Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

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

Okay... another Pale Ale that has some pop to it. These brews have changed my opinion of Pale Ales. This was nice as the lemony hoppy refreshing flavor was a great way to cap off a day without getting blasted from one beer.

Bottle. Pours a clear golden amber with a small dense head that dissipates to almost nothing leaving almost no lacing. Smell is mostly the moderate citrus hops with a significant caramel malt background in the smell. The taste starts with a slight hop bit before giving way to the caramel malts. There was also a definite spice presence in there as well and the finish had the slightest pine hop bitterness. The mouthfeel was light to medium with decent carbonation and the finish was actually on the crisp side of things with less hop bitterness than I’m used to. The drinkability is very high on this one as the hop profile is pretty tame and the mouthfeel is crisp and clean. Though not the most daring or complex APA I’ve had, it’d be pretty darn nice on a summer afternoon.

Bottle courtesy of Styles and also on draught at Buffalo Brewpub: Mostly clear amber with bright amber-orange highlights when held to the light. Has a medium light beige head that sticks. The aroma is fairly balanced between floral & citrus hops and mild grains and toasted malt. Taste is citrus/floral hops, doughy malt, grains that come through just a bit too much, caramel, and light fruit. Finishes with medium bitter floral hops and a bit of grains. Medium bodied, medium carbonated, solid mouthfeel that is in between watery and creamy as if that makes any sense. Basically it’s not creamy, but then it’s not watery either so I’ll go with hertyl on this one.

well being from NE Ohio it was imperative that I sample this. :) Slightly hoppy with a bitter finish and a weird almost spicey burn on the end... intereting...

First Official Houston Tasting. Thanks to Kryptic for this beer. Pours a very honey like color with a very, very thin white head. Looks more like a sauternes than an IPA. Aroma is malt, honey and hops. Flavor is malt mixed with some musty hops that give off a good bitterness. Solid beer. Thanks kryptic!

Bottle from trade with OhioDad. Poured a clear copper color with a creamy off-white head that left some lacing. The aroma found grapefruit, pine, lemon, and some graininess. The flavor followed the same with pine, grapefruit, wheat, and a hint of malts. Medium body with a medium bitterness. Truly a delight! Thanks Scott!!

Bottle. A citrusy IPA whose maltiness seems too forward. One-finger frothy off-white head. Medium amber body. The aroma is enjoyable cascade — citrusy orange and grapefruit. Notes of toasted grain and hop flowers. The flavor is moderately sweet and the malt, especially grain, dominates. Lightly bitter through the finish. Medium body and lively carbonation. Watery texture.

Creamy, off-white head. Good lacing and nice retention. Aroma is slightly malty with a strong grain/hay smell. Hope nose is pine and grass. Body is clear copper. Flavor is slightly malty and very similar to aroma. Very haylike in flavor. Not balanced very well--salty aftertaste and overly strong hay detracts from flavor--like drinking straw. Dry finish, slightly chalky.