Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold - Great Lakes Brewing Company

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint.

Appearance: Dark golden color with a steady off white head. Slight lacing on the glass. Looks the part.

Smell: Didn't pick up almost anything. I'll chalk this up to my nose, but I haven't had any problems today. A second sniff or 10 yielded a slightly 'sweet' pickup and some malts.

Taste: This is a good lager, an d that's not really my thing. Excellent malt/hops balance, slightly hoppy on the way down, but overall incredibly balanced. Very pleasant.

Mouthfeel: Relatively light, with appropriate carbonation levels.

I could see myself drinking this regularly, and I might end up doing that. This is a really good go-to lager.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 02:24:43 | More by ColdWaffles

mfnmbvp

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -29.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle, bottle says to "enjoy by 01/21/2013"

A - Extremely thin orange looking color. Very see-through. Pale, fluffy, draft-looking head on top, chilling for a minute.

S - Malts and wheat. Not too much else happening with this beer. It is a lager, so I was expecting it to be somewhat blah, though.

T - Straight up wheat, malts, and plain old great lakes water. Maybe a little bit of a honey after taste somewhere.

M - The tiny bit of carbonation gives the tongue a nice tingle after the last sip has gone down. No real flavor was there in the first place to linger on for a bit, though.

Overall, not impressed. Probably the lamest beer I've had from Great Lakes so far, who usually knows how to brew a tasty beer. Being a lager, I knew I wouldn't be a big fan in the first place, so I stayed away, but we got a sampler pack so I had to try it. Well-made, but not a favorite at all.

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold ----3/5

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 01:56:16 | More by mfnmbvp

CloudStrife

New York

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

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Freshest by 02/09/13.

A: Pours a clear perfect golden with a 2 finger dense white head. Not much visible carbonation, may be the glass. Leaves some impressive lacing.

S: Has a pale malt aroma with a slight touch of piney hop. Solid breadiness. Real pleasant lagery smell, must be the yeast?

T: Light malty taste that is very smooth and balanced. Has some hop bite to it but ends with a nice bready taste that leaves you wanting more.

M: Light on the palate, ample carbonation. Real sessionable. Leaves a fairly clean finish.

Overall although not a beer I would normally turn to, this is always one I have thought is amazing. Would highly recommend it to anyone getting started in craft beer as well as the older generation.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:24:03 | More by CloudStrife

champ103

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Pours a perfectly clear golden/orange color. A billowing two finger white head forms. Fine and tightly packed bubbles with great retention. Rings of sticky lace left all the way down the glass.
S: At first fresh baked bread and biscuits. Zesty peppery yeast comes next. Then fresh cut grass. As it warms some fruity aromas come out. Citrus, peaches, and even apples. A lingering dry bitterness that brings everything together. Excellent.
T: Again, excellent. A great toasted malt, baked bread flavor. Peppery yeast comes next. Some fruity esters that follow the nose. Lingering grassy and floral bitterness. Everything is so clean and finishes very dry. Amazing.
M/D: A medium body with perfect carbonation. So crisp, clean, and dry. It does not get any better than this. Very easy and enjoyable to drink. All day with this.

Without a doubt one of the best lagers I have had from any brewery. A treat to drink, and something that should be shared with anybody that thinks lagers are inferior in any way. One of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 05:12:27 | More by champ103

MadCat

New Jersey

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

Appearance: Nice gold color, short white head that dissipates quickly

Smell: Sweet malts with some hoppy notes

Taste: Grainy sweet malts, with a citrus herbal hop finish

Mouthfeel: Crisp, refreshing carbonation, light to medium body.

Overall: A good beer. Not one I will hunt out Great Lakes for, but will gladly purchase if easily available.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:40:36 | More by MadCat

Optifron

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

11/15/2012 out of the bottle

Appearance: Pours solid gold, crystal clear, with a dense white head. Great lacing

Aroma: Clean, pale malty, bready aroma. Smooth, earthy hop aroma.

Taste: Wow. Just wow. I had a bias coming in since I don’t typically love lagers, and this is fantastic. Incredibly clean flavor. Wheat bread maltiness up front, with a great hop finish. I don’t imagine this is an American hop. Not as in-your-face as most of the American varieties I’m used to. Likely one of the noble hops? (looked this up. Bittered with cascade, but flavor/aroma are hallertau).

