Celebrate Great Lakes Brewing Co 30th Anniversary

Great Lakes Brewing Company has been a very special place since opening in 1988. Truly a trendsetter, they not only brought a brewery back to Cleveland, they reinvented a neighborhood.

Their flagship lager Dortmunder Gold not only has won awards, it was my first introduction to what we now call craft beer. Before I tasted Dortmunder, I would either drink mass produced beer, or if I was feeling fancy, imports from Canada and Germany. That first sip of Dortmunder was the beginning of a journey towards being a true beer lover.

Besides their delicious beer, one of my favorite things about Great Lakes Brewing both then and now, is their commitment to the environment. The great taste, and even more importantly, the company values, made me realize that Dortmunder was my kind of beer. #GLBCisMine

Not only is the beer tasty, I love how GLBC really embraces being green. Recycling, the Fatty Wagon, and how they support local businesses make me love them even more. Wisely, they truly appreciate their namesake bodies of water and understand how important it is to keep our local water clean.

In 2001, they started the Great Lakes Burning River Fest. For one weekend every summer, people from all over the region come together to remember when the Cuyahoga River caught on fire, and to celebrate the environmental awareness that the infamous fire sparked. It's truly a summer Must Do.

Attendees gather at Cleveland’s historic Coast Guard Station for live music, fresh food from local farms and eateries, and plenty of Great Lakes Brewing Co. beer. It's a fun event with a purpose.

As GLBC grew and my tastes have changed, I've added many other Great Lakes beers to my favorites list. Whether I go to the tasting room for Pub Exclusives such as Cream Ale, She Drives Me Hazy, and the Barrel Aged Blackout Stout or purchase favorites like Eliot Ness, Chillwave, and Grandes Lagos Lager at the store - there is always something delicious on tap. And after meeting co-owner Pat Conway, the Conway Irish Ale (another favorite!) tastes even better. 

If you are in the Cleveland area, you can find out for yourself which beer is All Yours by visiting the brewery. Definitely check out the Pub Exclusives - you'll never know what you'll find.

If you aren't in the area, you can find a local retailer near you or you can take advantage of the Pint Size Pub summer tour.  The Pint Size Pub is a traveling version of the GLBC brewpub experience. It will be making stops throughout the Great Lakes region over the summer. As part of the tour, GLBC will be giving away a prize that includes a trip to Cleveland to help the brewery celebrate their 30th anniversary in September 2018. Learn more about the Pint Size Pub Tour and take a quiz to find out which Great Lake beer is all yours. I got Holy Moses - what did you get?

No matter where you live, you can bring a bit of the Great Lakes experience home with you. I have an awesome GLBC swag bag that includes a Great Lake ball cap, pint glass, bottle opener and koozie to giveaway to one lucky reader! 

Follow these three steps to enter: 

1. Using either Twitter, Instagram (or both!) tell me which GLBC beer is all yours and why
2. Tag Great Lakes and Eat Drink Cleveland in your post(s)
Instagram: @GLBC_Cleveland and @eatdrinkcleveland
Twitter: @GLBC_Cleveland and @EatDrinkCLE
3. Include the hashtag #GLBCisMine

Add a photo or video to show us why GLBC is Yours for a bonus.

You must be 21 to win. Giveaway ends April 15th. Winner will be announced on both Twitter and Instagram. If selected, you will have 24 hours to claim your prize. Otherwise, another winner will be selected. Good luck!

You can follow Great Lake Brewing Co. on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

** Disclosure: I am partnering with Great Lakes to help them promote The Pint Size Pub and their 30th anniversary. They provided products for the giveaway as well as for my personal use. As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. **