NEWS
Game, set, hops! Great Lakes Brewing Co. (GLBC) is proud to return as the Official Craft Beer of Tennis in the Land presented by Motorola Edge. Now in its second year, Tennis in the Land is part of the U.S. Open Series, taking place a week prior to the U.S. Open, and brings the world’s most-watched women’s sport to Cleveland’s Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica August 20 – 27.
Tennis in the Land attendees can expect to find a variety of canned GLBC beer at stands throughout the venue, as well as GLBC photo opps with chances to win prizes.
Want to crush it courtside at Tennis in the Land? Fill out the entry form at https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/glbctennis for a chance to win two courtside box tickets to the Tennis in the Land final on August 27. Runners up will receive tickets to Tennis in the Land.
Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) is proud to announce our sponsorship of the 2nd Weekend of Cleveland Oktoberfest, September 9 and 10 at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea, Ohio.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. is a longstanding participant in Cleveland Oktoberfest, most recently taking home a Silver Medal for Dortmunder Gold Lager in the event’s annual craft brewery competition. At this year’s Oktoberfest, GLBC beer will be the primary offering throughout the event on September 9 and 10, though GLBC beer will be available in the Bier Garten both weekends.
As the featured craft beer sponsor for 2022, GLBC will have a large presence at the event including a variety of draft offerings like our award-winning Oktoberfest pouring throughout the entire fairground on the 2nd weekend. Be on the lookout for GLBC giveaways and photo opps, and sign up for the Great Lakes 5K Bier Run & One Mile Walk on Monday, September 5, benefiting University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. To learn more and register, visit: https://www.clevelandoktoberfest.com/entertainment/attractions-activities/5k-run/
With a variety of live entertainment, games, cultural performances, and attractions, Cleveland Oktoberfest is a late-summer tradition you won’t want to miss.
Find tickets here: https://www.clevelandoktoberfest.com/tickets/
About Cleveland Oktoberfest:
The mission of Cleveland Oktoberfest is to promote and support the arts by conducting live musical and artistic cultural performances for the general public. This serves to preserve, promote and perpetuate European Heritage within the Cleveland area, while at once advancing and fostering education and general awareness. Numerous charitable groups and organizations benefit from Cleveland Oktoberfest.
We love lagers. Ales, you’re great too, but we think bottom-fermenters are tops. In fact, when we first opened in 1988, the first two beers we brewed were our longtime favorites Dortmunder Gold Lager and Eliot Ness Amber Lager. We didn’t stop there either, with our award-winning Oktoberfest joining GLBC’s lager family in the 90’s, followed by newcomers Mexican Lager with Lime and Rally Drum Premium Lager. See? We’re really not kidding when we say we love lagers!
Back in 1988, brewing craft lagers wasn’t a common choice. Lagers typically take longer to ferment and condition, and it’s often said that it’s more difficult to hide flaws in lagers than ales. Still, co-owners Pat and Dan Conway were enamored with the flavorful, full-bodied lagers they’d enjoyed in their European travels, and wanted to bring that experience to American craft beer.
So how different are our three longtime lagers? Let’s explore!
Dortmunder Gold Lager
About the Style:
First brewed in mid-19th century Dortmund, Germany and frequently shipped internationally, earning it the nickname “Exportbier”. Due to its hometown’s water chemistry, Dortmunder-style lagers are both distinctly malty and firmly hoppy, while striking a perfect balance between the two.
About Dortmunder Gold Lager:
Brewed with our proprietary lager yeast, Dortmunder Gold hauled home our first (but certainly not our last!) medal at the Great American Beer Festival. We’re partial to Dortmunder Gold for its balance of sweet malt and dry hop flavors, which have served as many a Clevelander’s introduction to craft beer since 1988.
The Best Time to Drink a “Dort”:
Perfectly suited to any social occasion, from Guardians games to backyard barbecues, Dortmunder Gold is a certified crowd pleaser. “Dort” pairs well with salads, fish, chicken… pretty much any food you can think of! Enhance your perfect Dortmunder food pairings with our Dortmunder Gold Beer Mustard made in collaboration with Bertman.
Eliot Ness Amber Lager
About The Style:
While we call Eliot Ness an Amber Lager, the beer is inspired by Vienna Lager, the style perfected by Anton Dreher in 1841. Vienna Lager was the world’s first lighter-colored lager, and Europe’s most popular style for a number of decades. Interestingly, it’s now more commonly produced by Mexican breweries. Vienna Lager sports a reddish hue and toasty, bready malt flavors.
About Eliot Ness Amber Lager:
Fun fact: although Dortmunder Gold is our hometown hero, Eliot Ness is actually the first beer GLBC ever brewed under original Master Brewer Thaine Johnson. With its untouchable blend of lightly toasted malts and earthy Mt. Hood hops, Eliot Ness has our current Brewmaster Mark Hunger’s stamp of approval as his favorite go-to brew.
