Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale 6Pk

Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale 6Pk is a 6.0% ABV American Pale Ale from Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland, Ohio, packaged as a six-pack. Named World Champion at the 1994 World Beer Championships, this pale ale has collected multiple gold medals across decades of competition, including golds in 1995, 1996, and 2005–2008, plus a 93-point Gold Medal from Tastings.com in 2018.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.0%  |  IBU: 45  |  Origin: Cleveland, Ohio  |  Style: American Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Great Lakes Brewing Co. opened in 1988 in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood, becoming the city's first craft brewery since Prohibition. Burning River takes its name from the infamous 1969 Cuyahoga River fire, an environmental disaster that helped spark the creation of the EPA and the Clean Water Act. The beer is brewed in adherence to the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot of 1516, using only natural ingredients with no chemicals or preservatives. The grain bill layers Harrington 2-Row base malt with Crystal 45, Crystal 77, and Biscuit malts for depth and body, while Northern Brewer and Cascade hops provide a firm 45 IBUs of balanced bitterness and aromatic complexity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Perfumey pine and bright orange citrus lead, followed by earthy pale malt and a gentle undertone of caramel sweetness. The Cascade hops drive the floral, citrus-forward character.

Taste: The entry is biscuity and malt-forward, with Crystal malts delivering a smooth caramel sweetness. Mid-palate shifts to assertive citrus and pine hop flavors that build steadily without overwhelming the malt foundation. The interplay between the four-malt grain bill and the dual-hop charge keeps the beer balanced and full-bodied throughout.

Finish: Moderately long and decidedly bitter, with lingering pine resin and grapefruit-like hop notes. A residual biscuit malt sweetness rounds out the close and invites the next sip.

How to Drink Burning River

Serve chilled at 45–50°F and pour into a pint glass or tulip to let the hop aromatics fully express. This is a beer that rewards attentive drinking on its own but also holds up well in mixed applications. Use it in a Michelada — the citrus hop character reinforces the lime and hot sauce. Try a Beer Shandy by cutting it with fresh lemonade, where the pine and biscuit malt add complexity beyond a typical lager shandy. It also works in a Hop Drop 'n Roll (beer cocktail with a shot of bourbon), where the caramel malt backbone bridges seamlessly with whiskey's oak sweetness.

Best For

• Introducing a friend to assertive, well-balanced American pale ales
• Backyard grilling sessions with burgers, brats, and charred vegetables
• Stocking a craft beer fridge with a reliably award-winning staple
• Celebrating Cleveland's craft brewing heritage and environmental history

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Burning River taste like? Burning River leads with biscuity, caramel malt sweetness before citrus and pine hop flavors take over, finishing with a firm but balanced bitterness at 45 IBUs. The four-malt grain bill gives it a fuller body than many pale ales in the category.

How does Burning River compare to New Glarus Moon Man? New Glarus Moon Man is a lighter-bodied pale ale at 5.0% ABV with a more hop-dominant, less malty profile. Burning River's richer grain bill — including Crystal and Biscuit malts — and its higher 6.0% ABV deliver a fuller body and a more pronounced malt-hop balance.

Is Burning River good for craft beer beginners? Its approachable malt sweetness and moderate 6.0% ABV make it a solid entry point into American pale ales, though the 45 IBUs may register as noticeably bitter to palates accustomed to lagers or wheat beers.

Where is Burning River made? Burning River is brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Co. in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 1988 and is recognized as Cleveland's first craft brewery since Prohibition.

What foods pair well with Burning River? Grilled chicken or pork — the caramel malt complements charred, smoky flavors. Sharp cheddar cheese — the hop bitterness cuts through the fat. Fish tacos with lime slaw — the citrus hop notes echo the lime. Spicy buffalo wings — carbonation and bitterness cleanse the palate between bites. Margherita pizza — the biscuit malt mirrors the toasted crust.

What sizes does Burning River come in? Burning River Pale Ale is commonly available in six-packs of 12 oz bottles and is also found on draft at select bars and restaurants in Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s distribution footprint.

Is Burning River worth the price? Burning River sits squarely in the standard craft six-pack tier, and its decades of gold medals — including a 1994 World Champion title — position it as one of the stronger values among American pale ales with comparable pedigree.

Why Burning River?

Few American pale ales carry a competition record this deep. A World Champion designation in 1994, followed by six additional World Beer Championships gold medals and a 93-point Tastings.com score in 2018, speaks to a recipe that has remained excellent across three decades. The commitment to Reinheitsgebot-compliant brewing — no additives, no preservatives — is unusual for an American craft brewery and gives the beer a clean, malt-driven clarity that sets it apart from the hop-bomb trend dominating the category. For drinkers who want a pale ale built on balance rather than shock value, Burning River remains one of the benchmarks.