Great Lakes Brewery “Great Lakes Light” Premium Light Lager, Ontario, Canada (Alcohol 4%) Brewery Website – with pickup or local delivery $11.60 (4 x 473ml cans)
I’ll admit that I’ve spent the majority of my drinking life (between 14 and 52 years old) harshly criticising light beers.
I’ve probably stated an annoying number of times that they are for those who don’t like the taste of beer, and, for the most part, I still feel I’d be correct in that assumption.
Without wishing to bore you too much or get preachy, over the past three months, I’ve been on a bit of a health kick: swimming almost every day, cutting back on almost all carbs, and, perhaps most significantly, discontinuing my (almost) nightly habit of crushing eight higher-alcohol tallboys.
It’s quite amazing what a slightly squiffy set of bloodwork numbers can encourage one to do, and contrary to popular thinking, old inveterate habits died rather gracefully.
However, a recent boy’s weekend at the cabin up north meant that beer was certainly going to be part of the proceedings, so I was amused when one of my most long-term of Canadian friends arrived with a 24 of Great Lakes Light. How I scoffed.
Within a few hours, I was getting stuck into his beers, and the look of incredulity upon my face as I came to realise I was actually really enjoying them must have been a sight to behold.
Past experience has taught me that light beers tend to taste of something close to bugger all; I’ve tasted non-alcoholic beers with more impressive taste profiles than most of the bigger brand light beers. But this was actually bloody good.
Pouring a clear, pale golden-straw in the glass, with a white foamy head that dissipates almost immediately, this is a million miles removed from the often soupy, murky, boozy brews I was so used to teasing out gout attacks with (old age doesn’t come by itself, you know)
Whilst not exactly complex (and nor does it need to be), Great Lakes Light is a fresh, crisp, refreshing take on the classic North American lager. The nose has a touch of grainy malt along with a positively pungent grassiness more often found in southern-hemisphere Sauvignon Blancs, and in a zippier beer like this, that’s no bad thing. The grassy finish is crisp and clean, making you want to go to the cooler for “just one more before bed.” Famous last words.
Surprisingly good suds, and at $50 for a 24, it’s incredibly inexpensive for a craft beer.
(Three and a half out of a possible five apples)
When people search for a light beer, they usually mean low alcohol. My quest is for a low carb beer. Zero beers such as Corona Sunbrew have 13g of carbs in a 330ml serving. Partake, however, is zero for most versions. My go-to low carb at the moment is DAB Ultimate, 4% alcohol, just 3g of carbs in a 500ml serving. How does it taste? On it’s own, not much flavour, but as a bourbon chaser, works quite well!