Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Appearance: Pours an amber yellow gold with a faint gathering of white suds at the top. Looking at the body, you will notice very few rising bubbles. Aroma: Faint whiffs of lemon and caramel. Taste: A nice twist of lemon and caramel, finishing with piny bitterness. The bitterness outlasts the sweet citrusy flavor from the beginning sip. Mouthfeel: Full bodied, very thick. Overall: A really great beer. Bold and balanced at the same time. I love the thick mouthfeel on this beer, which in my opinion, sets this a part from similar pale ales.

I’m pretty sure that if the Mississippi river was truly burning, there would be no songwriting going on, just a whole lotta panic and running around screaming like decapitated banshees. Thankfully, such a horrendous display of humanic depravity has not had the opportunity to rear its bristly head recently, but the fine folks at Great Lakes would like to remind us of the one good thing about burning rivers: location. And location equals beer. There is no better cure for depravity than a chilled pint of Great Lakes Burning River to take your mind and your body away from all that troubles you, if only for a short while. An American Pale Ale, I have positive expectations about this beer considering how well their Elliot Ness fared in the face of adversity.

Copper orange with amber highlights, her fluffy white head perfectly reflects the crystal clear depths below. Each teasing swirl produces massive clumps while releasing a nose that screams hops at the top of her lungs. Hops, hops, and more hops. Freshly cut grass, wet sweet and vegetal with swamp moss and spice hitting the back of my nose; powdered cumin, garlic, and ginger. Hard breads and dry crackers crunch in the middle while the back of her nasal assault features endless fields of cereal grains. All of this swirls amidst a maelstrom of hops. Is this really an American Pale Ale as the beer claims itself to be? My first quaff provides me with answers and more questions. Dank, meaty, and grassy with swamp moss and cooked green vegetables ensuring I get all the vitamins and minerals I need for the day. V8? Pfft. My mouth lingers with a thin coating of sweet cereal grains and freshly mowed grass, wet and sticky. Her spices linger long into each passing breath while more green vegetables jump into the mix. A soft mouthfeel helps buoy her otherwise heavy and single-minded palate. While her nose was borderline nauseatingly dank, her palate thankfully seeks the middle road which unfortunately leaves me confused as to whether I am tasting an IPA or a bastardized version of a Pale Ale? Both maybe? Overall not bad, but I am really unsure as to what the Burning River in the back of my throat is trying to tell me, other than to step away.

Great Lakes is 1 for 1 with one win and one loss. Of course, while Burning River did nothing for me, it may light someone else’s palate ablaze with passion and glory. Mine just wanted to get away. Thankfully, my fridge is replete with fire-retardant brews that I thirst for.

Awesome apa pours a copper color with little bit of white head some lacing .... smells of piney hops and citrus and has a great spicy hop/citrus flavor ..... great dry finish like an ipa in an apa bottle

Bottle. Pours a nice reddish copper. Aroma is of pine, a bit of earth, and some spice. The taste is pretty similar with a bit of a spicy edge to it. Not too bad.

Aroma is citrusy (grapefruit) hops and some light caramel as well. Appearance is golden red with a decent sized head that stuck around. Flavor was a hearty dose of hops, nothing overwhelming, but very appropriate for not being an imperial with the same grapefruit and caramel presence as in the aroma. Palate was lively and medium bodied. A good solid pale ale, no complaints here.

Bottle via trade. This is exactly what I look for in an American pale ale. Golden-amber color with a small off-white head. Really nice aroma of pine/citrus hops. These hops are also present in the flavor, balanced by caramel/pale malt and some light fruit notes. Palate average for the style. Not mind-blowing, but very good.

Pours a nice golden amber. The aroma is hops. The taste is a touch of pine with some hops and smooth grain. Pretty damn good.

Decent sized head with some lacing. Golden-orange body. Strong, smooth hop aroma. Hops are significant but not overpowering, with a little beat of a wheaty taste in the finish. Great pale ale, but not my favorite.