My Thoughts on the 41 Great Lakes Barrel Release

I finally managed to get my hands on the 41 great lakes barrel release, and honestly, the hype in the local craft scene wasn't exaggerating one bit. If you've been following the barrel-aged circuit for a while, you know that Great Lakes Brewing Company doesn't just throw beer into a wooden vat and hope for the best. They've got this down to a science, or maybe more of an art form, and this specific run of barrels really shows off what they can do when they're playing with small-batch limits. ...

February 24, 2026 · 7 min · Hatzenbiler Kachmarchyk