The Best Time to Drink a Ness:
Thanks to its caramel malt flavors, Eliot Ness is our favorite beer to pair with food, almost always finding a spot on a Brewmaster’s Dinner menu. And while it’s hard to think of somewhere that the smooth, approachable Eliot Ness would feel out of place, our favorite spot for a Ness has to be the GLBC taproom’s historic Tiger Mahogany bar – after all, Eliot Ness was known to have a beer there himself!
Oktoberfest
About the Style:
Not to be outdone by his childhood friend Anton, Gabriel Sedlmayr released his own lighter-colored lager in Munich later in 1841. The German brewer managed to outdo his Austrian counterpart, as his even richer, more robustly malty lager was named the official beer of Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration in 1872. It’s remained a staple of Oktoberfest celebrations around the world to this day.
About Oktoberfest:
Speaking of staples, our Oktoberfest is often regarded as one of finest American examples of the style. No surprise there, as our brewers take extra time crafting our Oktoberfest using a decoction mash, an additional step in the brewing process that intensifies the beer’s deep bready, toasty malt character. So raise a stein of Oktoberfest and give a hearty “prost” to our hard-working brewers!
The Best Time to Drink a “Festie”:
It’s right there in the name! Whether it’s those last warm sunny days on the beach, or the first cool, crisp evenings around a bonfire, Oktoberfest is perfect for anytime a late-summer celebration is called for. And since Munich is a bit out of the way, we hope you visited us the 2nd Weekend of the Cleveland Oktoberfest, where we poured Oktoberfest (and more) all throughout the grounds as the official beer sponsor!
Fall in love with lagers again! Use our Beer Finder to locate Oktoberfest, Dortmunder, and Eliot Ness near you.
Words by Michael Williams
Photos by Adam Ritterspach
Great Lakes Brewing Co. has been named a 2022 Top Workplace by the Cleveland Plain Dealer for the 3rd time. Our independent, employee-owned craft brewery employs over 200 driven, enthusiastic people, and we are honored by this recognition.
Throughout our history, we have aspired to grow our innovative and resourceful team of employee-owners with high standards, integrity, and vision, and have prioritized our team’s wellbeing by offering competitive benefits, growth opportunities, loads of perks, and a fun, engaging culture. We are grateful for this recognition, particularly because this recognition comes largely thanks to the feedback of our own employees.
Administered by a third-party platform, the survey measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, to name a few. The Plain Dealer’s Top Workplaces list continues to reflect companies in the region that cultivate a connection with their workforce. This year’s Workplaces list ranks 220 companies, nonprofits, schools, and other employers. These organizations share a commitment to providing support and an environment that makes employees feel valued and respected. You can find the full list here: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/06/see-the-list-of-all-220-northeast-ohio-top-workplaces-for-2022.html
If you are interested in joining our team of employee-owners, find more information and apply here: https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/employment
We are proud to share that our TropiCoastal Tropical IPA can is the winner of the 2022 Colored by INX Can Design Contest! This is the second consecutive year we have received this honor, following Crushworthy’s win in 2021.
2022’s contest was judged by a panel, who selected TropiCoastal as the winner. GLBC Creative Manager Jameson Campbell took home the honors for bringing illustrator Sam Hadley’s colorful beach scene to life, along with his creative team collaborators, and with help from INX’s metal color catalog.
Learn more about the contest here.
Pictured: Creative Manager Jameson Campbell, Brand Marketing Manager Marissa DeSantis
Photo by Vicki Campana
Celebrate Pride month in Cleveland and raise a glass to our 2023 HOMAGE Pride collaboration tee! Returning for a limited time, this rainbow gradient Great Lakes logo tee will benefit The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland.
The Center strives to enrich the lives of the diverse LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, support, education, and celebration. The Center provides programs and connections to the region’s best support groups and health resources, and also provides a safe and affirming space for all individuals who may otherwise feel uncomfortable seeking these services elsewhere.
As proud planners of Pride in the CLE™, The Center realizes the awesome responsibility to deliver to the community a Pride event that not only celebrates, but advocates and elevates our community’s voices so that we can all march in-step towards a socially just and equitable society. Learn more about Pride in the CLE™, taking place June 3, here.
Both Great Lakes Brewing Co. and HOMAGE will donate a portion of proceeds from the sales of this tee to The Center. Purchase at the Great Lakes Brewing Co. gift shop, or online via HOMAGE here.
But of course, even the Germans made exceptions to the rule, the biggest of which was brewing with wheat. After all, enjoying a cloudy Weissbier in a sunny biergarten wouldn’t be possible without one of one of the world’s most important cereal crops. So what’s the good word on wheat, and why has it become a go-to ingredient for brewers across the world?
