Great Lakes Holy Moses - Great Lakes Brewing Company

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

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a perfect pint.

4.5 A: Well hazed bright yellow color, whatever that means. Two fingers of frothy white head. Retention is very good and a short ring of lacing is left.

4.0 S: Smells great. Perfect yeastmanship going on here. Peppery with corriander. Orange peel and just a hint of chamomile. Incredibly clean with a pleasant neutral maltiness. Well done.

4.0 T: Tastes just as good. Super clean without a hint of any off flavors. Corriander, peppery, orange peel, chamomile, and neutral maltiness. Delicious.

4.5 M: Medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Wonderfully creamy. Very nice here.

4.0 D: Tasty clean beer. It's hard to make a "normal" witbier stick out, but this does. Great craftsmanship.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 01:18:01 | More by DavoleBomb

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.63/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 Oz bottle poured into a tulip
Bought a single of the 2012 batch

A- Pours hazy grey yellow with a half finger of quickly dissipating head. Not a beauty but its a Witbier unquestionably.

S- Smells very yeasty and a lot of wheat in here. A spicy fruitness. Pretty decent stuff.

T- A light bitterness up front and a Belgian yeast taste. A lot of spicy wheat in here. A light fruitiness in here. Not a strong taste but fairly pleasant.

M- A smooth body and good carbonation, leaves behind a pleasant aftertaste. A good light feel but still pretty tasty.

O- A good witbier but nothing special to be honest. A little disappointing from Great Lakes but I only bought one so I cant complain.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 02:08:11 | More by TwelveOunces

pschul4

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Last beer (maybe) before DLD 2012 so hopefully its a good one!

A- Nice crisp gold, with a fluffy white head that exibits decent retention.

S- Incredibly faint on the nose. Unfortunately I'm not picking up anything at all

T- Don't mind the nose, the taste makes up for it. Tons of wheat/banana/clove flavor in the mouth which is just downright tasty!

M- Pretty smooth for the style, I like it

O- This one did not disappoint in the least. Way to go Great Lakes!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 23:16:27 | More by pschul4

dorianmarley

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is cloudy yellow with some head and bubbly lacing.

Nose is plenty of wheat, with not much else.

Taste is light malt, wheat, and oak.

Mouthfeel is mild with mild carbonation.

Overall, there is not a lot going on. It is on-point for style, but lacking memorable texture or flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 14:39:14 | More by dorianmarley

ONUMello

Ohio

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

12oz bottle poured into a pilsner glass
A: Light yellow with a 1/2 finger head and plenty of carbonation
S: Tons of spice, particularly coriander and clove. Orange peel and bread dough round it out.
T: Spicy up front like the nose, coriander and cloves. Then an orange midpalate with yeast/bread towards the back.
M: A bit thinner than I remember from previous years. Light and crisp.
O: This and Oberon always mean summer is right around the corner. Overall a well-seasoned light easy to drink beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 19:29:42 | More by ONUMello

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

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

From notes last summer.

Pours a white head. Color is a clear dull golden yellow.

Aroma: Very Belgian like. A lot of spices. Cloves, coriander, orange peel, and lemon zest. Bready and yeasty.

Taste: A lot similar to the nose. Belgian-like with a lot of spices. Fairly fruity as well. Orange and lemon citrus.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and bubbly. Light bodied with a bit higher amount of carbonation. Ends clean.

Overall, a nice easy drinking wit. Decent amount of flavor. Good beer for the hot days.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 02:03:21 | More by mothman

raznug

Ohio

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

Appearance: It pours a hazy pale golden color and is topped with ¾” of white head that dissipates quickly to a thin layer of tiny bubbles.
Smell: This beer smells just like I would expect, spices. Coriander, orange peel, and maybe a flowery scent that I can’t place blast that sinuses right off the bat.
Taste: The taste follows the smells lead and this tastes just like a white ale should orange peel and coriander blend with that yeast flavor that sets a white ale separate from other ales.
Mouthfeel: This is a beer that I prefer to be a bit thinner than normal and it doesn’t disappoint my thinking easy drinking and rather smooth a very well made white.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 15:34:58 | More by raznug

siege06nd

Virginia

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

Reviewed from notes. Poured into a British Pint.

A. Pours a very cloudy, pale straw color. A nice finger of white head that dissipates to a quarter finger and lingers. Good lacing.

S. Very good. Banana, clove, some candied yeast. Sweet and bready. For style, this is excellent.

T. More banana bread, some light creamy orange peel, a slight peppery finish. Not overly complex, but good.

M. Finish is a touch thin. Crisp and refreshing, but lacks some complexity.

O. A solid wit. Perfect for a summer session. I'd take this over Oberon, and just about any others of this style save Dancing Man Wheat.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 19:12:41 | More by siege06nd

thain709

Pennsylvania

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

A - Poured with a semi-hazy, golden yellow body that showed some carbonation bubbles...the white, two finger head quickly receded to a thin cap...there was minimal lacing left

S - The nose was a bit musty...some bright lemon broke through as well as a melody of Belgian spices

T - Those Belgian spices kick things off on the palate...right up front is some coriander followed by some clove...the wheat and yeast are present in the middle and they add some body as well as some chewiness...citrus flavors (mainly lemon) roll in towards the finish...but the beer finishes with some soft, sweet honey

M - Light bodied...soft carbonation, bright citrus, slight spice, and sweet honey

O - This one started out just average, but things picked up at first sip...everything worked together here and you were left with a refreshing taste

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 15:40:59 | More by thain709

OleJohnnieAle

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy light yellow

S: Nice corriander up front and a hint of orange citrus to finish off.

T: Nice cirrander spice up front, almost a little bitter. Good sweetness and orange peal citrus to finish off.

M: Light body beer with good carbonation and balance. Very smooth.

O: I like this one. This is one of my more favorite summer beers on the boat or when I finish mowing the law. Nice and smooth and always refreshing. Another great beer from Great Lakes.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 22:20:35 | More by OleJohnnieAle