Rolls over the tongue like it's just begging to be drank.

D: The only thing that keeps the drinkability from being perfect is the 5.8% ABV. I'm not complaining (actually I'm glad it's further away from session beer territory cuz I'm looking for a little buzz) but it's not like you could drink the whole six pack and expect to be the best at Twister.

O: I would love to take a fresh Dave's Brewfarm Select, Dortmunder Gold, and Surly Hell and try them all side by side. I know style wise they differ a bit but these are my three favorite light lagers. This is definitely one to pick up. A lot of people might say "perfect lawn mowing beer" I'm just gonna say great beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 02:30:39 | More by optiontwo

smartassboiler

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-20-2013 19:59:46 | More by smartassboiler

jburd19

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-20-2013 17:54:19 | More by jburd19

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Picked this up at the recently renovated ShopRite Liquors in Little Falls last week, having never had a Dortmunder before. This reminded me a bit of a Munich Helles Lager, but this wasn't as bright and had a bit more bite and biscuity malt to it. It took a bit of getting used to, but this was quite enjoyable and the alcohol wasn't detectable at all, leading this to be a beer that I had to pace myself drinking instead of downing it too quickly!

The pour to this was a dark golden with a frothy head and some lacing the slid down the sides of my pint glass after each sip. However, I wish the aroma was a bit stronger, as it was the only subpar feature of this beer. There was a bit of grass and bread to the nose, which was stronger in the taste. The mouthfeel was quite soapy and with lots of carbonation, led this to finish relatively clean after each sip. Because this beer had the look and feel of brass, it finished richly and the cracker-like malt here felt a bit burnt as it lingered well after the suds went down.

Thankfully, the alcohol was spot-on but I wish this had a bit more hops here or some wheat to fill this out a bit. While this wasn't an empty-feeling taste, this wasn't what I was accustomed too and it was a bit darker than the average lager in a few ways. It's probably me, as there are so few examples of this style on the shelf these days but on its own, this is an enjoyable beer that deserves a wider audience, since it's quite enjoyable and likely to not offend anyone.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 09:01:48 | More by JerzDevl2000

NJB145

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-20-2013 01:00:38 | More by NJB145

craftbrew502

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -33.1%

05-20-2013 00:43:11 | More by craftbrew502

MJSJr

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-19-2013 17:25:34 | More by MJSJr

colsandurz

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -27%

05-18-2013 22:12:23 | More by colsandurz

jl28r1

Texas

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-18-2013 16:40:11 | More by jl28r1

Kgrubb1224

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

05-18-2013 15:01:14 | More by Kgrubb1224

mattsucks

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

05-18-2013 14:18:52 | More by mattsucks

Punky_Brewster

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-18-2013 02:43:13 | More by Punky_Brewster

judkinst

Vermont

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-18-2013 00:27:01 | More by judkinst

superspak

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into lager glass, best before 5/8/2013. Pours lightly hazy golden amber color with a 1-2 finger dense white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of pear, apple, grape, pepper, floral, grass, bread, cracker, honey, and herbal earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance of hop, malt, and moderate ester notes; with good strength. Taste of bread, toast, cracker, pear, apple, pepper, floral, grass, light honey, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of light fruits, bread, toast, pepper, floral, honey, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic balance of bready malt and spicy hop flavors; with light-moderate fruity ester notes and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a smooth and crisp mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent Dortmunder as expected. Great balance of hop and malt flavor; extremely smooth and crisp to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 04:26:41 | More by superspak

vtn

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-16-2013 23:50:58 | More by vtn

GinsuDave

Michigan

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-15-2013 10:22:48 | More by GinsuDave

JoyHelfrich

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-15-2013 05:30:26 | More by JoyHelfrich

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-14-2013 23:26:49 | More by FreshHawk

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a clear, crisp, polished bronzy prismatic beauty! A real looker! Fine foamy and prominent lacing throughout with large oceans of clear glass. Smells bready, earthy, hidden, sweet notes. A great, fine smeller, some pine notes too, fine, hidden. Tastes lager all the way...a rich, malty, cleansing, fizzy, foamy, slick drink with a good high note and the finest piney hoppiness that lingers like a mild IPA. Bolder for the style, for sure. You'll drink this fast. I like this one. I'd heft six for sure. A buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:06:03 | More by Bitter_Echo

Lare453

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-14-2013 00:03:53 | More by Lare453

HarmonMW

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-13-2013 22:02:26 | More by HarmonMW

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-13-2013 00:23:37 | More by rolltide8425

ItismeDamonLee

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-12-2013 21:16:17 | More by ItismeDamonLee

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-12-2013 20:50:41 | More by twenty5

mjw1200

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-10-2013 23:50:53 | More by mjw1200