Great Lakes Holy Moses - Great Lakes Brewing Company

DragonzBreath

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was a nice surprise. Poured nice and clear, big foamy head that didn't last. Citrus rushed my nose and the cold crisp smooth taste filled my mouth. sweet, not too bitter with a nice dry, crisp fresh ending. This may be a mainstay at the BrewPub!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 00:48:01 | More by DragonzBreath

Amish_Ambush

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Original Review: 02-26-2006

Served in a pint glass at the Great Lakes Brewing Company.

This beer is a bit better on tap. More body than the bottled version and the coriander and cardamom was more pronounced. One of the better witbiers out there. Good in the bottle; great on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 01:54:19 | More by Amish_Ambush

Keyportnick

Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle served in a tulip glass.

A- Pours a nice light straw golden with no clouding. Thin bright white head that disappears quickly. No lacing about halfway through.

S- Smells of coriander and a Belgian yeast

T- Pale dough like malts, hints of coriander. Belgian yeast

M- medium carbonation, light body, lingering finish

O- I enjoyed the wit, nice and clean. I really enjoyed that there was no spent yeast in this beer. Had a hard time finding the chamomile in the beer, though I'm not familiar with chamomile.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 02:07:17 | More by Keyportnick

jsprain1

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pale hazy golden. Head is two fingers and white. Drops down to a slick and stays there. Minimal lacing.
S- Wheat, a touch of spice, and this odd lingering wet dog aroma.
T- Wheaty breadyness up front. There's a quick flash of spice in the middle, before a well-made balanced banana and spice finish.
M- On the fuller side for a wit. Crisp but not quite sharp carbonation.
O- A solid wit. The finish on this beer really makes it great.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 02:58:17 | More by jsprain1

fields336

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Hazy straw color, light yellow. with 2 finger fluffy white head. leaves sticky lacing all over the sides

S: creaminess from the wheat, spices, coriander, citrus, orange peel, floral

T: sweet, bready, slight yeastiness, coriander, spicey, orange peel, lemon, slight tartness,

M: creamy full bodied from the wheat but not overly sweet. one of the best mouthfeels I've ever had

O: great beer, picked a case up on clearance for $20, even better deal

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 19:25:30 | More by fields336

tigg924

Massachusetts

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

Appearance: 1 inch head, moderate carbonation, orange-gold in color, hazy

Smell: Belgian spices--coriander and cardamom

Taste: Belgian spices--coriander and cardamom, orange, lemon, and a bit of creaminess

Mouthfeel: sweet with slight bitterness, moderate carbonation, light bodied

Overall: A very good wit that quickly became my go to beer after hikes in a recent western trip. The creaminess does distinguish this one from others in the style. Very refreshing, I would certainly get this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 16:41:19 | More by tigg924

deebo

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Excited to try a different version of this style This brew looks and smells like a typical wit. Compared to some of my preferred versions of this style this one is a little too tart and heavy on the lemon and the finish is on the long side. A solid beer but not outstanding for my taste.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2012 23:57:18 | More by deebo

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured into a glass stien.

enjoy before date of 9/23/12.

Appearance: straw yellow boided beer with a slight hazy to it. 2 fingers of white frothy head that drops quickly to a thin cap. very little spotty lace.

Smell: mildly spicy yeast, biscuits, bananas, conander, cloves, oranges, and lemons.

Taste: Fresh doughy biscuits, and bananas. Yeasty spiciness, wheat, black pepper, and a hint of clove. Oranges, lemons, and white grapes with grassy, floral, and earthy hop notes. Finishes with spice and mild banana notes.

Mouthfeel: light bodied beer with high end of moderate carbonation. Crisp, clean, bright, and refreshing beer.

Overall: Another really nice hot weather beer pick up the six if you see it. This beer is better and a light lager on any hot day when you just want a cold refreshing beer. Solid witbeer made by great lakes!

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 02:13:20 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pours a pale yellow color, cloudy with a small white head and no lacing.

S- citrus hops, and coriander and lemon peel. Also a buiscuity yeast.

