Great Lakes Eliot Ness 6Pk

Great Lakes Eliot Ness 6Pk is a 6.2% ABV Vienna-style lager from Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing Company, sold in a six-pack of 12 oz bottles. This flagship amber lager has earned 11 medals at the World Beer Championships between 1995 and 2010—eight of them gold—and holds a 91 rating on BeerAdvocate from over 3,500 reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.2%  |  Origin: Cleveland, Ohio  |  Style: Vienna Lager  |  Brewery: Great Lakes Brewing Company  |  IBU: 27

Production & Heritage

Great Lakes Brewing Company, founded in 1988, was Ohio's first craft brewery and operates out of Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood. Eliot Ness—named for the legendary Prohibition-era lawman who spent his later career in Cleveland—is built on a malt bill of Harrington 2-Row Base, Munich, Cara 45, and Caramel 30 malts, hopped exclusively with Mt. Hood, a noble-style American hop. At 6.2% ABV, it sits notably higher than most traditional Vienna lagers, while 27 IBUs keep the bitterness restrained and let the malt character lead.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Toasted bread and caramel malt dominate the nose, followed by a subtle herbal hop character from the Mt. Hood addition. There is a faint nuttiness underneath that rounds out the overall impression.

Taste: The entry is smooth and malt-forward, with rich caramel sweetness giving way to toasted grain at mid-palate. Herbal hop notes emerge to balance the malt, adding restrained bitterness without sharpness. The medium body carries a clean lager crispness that keeps each sip from feeling heavy.

Finish: The finish is longer than expected for the style, drying out gradually with lingering toasted grain and a whisper of noble hop spice. It leaves the palate clean and ready for the next sip.

How to Drink Eliot Ness

Pour into a Vienna lager glass or a standard pint glass at 45–50°F to let the malt complexity open up fully. Eliot Ness is a versatile beer for mixing as well: it works in a Michelada where the toasted malt stands up to hot sauce and lime; a Beer-a-Rita (beer margarita) where its caramel sweetness complements the citrus; and a Shandy with fresh lemonade, where the dry finish prevents the drink from turning cloying.

Best For

• Introducing craft beer to macro-lager drinkers looking for more flavor without extremes
• Backyard grilling sessions where malt-forward lager matches charred meats
• Stocking a fall or Oktoberfest-themed gathering with an American take on the Vienna style
• Gifting a Cleveland beer fan or anyone who appreciates award-winning amber lagers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Eliot Ness taste like? Eliot Ness delivers rich caramel and toasted malt flavors balanced by gentle herbal hop bitterness, finishing dry and clean with a medium body that drinks smoothly for its 6.2% ABV.

How does Eliot Ness compare to Sam Adams Boston Lager? Both are American-brewed Vienna-style lagers, but Eliot Ness runs slightly higher in ABV (6.2% vs. 5.0%) and leans more heavily into toasted malt sweetness with lower hop bitterness at 27 IBUs. Many craft beer reviewers consider Eliot Ness the richer, more malt-complex of the two.

Is Eliot Ness good for beginners? Absolutely—its smooth, malt-driven profile with minimal hop bitterness makes it one of the most approachable craft lagers available, serving as a natural step up from mainstream amber lagers.

Where is Eliot Ness made? Eliot Ness is brewed at Great Lakes Brewing Company in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The brewery, founded in 1988, was the first craft brewery in the state of Ohio.

What foods pair well with Eliot Ness? Grilled bratwurst benefits from the beer's caramel malt sweetness cutting through the fat. Smoked gouda echoes the toasted grain notes. Roasted pork loin pairs naturally with the Vienna lager tradition. Soft pretzels with mustard complement the dry finish. Caramelized onion dishes amplify the shared toasty sweetness.

What sizes does Eliot Ness come in? Eliot Ness is commonly available in six-packs of 12 oz bottles, and Great Lakes also distributes it on draft and in seasonal variety packs.

Is Eliot Ness worth the price? Eliot Ness positions as a mid-range craft lager, and its eight World Beer Championship gold medals and consistent 91-point BeerAdvocate score make it a strong value within the Vienna lager category.

Why Eliot Ness?

Few American Vienna lagers can match the competitive résumé of Eliot Ness—eleven World Beer Championship medals across fifteen years of judging speak to remarkable consistency. The single-hop Mt. Hood addition and four-malt bill create a profile that is layered without being complicated, and the 6.2% ABV gives the beer more presence than most lagers in its class. Scoring a 91 on BeerAdvocate and a 90 from Craft Beer & Brewing confirms that both critics and everyday drinkers reach the same conclusion. For a malt-forward lager with genuine depth and decades of proven quality, Eliot Ness remains one of the strongest options brewed in America.