Great Lakes Eliot Ness - Great Lakes Brewing Company

TeamMathis

West Virginia

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

Appearance: Gorgeous, deep amber.
Smell: Sweet, slightly hoppy and floral, caramel and honey. Maple syrup.
Taste: Sweet, slightly hoppy and floral, caramel and honey. Maple syrup.
Mouthfeel: Excellent.

This brew absolutely blew me away. Normally lagers and and amber lagers are good, but never really exciting. This is it. The sweet, excellent smells are mirrored so well by the taste. It's been a long while since my expectations were surprised this much. In my opinion this is the best lager available. I will definitely get it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 05:06:16 | More by TeamMathis

BeerYoss

Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Very attractive dark amber color. Nice meaty looking head settles down slowly to a puffy film on the surface. Active carbonation. Great lacing all the way down.

Smell - Great smelling beer; Earthy with a honey sweetness

Taste - Delicious malt and grains up front and subtle hop coming in behind. Great honey throughout.

Mouthfeel - Medium body, the honey sweetness lingers in the mouth. The carbonation lightens things up a bit.

Overall - Really, one of my favorites go-to brews. Drinks so easy. I like the honey/sweetness because there is substance to it but it could be too much for some.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 00:42:25 | More by BeerYoss

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle into pilsner glass.

A - Deep dark amber with a huge off white creamy head.

S - Sweet toasted malt, caramel, earthy hops, hints of grass and herbal spice.

T - A balanced blend of caramel, brown sugar, biscuit malts, and earthy, grassy hops. Finishes with a hint of bitterness and some graininess. Dark fruit and a pleasant nutty flavor come out as the beer warms.

M - Smooth, creamy, medium bodied. Crisp, mild carbonation, somewhat dry finish.

O - A very flavorful, balanced lager. Reminds me of a high quality version of Yuengling. Overall, it ranks as one of the best amber lagers I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 02:39:06 | More by mooseo

hopsputin

California

4.55/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

* drinking almost 2 months past the enjoy by dat

a: dark amber/mahogeny. burnt caramel and a pale ruby red. 3 finger, white bubbly head

s: sweet caramel and sugar right away. this smells super clean yet also rich. hint of brown sugar, toasted barley and bread. has my mouth watering

t: clean and crisp sweet caramel malt and candy sugar followed by a faint toasted note. very smooth & mild hop bitterness after the sweet punch makes this real refreshing. kind of like in the aroma, its clean and rich at the same time. hint of pepper spice on backend

m: lighter side of medium

o: really nice for a Vienna Lager. its not overly complex, but the flavors smooth and well balanced. you know you're drinking a lager, but you don't mind

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 20:11:07 | More by hopsputin

larryi86

Delaware

4.29/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks you tommyguz for this extra!
12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- A clear amber color with a two finger off-white head.

S- Toasted malts, sweet bready malts, touch of hops.

T- Nice malt sweetness balanced with nice spicy hop finish, not very bitter, but bitter enough. Getting some nuttiness along with toasted malts and bread.

M- Smooth, crisp, light to medium body.

O- I have not had many Vienna Lagers, but this is the best one I have had. Wish I could get this by me. Well balanced, flavor is not overpower, but it is not weak or watered down.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 18:53:03 | More by larryi86

Goosehunter75

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours a red rust color with a 1 1/2 finger tannish head with excellent retention. Moderate lacing

S - Very lightly scented beer. Smells of sweet malts and freshly baked breads

T - Very malty tastying with a hint of spice. Has a slightly bitter finish. Very refreshing lager

M - A medium bodied beer. Felt like it was low in carbonation. Felt almost creamy

O - Very nice lager. Much more flavor than I was expecting. The malt profile was very nice and well balanced. The hops was noticable on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 00:04:58 | More by Goosehunter75

Labeorphile

Texas

4.59/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a flute glass. Small head, made up of large bubbles that quickly disappears with no lacing. Deep amber color with some reddish ting.

Nose is malty, grainy, and sweet. Very appealing and well balanced between be three.

Flavor follows nose. Full grain flavor with a nicely balanced maltiness. Sweet is more in the nose that the taste, but it is there. Real full flavor with a suitable mouth feel.

Overall a really good lager. I am more of an ale guy, but this one is really solid and may cause me to give more lagers a look.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 02:43:01 | More by Labeorphile

Thaddeus

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance: Amber colored with an average off-white head.

Aroma & Taste: Average malt and toasty notes, with a thick full-mouth feel. Slight hop and herbal notes to it.

