Great Lakes Brewing Company's The Wright Pils

Great Lakes Brewing Company is known primarily for its Dortmunder Gold, along with its Elliot Ness Lager, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and Burning River Pale Ale.  Many of these beers are now distributed throughout much of the Midwest and Eastern United States.  Yet, like most craft brewers, Great Lakes brews some special beers, which are not as widely distributed. These hard-to-find beers can be true standouts.  One such beer for Great Lakes is its Wright Pils, which was only available at the brewer's restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio.

Both Clare and I were fortunate enough to have had lunch at Great Lakes Brewing when the Wright Pils was available both on tap in the restaurant and in bottle in the brewery's store.  Clare ordered it during our lunch and we both liked it so much that we bought a six pack and brought it home. 

Great Lakes Brewing Company says that this beer is based on the original recipe from Plsen, Bohemia for a classic pilsner, with what the brewer calls a "flowery bouquet and elegantly dry finish."  Great Lakes brewed this beer in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian purity law that requires beers to be brewed only with malt, hops, water and yeast. 

I am a big fan of Pilsner beers, primarily because of the four months I spent studying abroad in Prague.  I was able to try, not only Pilsner Urquell, but other great Czech Pilsner beers, like Staropramen and Velko Popovicky.  The Wright Pils pours a light golden color.  I don't know if I can say the bouquet is flowery, but there is a definite, albeit slight hoppiness to the nose of the beer.  The beer drinks smooth and light, just like a pilsner should.

Great Lakes' tribute to the Wright Brothers is also a good tribute to Pilsner beers.  It is available only at Great Lakes' brewery store and restaurant in Cleveland.   

ENJOY!