Mouthfeel: A little on the dry side of the middle. Very nicely smooth.

Overall: Great Lakes has wowed me again. This might be the best lager I’ve ever had. Drinkability is outstanding as well, but without sacrificing a rich, full flavor of great bready malt and clean hop balance.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 20:58:44 | More by Optifron

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Clear copper with two-finger, white, frothy head that lasted several minutes. Great lacing.

S: Sweet caramel malt and citrus hops.

T: Moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Sweet malt and toast.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation.

O: This beer is different than any I've had before. Light, interesting, and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 02:59:40 | More by SolipsismalCat

jifigz

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

The appearance of this beer is a darker golden color than I expected. It has a richer, deeper color than a German styled Pilsner but not nearly as dark as a Munich styled lager. The beer didn't have much head that formed and it what did form disappeared rather quickly. The aroma of this beer is pretty rich, considering how chilled this one is (colder than I would expect). It has slight malty sweet aromas with hints of sugary alcohol. The flavor is rather light and unique. The initial flavor is a crisp and clean flavor of biscuit and honey that quickly gives way to a rather unusual hoppy flavor and bitterness. The aftertaste is a lingering flavor of the dominating hop flavor. The flavor is unusual but very enjoyable. The MF is crisp and clean and light in body.

Overall this is an interesting lager. I don't believe that I have ever had this style of lager before, but I enjoyed it. The beer is light and refreshing yet different in it's own right. Great job by a great brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 02:02:29 | More by jifigz

NedShakeshaft

Ontario (Canada)

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

Pours a clean amber with a pretty two-finger head that lingers.

Sweet caramel/bread/grassy aroma. Exceptionally well-balanced on the nose, has some notes of citrusy hop.

Honey dominates the taste for me. Biscuity malts linger.

Very drinkable. Heavy for the style but well-balanced with the hop aroma and tingly carbonation.

A terrific beer, and an appropriate flagship for an amazing brewery! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 05:57:03 | More by NedShakeshaft

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Beautiful gold color, though little head on the pour. Smells almost champagne-y with a hint of fruit and always reminds me of sitting in Great Lakes Brewery itself. Smooth with a good mix of grain and malt taste. Almost tastes buttery, like a fresh biscuit or muffin. In the mouth it is ridiculously smooth and crisp, with a lingering sweet grain taste that is wonderful. One of the first beers I ever had and still one of my favorites. Possibly influenced by the first beer thing, but is pretty much what a beer should be in my head.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 18:56:18 | More by leprechaunandfatman

tectactoe

Michigan

3.56/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden-orange with a slightly cloudy and hazy appearance. Small-ish, white head that dissipates to a thin layer after a few minutes and leaves minimal lacing on the glass. Aroma is kind of strange, at least to me. Nice malts and grains off the nose, very crispy, with a slight cheesy smell - sharp and musty. I don't know if this is intended or not, and I can't decide if it's good or bad, it's just... a little bit different. Also some sweet bread and a dense, underlying corn aroma. Taste is very crisp on the tongue, slightly bitter with a good balance of hops and grains. Certainly more malt and yeast than hops, but all-in-all a nice balance. Nice, sweet bread flavors come around more and more as it gets warmer. I still pick up a cheesy smell that transforms into a taste as the beer hits my palate, slightly sulfuric. Medium body, nice, tight carbonation.

Definitely a decent lager, but I feel the cheesy aroma was a little stronger than it was intended to be. Overall, still a nice tasting beer, and I'd like to try another one to see if I get the same cheesiness.

EDIT: had again recently, still had a cheesy aroma, though not as strong, and this time, not accompanied by the sulfuric character, either. Much more enjoyable this time around, although I still didn't fall in love with this beer. If I want a Great Lakes lager, I'd still reach for an Eliot Ness.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 13:07:15 | More by tectactoe

quirkzoo

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Crushedvol poured into a 32 oz. plastic cup ;)

Pours a nice golden color with two fingers off sticky white head.

Smell is some nice herbal hops that compliment a strong grainy, malt character. Smells very clean and crisp (I know those words don't really mean anything but in this case they do to me :)

Taste is very nice. Balanced, good complex grains up front, a touch of malt sweetness, rounded with a more biscuity edge. Again the hop presence brings some herbal notes and bitterness that compliments the maltiness.