Wheat contains a higher level of protein compared to malted barley, the primary grain used in brewing. That protein contributes to a beer’s appearance, making it hazier, as well as a beer’s body, making it fuller. For many beer styles, such as typical American IPAs and lagers, clarity and drinkability are key, so wheat doesn’t have a home in their ingredient lists. Certain beer styles, however, have unique characteristics that wheat can provide for – and we make a number of those styles at GLBC. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
On Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day, I rolled up to Brewhouse No. 1 just after 7AM where Pub Brewer Steve Forman, Lab Tech Victoria Bonca, Marketing Events Coordinator Colleen Ashkettle, and Brewpub Manager Ashley Likavec had already grained in. Office Coordinator Darlene Lurie was on her way. “Sorry, sister,” they joked. “We started without you.” Thankfully, I’ve had the pleasure of participating in a few Pink Boots Collaboration Days during my time at Great Lakes Brewing Co., so I didn’t sweat their teasing. Pink Boots Collaboration Days are always special, and even more so when new faces, voices, and ideas are involved.
New faces, voices, and ideas are invaluable to craft beer, a world driven by new trends, flavors, and innovation. The Pink Boots Society is especially equipped to forward this mission, providing women networking, growth, and educational opportunities in a space where they unfortunately remain underrepresented—for now. A nonprofit industry organization, Pink Boots Society works to assist, inspire, and encourage women and/or non-binary individuals in the fermented/alcoholic beverage profession through education.
L to R: Darlene Lurie, Victoria Bonca, Colleen Ashkettle, Ashley Likavec, Marissa DeSantis
We hear that people “can’t be what they can’t see,” and every year around International Women’s Day, the Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day and fundraiser brings empowering visibility to women in the industry. Pink Boots Society Partners with Yakima Chief Hops to develop an exclusive hop blend, which is then sold to participating breweries (like GLBC!) with proceeds benefiting the organization. Everyone in the industry—regardless of gender—is invited to participate and craft their own special brew utilizing the proprietary hop blend.
For this year’s brew, none of our participants have “brewer” in their job title (yet) but all possess a passion for beer and brewing knowledge. “I’m glad I got my hand in it and made something I actually want to drink. I really liked the creative aspect of it. I like that I got to make it what I want,” said Victoria, who early in brew day recommended highlighting the special hop blend’s aromas by brewing a lighter style perfect for patio season, like a pilsner. This year’s hop blend features bubblegum, citrus, pine, and tropical notes (some of the crew even noted a “candy peach ring” aroma), and she preferred to play up the aromas v. leaning into bitterness.
Usually interacting with beer samples in the lab, Victoria was locked into the brewing process. “I like being very hands on. If I’m going to observe something, I’m going to treat it like something I’m going to have to do tomorrow.”
Victoria graining out
Brewpub Manager Ashley, who applies her beer knowledge daily when recommending pairings, curating beer cocktails, and answering customers’ questions, echoed a similar sentiment. “I just wanted to see the whole process come to fruition. The brainstorming, the execution, and the final product. I learn about brewing at our Hop Colleges but to be part of it is really cool.”
The women of the Pink Boots brew crew were certainly a part of it, participating in every step of the process from developing the recipe, to graining in and graining out (everyone’s favorite steamy activity), to adding hops to pitching yeast. It wasn’t lost on me that our group got to brew on the original Brewhouse No. 1, a 34 year-old original brewing system that so many beloved and storied beers were crafted on, dating back to a time when there were even fewer women were visible in the world of craft beer. As the hours wore on, the excitement, camaraderie, and positive energy surrounding this unique opportunity became infectious.
“It’s very cool to see other women so passionate about the industry. I have a little extra pep in the step today. I love it,” gushed Ashley. Victoria agreed. “It was very refreshing to work with a crew of women. Having the feminine energy around is like a breath of fresh air.” Even Steve, who’s brewed countless batches of beer in this space felt a difference. “This was a fun crew. And I realize you made me very efficient because I was very focused, talking about the process with you as we went through it.”
Darlene and Steve sniff the hop blend
While brewing together was a fun and meaningful experience for this group of GLBC women, the real fun will begin when it comes time to taste. “When we go to drink the beer it’s going to have a true meaning to it,” said Darlene. Colleen added “It made me excited to drink my beer. I feel like I’m doing my part,” then laughed, “and now I have an excuse to drink it all.” You heard it here first. If you don’t beat Colleen to the bar to taste this beer, you might be hearing, “sorry, sister!”
The Pink Boots Pils, a crisp, crushable, aromatic dry-hopped pilsner with low bitterness, is expected to tap in early May, just in time for patio season. Along with the funds donated by purchasing the hops, GLBC plans to donate an additional $1 per pint sold to the Pink Boots Society to support their mission. Stay tuned to GLBC social media for an official tapping announcement.
To learn more about Pink Boots Society, donate, or get involved, visit pinkbootssociety.org.
Marissa graining out
Words by Marissa DeSantis. Photos by Marissa DeSantis & Adam Ritterspach.