Overall I thought it was more similar in hoppiness to a light IPA, still had solid malt and toasty notes to it.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 13:32:31 | More by Thaddeus

CardiacNP

Louisiana

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Elliot Ness lager from Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland OH

Aroma slight sweet malt and slight floral from Nobel hops

Appearance. Amber/red clear with a 2 finger head and nice lacing

Taste mild roasty/sweet caramel with a decent hop finish. Mild bitterness

Mouthfeel moderate combination crispy dry finish

Overall an ok american style lager more flavor and complextivty than mainstream american lagers. A solid beer -

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:52:16 | More by CardiacNP

armiakhe

Michigan

2.75/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The visual appearance of this beer was a light brown or amber color. The smell of it was very rich and had a slightly malty smell to it. The taste was sour and rich with possibly a little bit of bitterness. This beer overall was just O.K. to me. It did have a very nice aroma to it especially right out of the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 19:40:06 | More by armiakhe

superspak

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into lager glass, best before 3/4/2013. Pours slightly hazy orange copper color with a 1-2 finger dense cream colored head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with moderate streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of caramel, pear, apple, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, floral, and herbal earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance of malt and fruity notes with good complexity; good strength as well. Taste of caramel, pear, apple, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, floral, light pepper, and herbal earthiness. Lingering notes of caramel, light fruit, toast, brown sugar, brown bread, floral, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a bit. Great balance of malt, hops, and fruity ester flavors; with a nice amount of robustness and zero cloying flavors after the finish. medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and lightly creamy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with almost zero warming after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic Vienna lager! Great balance of malt and fruity ester flavors with good robustness; and very easy to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 07:40:28 | More by superspak

Mister_Falcon

Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a gorgeous ruby-amber color with nice carbonation that resulted in a fluffy 1/2 inch head. Don't smell much that pops out in a good or bad way so I'll take that to mean this is gonna taste "safe" at very least. Nice, crisp, slightly malty, just a pinch bitter, understated. The beer is crisp, a touch watery and goes down easy leaving the touch just a little bitter after all is said and done. This one is really good if you are looking for something in the amber part of the spectrum. Can't imagine this every wearing on me.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 18:17:02 | More by Mister_Falcon

KFBR392

Illinois

4.69/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Beautiful red amber color with very active carbonation. About a finger worth of head on the pour which formed a solid lacing on the outside of the glass throughout. Lacing drags down the glass with each drink.

Smell: Dry hops with a sweet smokey malt presence. The mixture of hops, malt, caramel, and sweet amber seem to mix together so well. The aroma jumps out of the glass and captivates the drinker.

Taste: A light hop front that yields to a wonderfully thick and complex malt body. The transition if flavors happens incredibly quickly and jumps through. Leafy greens blast through, some kale, cabbage, and celery. Many of the traditional touch points of a lager with so much more going on. A very light sweet caramel kiss sits on the palette and keeps coming in waves long after drinking.

Mouthfeel: A dry hops touch, with a medium bodied thickness. Refreshing combination.

Overall: I think this is one of the best beers being made in the United States. Complexity is off the charts. I love that I can get this beer at most places in my area. This is one of the beers I always recommend to those looking to have a great beer without having much beer knowledge. Simply fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 23:34:57 | More by KFBR392

Gold

New York

5/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've been to Munich, Germany and Great Lakes is the next best thing in the U.S. for the greatest lager out there. Perfect, delicious lager and it follows the beer purity laws. This is high quality stuff right here. Highly recommended. The variety pack is a great place to start for Great Lakes wide array of excellent offerings.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 02:52:15 | More by Gold

lilmissbeer

Ohio

4.73/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I love this beer. Great Lakes is an awesome brewery, I love that they're actually trying to do something for the environment/be sustainable/etc. and are still making great beer. This is the best lager, hands down. All-around great, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 23:09:46 | More by lilmissbeer

RyFikes

New York

4.9/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance- Clear, dark amber color. Thick beige head.

Smell- Toffee, caramel, brown sugar, with nutty characters.

Taste- Caramel and toffee notes, little cinnamon and brown sugar. Hoppy sweet finish. Bitter coffee after taste, with a roasted nut quality.

Mouthfeel- Carbonation gives way to a lot of residual flavor. Full body flows really well from one flavor to the next.

Overall- Everything blends perfectly. Very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 16:52:36 | More by RyFikes

barczar

Kentucky

4.06/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear amber color with garnet highlights and a frothy one inch khaki head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of foamy lacing.

Sweet, nutty, bready, toasted caramel malt dominates the aroma. Melanoidin caramelization notes usher in buttery toffee scents. There's a hint of floral hops, but it's very subtle.

Flavor follows suit, but adds in some fruity character and a bit of bitter, lightly roasted malt dryness at the finish. Fairly sweet initially, the dark fruit dampens the sweetness, transitioning well into the finish. Toffee, toasted breadcrust, roasted pecans, and a touch of caramel sweetness form the backbone.