Mouthfeel is damn near perfect. Crisp, refreshing, full but not cloying, keeps me coming back for more.

Overall this is a very strong beer, I would definitely pick it up if it were distributed to my area.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 22:16:04 | More by quirkzoo

kell50

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Snagged a single 12oz. bottle from a broken 6 pack for $0.99. Score.

A: Poured into my Great Lakes pint glass rather aggressively. It's relatively crystal clear, with a slight burnt orange color. Probably a finger’s worth of fluffy head. Great overall carbonation presence that slowly dissipated after a few minutes.

S: It has a baked bread aroma; honey, and caramel malts. Not too overpowering and not too overly appetizing.

T: Much better than it smells. There's a bittersweet, caramel, bready malt flavor with a pretty dry aftertaste. I noticed a touch of honey on the finish too. Nice balance of flavors without being overly complex.

M: Hot weather beer! This beer goes down easy and is very full of flavor. The carbonation is just right and it has a nice balance from start to finish.

O: I'm not too well versed at Dortmunder Lagers, but I must say while they resemble a wimpy macro appearance they also deliver a solid micro flavor. It's not something I'll go out of my way to get my hands on, but certainly not something I would turn down.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 22:07:49 | More by kell50

jibjib513

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type: Bottle to Pint Glass.

Appearance (4.0): Very clean, love the golden color. The carbonation is nice and solid and the head retention is decent.

Smell (4.0): A very aromatic beer, but I'm not quite sure what the smell is.. for some reason it reminds me of how white wine smells...

Taste (3.5): A nice malty flavor but I am getting a hint of something gone wrong in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel (3.0): Average.

Overall (3.5): This is my first experience with dortmunder, so I don't have much to compare it to (though I should hope to be trying Ayinger's soon). This was my last bottle in a six-pack that I've drank through the last couple of days, waiting for this one before I reviewed it.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 01:02:24 | More by jibjib513

claspada

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aromas of bready and grainy pale and light malts with a subtle/indiscernible hop aroma.

The tastes follow the nose with full crisp amounts of bready and biscuity grainy malts with a hint of sweetness in the middle and a welcome light herbal hop bitterness on the back.

The mouthfeel is full bodied and well carbonated, actually a little chewy which is unexpected, but pleasant; finishes with a slight drying effect on the palate.

Overall a superb example of the style and the perfect session beer for a nice hot summer day or any day for that matter. Great Lakes is exceptional at crafting great sessionable ales that is for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2012 13:48:05 | More by claspada

augustgarage

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a small mug. Best before 10/28/12.

Clear pale gold body supports three fingers of active yet lasting ivory head. Thick frothy/soapy lacing extends tendrils up every side. Excellent retention.

Gentle grassy noble hop aroma backed my a touch of lemon and a cracker-y malt element.

Light sweetness suggests honey and malt and leads into a faintly bitter and greatly refreshing hop flavor mid-palate. Pils (?) malt and a spicy/herbal quality emerge in the finish, playing off one another in the aftertaste until you are once again left with a lingering sense of rock candy.

Light-bodied, well carbonated; soft yet crisp.

Malty, well hopped, and incredibly smooth - a superior German-style lager. Rating to style, this is among the best, and pairs well with the pierogi I picked up at the West Side market just down the street from the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 01:41:20 | More by augustgarage

rangerred

Tennessee

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear deep gold with a 1.5 finger white head. Excellent lacing and head retention.

Aroma has lots of caramel and toffee along with that signature Great Lakes yeasty smell; it is not off-putting, however. The aroma is definitely malt-forward with lots of biscuit. Some herbal/lemony hop aroma is in the background and very faint.

Flavor continues with the malt with lots of biscuit, toast, and caramel. The same yeast that was present in the aroma is there in the taste as well. Some faint hay/spicy hops are present in the background. Bitterness is on the lighter side with a slightly sticky finish. Mouthfeel has decent substance.