T- spices up front with notes of citrus and coriander, classic wit style. followed by a bready malt that balances it out well. Herbal and spicy notes, finishes with a slight linger.

M- medium carbonation, foamy and light bodied. Very drinkable.

O- this is a good summer seasonal choice. Refreshing and easy to drink, classic witbier with a malty backbone.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 00:27:47 | More by Treyliff

srv33

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Light golden pour, cloudy, light very fine lacing. paper thin head. Fragrant smells of chamomile, peach, pine, and a hint of something spicy, perhaps cardammon. Taste is light, fruity, and sweet. Not quite sure if this is really my thing, its very different from what I usually drink. It reminds me an awful lot of Trois Pistoles, and at such a lower price, might be called it's cheaper relative. Doesn't quite have the same depth, and is more lightly carbonated. Very drinkable, its well balanced, but in closing, not quite my thing.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 23:10:02 | More by srv33

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.78/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance –Poured a lightly hazy golden color with a one finger white head. The head faded slowly over time to give a very nice level of lacing.

Smell - The smell was of a yeasty and light biscuit aroma. Mixed with this were some hints of lemon and banana giving a more classic wit aroma.

Taste – The taste begins bready with a lighter citrus lemon flavor. As the taste advances a nice yeasty taste mixes with the bready and lemon flavor. Some orange then begins to enter the tongue and balances out the slight bitter of the lemon. In the end a citrus and yeasty flavor is left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is rather average with the carbonation level slightly above average. For the citrus flavors the carbonation level is great and the body makes for it to be an easier drinking brew. Quite nice.

Overall – A good easy drinking brew and one to go for if you have the chance.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 02:33:49 | More by Darkmagus82

flagmantho

Washington

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

Poured from 12oz bottle into a tulip. Best-by date is 9/29/12.

Appearance: pale light-golden hue with a light haze that yields the look of a soft patina on metal. There's lots of effervescence present, and a thick finger of frothy white foam. Looks good to me.

Smell: very satisfying refreshing wheat aroma with hints of banana and clove. The coriander and other spicing is light but present; overall it's a nice composition.

Taste: wheaty flavor with a nice maltiness. Most of the flavors carry over from the aroma, though are a bit lighter in intensity. A nice witbier indeed.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a big carbonation and concomitant creaminess. I like it a lot.

Overall: a very refreshing and drinkable witbier. I will definitely have this again when I can get a hold of it.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 17:54:00 | More by flagmantho

keithmurray

Louisiana

3.48/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - cloudy golden color, white head

Smell - coriander, ginger, wheat, orange peel

Taste - wheat, orange peel, coriander, flavors come in a bit faint vs. Other witbiers

Mouthfeel -
Refreshing, light bodied, moderate carbonation, flavors don't linger long, I need to deduct for this fact

Overall - decent beer worth trying, though not as flavorful as some other wits out there

Price point - $1.75/single 12oz

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 22:29:46 | More by keithmurray

vfgccp

New York

4.03/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Light haze on a banana yellow body. Fine white head with great retention and ok lace.

S - Nice banana lemon nose. Touch of green vegetable.

T - White bread, tart white grape, and banana up front. Smooth and sweet yeast and potato bread through the center. Apple and bread on the backend. Touch of a green pepper off-note as it warms.

M - Great mouthfeel. Bright medium-full body with great carbonation.

O - Full bodied for a wit. Nice flavor profile. An off-note floated in and out of the profile, but it wasn't terribly distracting.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 01:07:38 | More by vfgccp

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Best by 9/2/12. Pours a cloudy dark gold/yellow. Inch-thick white head on top. Lace left behind. Nose if a bounty of yeast, coriander, lemon, citrus. Great mouthfeel - good carbonation, smooth finish. Nice tart yeasty quality starts this one off, clean refreshing citrus - orange, lemon - and a mild earthy finish from the spices. This is a refreshing Wit that I would like to revisit again and again.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 18:16:24 | More by Onenote81

augustgarage

California

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Best before 9/23/2012. Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Harriet tulip.

