Great Lakes Brewing 20th Anniversary Imperial Dortmunder

20th Anniversary Imperial Dortmunder

 

Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland, Ohio, United States 🇺🇸

  Lager - Imperial Pils Special Out of Production
Score
6.81
ABV: 7.5% IBU: 35 Ticks: 25
An imperial golden lager balanced between malt sweetness and dry hop flavors, yet darker in color and richer in finish.

When our Dortmunder Lager won its first gold medal in 1990, its regal status was set. But for our golden anniversary in 2008, we took it one step further with this imperial golden lager. Brimming with the same balance as our original award-winner but with a darker color and slightly higher ABV. 20 years never tasted so good (not that you can’t drink this to celebrate 28 or more).
 

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8.2
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Great malty nose, and some sweet bread. Some nice noble hops, the alcohol is present, but is welcome. A great example of the style. Excellent beer.

Tried on 28 Feb 2025 at 05:08


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

From a 12 oz bottle filled in October 2007. Pours a clear amber with a scant head. Aromas are of stale hops and caramel. Flavors are sweet treacle. Did not age well.

Tried from Bottle on 31 Dec 2020 at 23:40


5.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

From Aug 2008

I got this bottle in a trade with joe1510. Thanks Joe!

This pours a clear bright gold colour with about an inch of foam that broke up into some spotting quickly. Pretty good in the lacing department.

The smell is pretty strong with the grain and hops with some malt sweetness and a touch of biscuit in there as well. Some alcohol is hitting my nose...

The taste has the graininess up front and the hop bitterness close behind but this is has a bigger sweet malt presence than I thought it would. Also, the alcohol is fairly noticeable for the abv but it's still pretty drinkable.

It's on the low end of medium mouthfeel wise, the carbonation is medium, and it finishes slightly bitter with some more biscuit.

Overall, I think this is a pretty good brew; it has some tasty notes, good mouthfeel, and looks nice in the glass. I think it's just a wee bit to boozy and that cuts down on drinkability for me.

Tried from Bottle on 07 Dec 2017 at 10:37


8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Sampled 12/12/08 best before 10/08/08 Received in trade from Prototypic, thanks for the opportunity! Pours a nearly clear golden amber color with a fluffy white head that dissipates quickly. Smells of berries, grassy hops, a hint of diacetyl. Pleasant malt forward smell. Taste is a bit sweet with lots of fruit on the tongue. Lots of malt, a little bit of alcohol and some grass in there as well. Body is medium to thick, mouthfeel is creamy and maybe a little sticky, carbonation is crisp. This is a great malt forward brew, I wish I could have tried it a bit fresher as I wonder if the hops were more pronounced.

Tried on 09 Feb 2011 at 17:15


7
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottled. A dark golden beer with a thin beige head. The aroma has notes of malt and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt and caramel, leading to a dry and lightly bitter finish. The body is thick. Thanks Papsoe for sharing.

Tried from Bottle on 23 Nov 2009 at 05:19


6.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

Bottle. It’s a clear, golden beer with and off-white, finger-thick head leaving some lacings. Malty, beef-stock like nose with piney and grassy hops. Sweet, malty flavor with a pleasant hoppy flavor of pinecones and grass. Full-bodied with maybe a bit too much carbonation. Nice bitterness in the finish, and a fine, sweet maltyness. There’s not much resemblance of lager beer in it, but it’s a fine one. (090520)

Tried from Bottle on 22 Jul 2009 at 14:03


6.5
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6

bottle. Deep golden colour with an off-white head. Aroma is malt, fruit, hop. Flavour is peaches, grapefruit, malt, hop, fruit. Medium to full body. Nice beer.

Tried from Bottle on 20 Jul 2009 at 05:05


6.4
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5

Bottle from Archer Liquors. Amber copper color with a frothy off-white head. Bready aroma with some definite noble hop. Medium body with frothy carbonation. Flavor is a bit pale malty sweet with not quite enough hop to balance. Definitely finishes less than dry. The non-Imperial Dortmunder is definitely much hoppier. That aside, this is a rather pleasant drink. Somewhat reminiscent of a Belgian ale! Trust me.

Tried from Bottle on 16 Feb 2009 at 20:32


6.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Bottle 12fl.oz.Clear medium orange color with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, bread, toasted, light to moderate hoppy, orange, citrus. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20081004]

Tried from Bottle on 08 Jan 2009 at 03:26


6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Bottle at home thanks to jsquire for this one ... crisp bright amber ... sweet grassy floral hop nose ... again sweet little caramel ... some candy suger ....fruity ... almost syrupy mouthfeel ... medium body medium carbonation.

Tried from Bottle on 23 Dec 2008 at 15:18