Great Lakes Brewing Co. Commodore Perry

From the label:
"Don't give up the sip."
A handcrafted India Pale Ale from Cleveland, Ohio
Alcohol by volume: 7.5 percent
12 fl. oz. capped bottle
Sampled: April 5, 2007

His Great Lakes victories over the British came nearly 200 years ago, but Oliver Hazard Perry's namesake IPA is a new migrant to Central Ohio, and new entrant in Great Lakes formidable lineup.

I could prop my nose over its wildly florid, alcohol-rich smell all evening. But there's too much promise to avoid going forward, and the Commodore's rewards are quickly reaped.

It's quite hoppy, but it never impedes the beer's drinkability. Throughout it strives for balance and complexity, with a small bitter bump in the road as it closes. Even then, the hop bouquet blends swiftly into the maltiness. Thankfully, they avoid the trap of overhopping.

The biggest issue is I've tasted it before, not from Great Lakes, but in Saranac's Imperial IPA and Goose Island IPA. It lacks a good hook to set it apart.

It doesn't really separate from the pack of IPAs on flavor; ingredients in keeping with the Bavarian beer purity law of 1516 (Reinheitsgebot) and the freshness of unpasteurized beer from Cleveland squeeze a little extra intrigue from the Commodore Perry.

Rating: 7/10