Pale straw liquid that oddly glows a pale green-ish pear when held to a light. A small off white head of merengue sticks around for a while then recedes to a lasting soapy collar. Delicate lacing.

Coriander, orange peel, fresh wheat, and lemon zest in the nose. Faint floral notes as well.

Sweet, bright, and floral palate entry with citrus and spices along with the chamomile melding together in the flavor profile. Superb balance with light tartness from wheat, a merger of coriander and yeasty phenols, and secondary notes of lemon, orange, and chamomile. Bright yet soothing finish.

Creamy, effervescent, yet somewhat light mouth-feel.

The chamomile is subtle but adds interest to what is already a very good witbier. The yeast is not quite as strong as some Belgian examples, but I'm quite impressed and refreshed by this ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 04:45:25 | More by augustgarage

mactrail

California

3.88/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Handsome golden color with pleasant foaminess. Mouthfeel is rich and almost creamy. The classic Wit taste and feel. Slight aroma of citrus and nice nose of malt.

Overall, a very tasty and richly flavored Wit. Just a hint of orange and the spices are very light. Maybe one or two petals from a hop cone. The chamomile fortunately is so faint that you forget about it. One of the better examples of the style. I like the maltier flavor. It's a little more sweet with malt, which seems to go with the bubbles.

From the 12 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 01:57:09 | More by mactrail

BigDoug

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is a great summer session beer.

I'm not the biggest advocate of wheat beers, but this one works very well for me.

Pours a nice golden yellow with a slight haze. Not very cloudy compared to a typical witbier. A bit more golden and not at pale straw in color. Beautiful frothy white head rests on top and settles to a solid white cap leaving strong lacing on the glass.

Smell is pleasant and inviting. Typical clove and slight banana with some nice spicy eaters from the yeast. Has a juicy fruit gum aroma a little bit. A hint of citrus and the chamomile makes a small appearance in the aroma as well. Complex and nice. Soft but prevelant.

Taste is spot on for what they were going for. Different than your typical witbier, but has all the staple characteristics. Has an aftertaste that makes you crave another one immediately after finishing one. A touch more hop bitterness than the latter. Very pleasant and I think that might be what made me a big fan of this for my summer beer choice for vacation. It's like a witbier met a pale ale and blended into a refreshing, citrusy, spicy, light session beer that can be enjoyed in several servings. The chamomile is a bit of an undertone, but it's there and might be that slight difference that makes all the difference. This beer just really hits the spot on a hot day on the beach.

Mouthfeel is nice. Perfect carbonation. I'd say it's light-medium with a smooth but slightly prickly mouthfeel. Not fizzy but not too smooth either. Well carbed. Not thin, but not heavy. Perfect summer time feel.

Overall, I bought a case for vacation to be beach after having this a few times because I loved how easy drinking and tasty this offering is. Great Lakes never lets me down. This one is great for a beer snob like me who is your typical hophead, but also great for your Hefe and witbier fanatic. I love hoppy IPA's and this beer is far from that but it has plenty of other characteristics that please the palate and it's a great summer beer. Highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 19:12:50 | More by BigDoug

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fresh bottle
A - Slightly lacking in the haze and lace category, but still looks good with a golden body and thick white cap.

S/T - Strong yeast body, a little tart and funky, lemon candy, grassy hops.

M - Light body, crisp and clean finish.

O - Good taste, easy drinking, but I feel it lacks a bit of a punch when compared to some others in the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 23:26:41 | More by garuda

atr2605

New York

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-pours a cloudy straw color with a white head with fairly good retention
S-yeast, spice, hint of citrus
T-nice blend of citrus and spices, wheat malt lingers in the background providing a good balance to the bitterness but not lending much to the flavor
M-light medium bodied
O-Very pleasant beer. Has great flavor and very drinkable. Highly recommend

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 02:08:57 | More by atr2605

meepmeep

3.8/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, best before 9/23/12.

A: Pours a light, slightly cloudy yellow with about a 1.5 finger head. Head dissipates pretty quickly leaving some lacing.

