Try Our Beer

House Beers

White Ales

Lake Effect Snow.  Wit Bier. October-May

Our twist on this classic Belgian style lies in the marriage of Midwest wheat with European hops. This ale is naturally cloudy and creamy yet surprisingly light bodied. A hint of citrus will welcome you to this brew while your finish will be crisp with a slightly spicy zing. After years of research, experimentation, and creativity we are excited to introduce you to our Wit style ale. Enjoy….

Bitchin’ Blonde Belgian-Style Ale – Year-round but also when we crave it

Our first commercial beer and arguably our best. Fragrant, chewy, spicy with a kick pretty much sums this beer up. American Pilsner malts complement rich chewy raw wheat giving the beer a solid but complex base. Spicy Saaz hops working in conjunction with coriander and orange peel give this pleasurable beer a healthy zing finish.

GERMAN STYLE

Märzen (Oktoberfest) September/October Draft Only

Our take on the classic Märzen is made with all American malt from Wisconsin. Deep ruby red and a welcoming biscuit aroma sets up a malt bomb experience with a crisp finish just like you’d expect in the beer tent.

Malts Utilized: American Vienna, American Munich, Aromatic Malt
Hops Utilized: Hallertau
Appearance: Deep amber
Flavor Profile: Rich mouthfeel, complex maltiness with light hoppiness
ABV: 6.2%

Kühler See (Cool Lake) Year Round Draft Only

One of our favorites to brew, this ale has a mild bready backbone with hints of smoke and is finished with a spicy hop zing. Light pear and apple notes come through in this ultra-simple yet refreshing and unfiltered ale. 

SAISON

IPA

Falcon Dive IPA Year Around

Four massive additions of Falconers blend hops were used in the boil to create this hop lovers delight. This ale is Dry-Hopped with Falconers and a touch of Citra to create an inviting nose of citrus and pine. Wisconsin pale malts and white wheat create a smooth canvas for the hops to soar. 

STOUT

Espresso Gone Stout

WARNING! - if you do not like coffee- DON’T DRINK THIS!  This frothy, malty beer oozes with espresso and sweet cream. Brewed with espresso roasted at Stivers Coffee Roasters located in Bridgeport

Brett Series

These will be found in 750mL bottles brightly colored with a picture of the featured ingredient and (for lack of imagination) it’s French name. Brettanomyces is a separate genus of yeast that ferments with intensely fruity esters. Brettanomyces are dry finishing and are awesome with fruit, hops, or the right malt bill. Our Brett series are a limited run and are meant to be enjoyed fresh but can be aged as well.

Session Brett Intermittent Year-round

This relatively simple pale ale exemplifies the importance of yeast as a primary driver of flavor. This beer is fermented with 100% Brettanomyces and is meant to be an enjoyable session beer. It’s effervescent and light on the palate but provides a myriad of sensations from tart, to cider-like, to fruitiness all in one. Session Brett

Brett Frambois May-October

Oregon Raspberries are added to our session Brett base beer creating a secondary fermentation that results in a brilliantly colored, and a wonderfully fragrant beer with a dry finish. Savor this sweet and tart delight in a clear glass to enjoy its sparkly nature and beautiful color.

Pamplemousse June-August

Ruby Red Grapefruit is added to our Session Brett base beer creating a secondary fermentation that results in wonderfully tart and fruity beer. Savor its refreshing and sparkly nature in a clear glass to maximize your drinking pleasure.

Noire December- January

Fruity with no fruit added. Our dark and roasty milk stout is fermented with Brett and hopped with citrusy centennial hops to make a tropical stout. 

Sours

We love our sour beers at Lake Effect and we’ve got some good ones to bring to you. Relatively in its infancy, our sour program includes primarily Berliner Weisse Style beers and Oak/Wine Barrel Aged creations. Many of these will be on draft but more is coming in the form of smaller format bottles as special releases.

Barrel Aged Sours

Patience and nurturing are crucial to the practice of sour aging. We utilize a number of previously used wine barrels, oak barrels, and previously used spirit barrels. Most are aged one year and beyond.

Vieille Blonde January 2015

7.5% Belgian Style Blonde fermented with La Chouffe Yeast and aged in Cabernet Barrels with Peddiococcus and Brettanomyces Claussenii. This Strong Blonde ale exhibits flavors of pineapple and citrus with a smooth tartness and acidity.

Vieille Blonde Avec Frambois January 2015

Belgian Style Blonde aged in Cabernet Barrels with Peddiococcus and Brettanomyces Lambicus giving the base beer a fruity and slightly smoky tartness. Raspberry Puree is added creating a secondary fermentation resulting in ale with a brilliant red color, strong fruity nose, and quenchable sweetness.

Cerise de Michigan January 2015

Belgian Style Blonde aged in Cabernet Barrels with Peddiococcus and Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Tart cherries from a farm near Traverse City, Michigan are added creating secondary fermentation resulting in ale with a brilliant red color, strong fruity nose, and complex tartness.

Kentucky Common November 2014

A light kettle sour Kentucky brown cream ale is brewed traditionally with rye and corn and aged in Bourbon barrels for 6 months. 

Flanders Oud Bruin  August 2015

Aged 18 Months in Opus 1 wine barrels, this is wonderfully cider-like ale with great malt complexity. 

Collaborations

We love working with our other breweries and restaurants on out of the box collaborations.

Whoopski Beer (Collaboration with Superdawg)

 Our winter beer brewed with the iconic NW Side and Chicago establishment. Using the same yeast strain as Superbier, we created a malty version of our Kölsch Beer to pair with the sweet onions and BBQ sauce of the Whoopski Polish Sausage. 

45th Ward – Fresh Hopped Pale Ale (Collaboration with hop growers on the NW Side)

Northwest side hops, Lake Michigan Water, and Wisconsin Malt form this local fresh hopped treat of a brew.  Fresh Hops are steeped in the mash to release their fragrant boutique of oils while limiting bitterness. Wisconsin Pale malt balances the hops with a canvass of biscuit and nut. Enjoy....

Unholy Mole Stout (Collaboration with ManBque)

Brewed in collaboration with MANBQUE, this frothy, malty beer oozes with chocolate and sweetness. A medley of roasted Arbol, Ancho, Chipotle, and Gualillo chilies adds a welcomed smokiness completing the beer with a slight touch of heat.