Body is moderate, with slightly higher carbonation than expected, and a fair amount if alcohol warmth.

Very malt dominant brew that has a good amount of sweetness, but maintains a good balance due to the roasty, dry finish. Well developed malt character. Fruitiness is slightly more than I prefer.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:02:39 | More by barczar

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Amber with two finger soapy head that dissipates quickly. No lacing.

S - Pineapple, sweet fruity notes, and pine.

T - Sweetness up front, toasty malt, citrusy notes, toffee, and biscuit.

M/O - Light body, satisfying and highly sessionable brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 14:54:16 | More by thlayli87

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.91/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: shiny copper body, 2 finger head, solid lacing

S: biscuit, sweet bread, ripe fruit

T: toffee/caramel, biscuit, sweet malt, bread finish

M: med mouth, mild bubble/solid smooth

O: Usually not my fav style, but rather good.
Fine balance between sessional + stand-alone brew.

QUITE GOOD; GRAB A BOTTLE!

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 20:44:42 | More by BeerLover99

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a beautiful clear amber color with an off white head on top. The retention and lacing were very nice on this beer. The smell is malty sweet with some mild earthiness. The taste of the beer is malty with a subtle sweetness and a very mild bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is soft and creamy with a decent carbonation. Overall it's a really good brew, very surprised with this one... Disappointed I didn't try this one sooner.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 00:30:39 | More by Knapp85

Levich

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a DFH shaped pint glass.

Eliot Ness pours a nice rich amber color with a rosy hue. There is an off white head which leaves a little bit of lacing. The clarity of this beer's appearance allows one to see the constant effervescence. The aroma is clean and crisp with bready notes. There might also be a hint of fruitiness, but the doughy bread is the overwhelming scent. The first sip reveals the rich biscuity caramel notes in addition to the breadiness. The malty notes are balanced with just a hint of bitter hops and there is a lingering boozy alcohol taste at the end. The mouthfeel is crisp and medium bodied with a mild carbonation. It finishes clean with no stickiness. Although Vienna Lagers are not among my favorite styles of beer, this is a great example of one. It is very flavorful and well balanced. I wish I could get this one more frequently.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 18:09:47 | More by Levich

Apellonious

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle out of the mix pack.

A - amber with fire orange highlights. One finger head that quickly dissipates into a thin lace.

S - bread, biscuit, mild malt

T - more bread, some back end bitterness, a barely noticeable fruit twang.

M - slightly thin, but solid.

O- a great lager, not quite awe inspiring but definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 00:43:19 | More by Apellonious

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: On point amber color with nice head that sticks around for a good while and leaves a lacing on the glass and the surface of the beer. No complaints at all.

Smell: Didn't pick up much on this serving, I've had this before and picked up more. Picking up a little malt, and a dap of nice hops.

Taste: This is everything I want in a quality amber lager and one of the few amber lagers good enough for me to not just get a Yuengling (the regional favorite for cheap beer) instead. Nice balance of excellent sweet malts and a bit of zesty hops on the end. This is a perfect taste for this beer.

Mouthfeel: Maybe a little thinner than I'm used to given my Yuengling backgroung, but the carbonation is perfect.

This is an excellent beer and one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 00:34:26 | More by ColdWaffles

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

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

The beer is transparenty and amber colored with over an inch of dense, soapy, tan head. The aroma offers malt, lager yeast, fruity notes. The flavor is sweet, with a pronounced lager taste and lingering fruity malts. Biscuits and perhaps some crackers. Light to medium bodied. A bit heavier than your session type lagers. Well done and flavorful, though the sweetness, while not overbearing or cloying, per se, does limit my consumption. A solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 05:29:28 | More by Huhzubendah

tectactoe

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a solid amber color with mild clarity, a touch of haze in the middle of the glass. Light beige head that doesn't last too long and doesn't leave much lacing either. Crisp aroma, almost with some fruit tartness initially; light berries and apple skins. Lightly toasted caramel grains abound in this one, with a slightly floral underbody. The first sip follows through with the crispiness of the aroma, headed by an array of toasted grains and malts, light caramel and toffee flavors. Some mild apples and raisin fruitiness comes through and sweetens things up just a bit. Slight hoppy taste in the background, a tiny floral essence, but they never get very bitter, maybe only a touch to balance the malt sweetness. Tasty biscuit-like yeast in the finish; thin body, medium-high carbonation, with a crispy, clean, refreshing finish.

Wow, this beer really surprised me, although I shouldn't be surprised - I've been very happy with most of GL's brews. Nice mix of hops and malts, not too overpowering on either. Great, crisp finish all around, and certainly one of the best lagers I've had in a while.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 16:06:29 | More by tectactoe