S: Smell is nice, nothing too crazy. Lots of coriander and clove, some pepper and orange, a little bit of chamomile.

T: Drinkable beer, spicy enough without going overboard. Taste is mainly what I picked up on the nose - coriander, clove, pepper, and some Belgian yeast as well.

M: Very smooth beer, light-to-medium carbonation, with a silky texture - again, it goes down very easy!

Overall - the mouthfeel is probably the most notable thing about it, although in general it is very pleasant and drinkable. A nice witbier!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 19:12:27 | More by meepmeep

Boto

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draught @ Headkeeper: This one pours a straw golden color. It was fairly clear with about a finger of a thick white head. It left a fair amount of lacing. Nose is mainly wheat. Some earthy hops, citrus and spiciness. It has a pretty smooth taste. Hints of grains, some malt, wheat and faint spices. Not bad at all.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 16:53:42 | More by Boto

4balance

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle with many thanks to WesM63…drink by date of 9-22-12, pours a cloudy pale straw color with 1-2 fingers of white foamy head, little lacing clinging to my glass (Ommegang).

Aroma is earthy, spicy, grainy, citrus, sweet bread…yum!

Taste is more intense than the scent, good amount of spice; coriander, clove, some chamomile way off in the distance, some peppery hints as well, sweet belgian yeast, orange zest for a magnificent balance of flavors.

Mouthfeel has a good amount of carbonation, light - medium bodied, airy bitterness that is crisp and clean, refreshing with a bit of dryness that makes me want more.

Overall this is a very well balanced brew that is a real treat. Definitely recommended. Thanks again Wes!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 01:17:33 | More by 4balance

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 5/13/12
*From notes

-- Thanks to Siege for the forceful tick --

A: Cloudy tangerine in hue. A good pour yields a white one finger head. Decent lacing follows as the head falls. A thick and healthy white collar rims the beer as I drink.

S: As you'd expect: just past ripe banana and plenty of clove. As it warms, I get a moderate amount of mint julip.

T: Heavy on the clove from top to bottom. There's also a good amount of cardamon on the front to mid. I'm not getting a whole lot of banana here (sadly), but I do find a generous amount of baking spice. The lingering finish holds that clove note, and it simply won't let go.

M: Easily ranks at or near the top of the wheat-based Mouthfeel Mountain. It's thick, it's rich, it's texutred, it's complex and extremely creamy. The carbonation is absolutely on point.

O: I would never have reached for this, as wheat based brews are just not my kink. But when siege06nd pressures you into a tick, how can you say no?

For those who like their Wit's expressive and full flavored, this one's for you. Big, bold clove is all up in this shit and then some. Plus it's packing one of the best mouthfeels this side of the Ol' Miss. Another accomplishment from one of the best breweries in America.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 21:42:11 | More by Rhettroactive

Danno48

West Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great Lakes Holey Moses White Ale.
I poured this beer into a glass at 45 degrees F.

A- Looks great. Has the light golden color that you would see when you dream of beer. The head looked like marshmallow cream; light, fluffy, rich. I just did not last as long as I would have liked it to.

S- It had a very light fragrance of yeast, lemon, chamomile, vanilla. I wish I had a better scent of smell, perhaps I could have picked up more. The description of the brewing process made me think I could have been missing out on some unique aromas.

T- This beer does not come at you like a ton of bricks. It is mild, lightly sweet with vanilla and banana notes, and subtle. The unique flavor I could discern was the chamomile; It stood out from beers of a like nature. I would have liked the flavors to last a bit longer.

M- I loved the drink-ability of this beer. Does not cling at all. Very smooth and velvety but it does not linger.

Overall, I really enjoyed the lightness and parallel complexity of this beer. Casual, sophisticated, and balanced. I personally would have liked to experienced a more potent flavor, the flavor at the end felt a bit watered down. If you know someone who feels intimidated by craft beer, this could be the beer that is not overwhelming and very welcoming to the dainty pallet.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 23:22:24 | More by Danno48