Fitgers Great Lakes - Erie

Brewed by Fitgers Brewhouse
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Duluth, Minnesota USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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[Bottle] Pours hazy amber with a white head that nearly completely disappears. Aroma is nice--vaguely sweet, doughy, very light alcohol, a little marshmallow and caramel. Notes of tapioca as well. Taste is very strange. I didn’t read the description before drinking it, so at first I honestly thought that the beer was reacting with the food I ate earlier or that I was having some type of weird reaction to it. It turns out that what I was tasting were the grains of paradise. Very odd--a slight burn at the tip of the tongue, and a harsher burn at the back of my throat on the swallow. I haven’t experienced anything like it before, and I don’t know how fond I am of it. Aside from that, there is also a peculiar soapiness (also from the grains of paradise?), a lot of yeast, and some pineapple as well. Medium mouthfeel, quite a long finish. I can see where some would like this, but it is not really my thing at all. Something in the taste didn’t sit right with me, and the burn from the grains of paradise was badly out of place. This was a difficult bomber to finish, and is my least favorite of the Great Lakes series so far.

On tap at GTMW - Pours hazy light amber with a light white head. Nice fruity nose with yeast, apricot, a little floral hoppiness, and light sweetness. Taste is a bit sharp, with some clove, yeast, apricot, and a light syrupy sweet finish. Good body, with decent carbonation.

On draft at the Brewhouse. Golden straw in color. Nice Belgian peppery flavors. Very nice mouth feel. Almost tastes like an imperial version of a nice Wit.

Date: July 3, 2011 Mode: Bottle Source: Beer Tasting, Bloomington, MN Appearance: Opaque golden with slight amount of head Aroma: Yeast and spice Flavor: Consistent with aroma

170/204. Thanks Alen! Pure golden color with white head. A very solid yeasty aroma with a little spice. Peppery flavor with a definite belgine yeast flavor. The spice finish is very prominent.

Tap. Light gold pour with a thin white head. Mild fruity yeast aroma. Fruit, black pepper, and yeast on taste. Moderate body. A little alcohol burn on the back end. Good stuff.

Winterfest ’11. Gold color. Belgian yeast is prominent. Very dry from he yeast, almost like a saison. Surprisingly light on the palate.

Sample at Winterfest. From notes. Best of the Great Lakes beers for sure (though thats not saying a ton...) I nice bright golden pour, bone white head. Nice Belgian yeast notes, though not overpowering. Some nice spice, the grains of paradise are also very evident. Well done.

The best of the great lakes series, at Winterfest ’11. Aroma has notes of big biscuit, yeast, some clove and banana, slight touch of bubblegum, grains of paradise comes through well. Taste is nice mix of banana, clove up front, some sweet biscuit and bubblegum with a touch more spice, and a nice hoppy bitter finish. The standout of the group.

A very pleasant surprise at Winterfest 2011. Nice creamy head and golden color. Smooth, gently malted and slightly hopped up Belgian, with a very clever peppery finish...a unique drinking experience and another reason to never bypass this great brewery when visiting the Zenith City.