Overall, a really top-notch lager. This is a really great example that other brewers should follow. Not enough craft brewed lagers on the market. A great brew from Great Lakes.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:30:00 | More by rangerred

jsanford

Georgia

3.48/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear gold with a dense cap of ivory head. Aromas of crisp, doughy malt, lightly toasted malt, and herbal hops. Taste is similar to the nose. The hops impart a nice bitterness, resulting in a nicely balanced and quaffable brew. Mouthfeel is smooth and crisp, with a medium-thin body and good carbonation. Such a great, drinkable, no-frills beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 22:38:52 | More by jsanford

match1112

Illinois

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

nice clear copper body with a fingers worth of white frothy head. has a crackery and biscuit forward malt profile. hints of grapefruit and pine hops on the nose. Taste is crisp crackerey malts with a hop bite to even things out a bit. Mouthfeel is crisp and clean with great carbonation level. A touch of bitterness from the hops and a little dry on the finish, reminds me of eating plain non salted satlines. overall a very refreshing beer any time of day or year.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 16:50:15 | More by match1112

BierStein711

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This is a lucullan delight!

This is a outstanding lager! Two and a half finger head with a golden body. The carbonation is moderate, not overpowering like some carbonation.

Smells of wet grains, cereal, wheat, and alcohol.

Tastes: Wheat thins, crackers, medicinal herbs

Mouthfeel: Perfect, not watery like some lagers

Overall, this beer is a winner. Try it today!!!

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2012 21:36:17 | More by BierStein711

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a Great Lakes variety pack on my travels out to Michigan, here's the first one I had out of the pack:

Best by December 5:

Into a pilsener:

A: clear yellow colored body with a two finger white foamy head, a lot of nice spider web lacing left some rings around the pilsener. Some carbonation was seen rising, but ever so slowly.

S: malty with some light corn in the background and a slight breadiness came out as well.

T: brought all of these elements back and gave a slight hoppiness to it.

M: medium with a nice smooth aspect to it. Nothing felt bad on my tongue.

O: I'm impressed once I had it out of my pilsener. The first couple I had before I reviewed it I was thinking "uh-oh" not too sure about this one, but that was my fault for not having it out of a pilsener. Yes, this is solid for the style and solid for me. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 17:11:51 | More by kangarooAdam59

RescueKitty

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

Had in the Cleveland airport on draft during layover. Scared to death I'd miss connector, so I had only on Great Lakes beer. Dortmunder was very clear, light amber beer with good head. nice yeasty smell. Very drinkable beer. Good balance, soft buttering, fairly clean finish. I hate I could only have one. Really wanted the Edmund Fitzgerald too. Maybe next time.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2012 23:18:41 | More by RescueKitty

Vixie

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice clear orange-yellow color, with a bit of a white head.

Smell is very malty, with a hint of yeast.

Malty and sweet up front, it does remind me a bit of fresh bread. There is a bit of hops at the end, adding citrus and pine notes.

Nice smooth feel to it, just enough carbonation to be felt.

Not the most complex beer out there, but still has plenty of flavor. Very drinkable, the sweet malt and bitter hops are nicely balanced, nothing dominates, making for a nice easy to drink beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:59:40 | More by Vixie

barczar

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep caramel copper color with a half inch cream head that quickly dissipates, leaving sheets of lacing.

Bready caramel malt forms the backbone of the aroma, with floral hops closing out the finish. Notes of sweet toffee and hints of citrus add intrigue.

Flavor is slightly sweet, but bittering hops quickly add balance. The finish is dominated by toasted malt, fairly nutty and bready. There's a slight citrus undertone, and a nice floral and herbal hop presence. A cracker-like dryness at the finish keeps me wanting more.

Body is moderate, with carbonation drifting toward the high side. There's a bit of alcohol warmth that is not offputting.

Overall, a very well balanced beer, interesting in both malt and hop presence, but extremely drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2012 02:46:24 | More by barczar

barnzy78

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, pours golden with good clarity, some particulates suspended. Frothy white head holds good retention and leaves good lacing on the glass. Aromas are lager yeast, biscuit, grassy hops. Tastes are crisp and clean, biscuity, somewhat bready, grassy hop, straw, slight tartness on the finish. Mouth-feel is smooth and finishes exceptionally clean, while being lighter bodied. Overall, I love going back to this one time and time again. It's among the best in its style.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 04:10:08 | More by barnzy78