Beer Me! — Great Dane Pub and Brewing — Downtown — Madison, Wisconsin, United States

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Great Dane Pub and Brewing — Downtown

123 East Doty Street
Madison WI 53703
Telephone: +1 608-284-0000
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-2:00am, Friday-Saturday 11:00am-2:30am.
Brewer: Erik Brusewitz
[Update]

Notes

Visited: July 13, 1998

Opened: 1994

Annual Production: 3,000 bbl

Contributor: George Akin

Our enjoyment of Great Dane was marred only by having our car towed from in front of the pub. Watch those signs!

George Akin reports on Great Dane's third location, which opened in December 2006:

The 3rd location of Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co. is open in the Hilldale Mall in Madison. However they are not able to sell Great Dane beer because of a post-prohibition law prohibiting breweries who brew more than 4,000 barrels selling in more than 2 locations. They are working on changing this law.

Updated: November 7, 2012

News

2008-12-10: Madison brewers team up to make biggest beer ever (Isthmus Daily Page)

Beer List

Black Earth Porter

Robust Porter
- Date: April 6, 2002 (#4298)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: Von Trier, Milwaukee WI
  
  Score: 14½ points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Black, low head. Sweet, roasty aroma. Light body, sweet and black with a black bitter finish.
- Date: July 13, 1998 (#2979)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: at the brewery
  
  Score: 15½ points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Very black, thick head. Smells roasty, slightly soapy. Thick, very roasty, pretty sweet, nice and burnt. Real nice Anchor Porter clone.

Black Wolf Ale

American-Style Pale Ale

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2973)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber, low carbonation and head. Spicy aroma. Medium body, nice clean maltiness, fruity hop flavor.

Bourbon Barleywine

Barley Wine-Style Ale

Date: August 14, 1999 (#3338)

Package: draught

Place: Great Taste of the Midwest, Madison WI

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark dark dark red, thick dark head. Black, sweet, roasty aroma. Thick. Intense. Massive bitter black malt flavor, hugely alcoholic. Thoroughly overwhelming and fun.

Brewer's Stock Ale

English-Style Pale Mild Ale

Date: April 6, 2002 (#4307)

Package: draught

Place: Roman's Pub, Milwaukee WI

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright amber-brown, thick head. Mild toasty malt aroma. Medium-light very creamy body, malty-toasty-sweet flavor.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2970)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Yellow opaque, thick head. Sweet banana aroma. Thick, big banana flavor, pretty sweet.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2975)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Amber brown, low carbonation, thick head. Spicy herbal hop aroma. Medium body, very malty, lots of herbal hops at the end.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2976)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 13 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Brown amber, low carbonation, moderate head. Malty aroma, hint of fusels. Medium body, sweet, bitter. Not as complex as the real thing at all.

Date: February 21, 2004 (#5227)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 19 points

Overall Impression (3½)
Black. Dense tan head. Rich malty, chocolate, roasty aroma. Big smooth body. Sweet, roasty, chocolatey, with a big herbal hop flavor. Lingering roasty hoppy finish, with quite a bit of coconut.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2969)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Golden, moderate carbonation, thick head. Malty, floral aroma. Very light, fruity, a little bitter.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2974)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber hazy, thick head. Faintly citrusy aroma, faintly roasty. Medium body, grapefruity hops, nice malt flavor.

Date: February 7, 1999 (#3181)

Package: draught

Place: Milwaukee Ale House Festival, Milwaukee WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Black. Pipe tobacco aroma. Thick, black, woody.

Date: May 18, 2003 (#4879)

Package: draught

Place: Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest, Chilton WI

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark-brown-almost-black. Thick head. Raisin and dark caramel aroma, with alcohol. Huge body. INTENSE dark caramel flavor with lots of raisins and wood. (But it hasn't been oak-aged.) Some tartness in the finish. Huge intensely malty well-aged beer. Tastes better than any of the "whiskey-aged" beers I've tried.

Date: May 21, 2000 (#3447)

Package: draught

Place: Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest, Chilton WI

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark amber-brown opaque, thick head. Rich chocolate aroma. Thick, fairly sweet, lots of chocolate, quite a lot of hop flavor. Alcoholic late.

Date: February 7, 1999 (#3180)

Package: draught

Place: Milwaukee Ale House Festival, Milwaukee WI

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark red opaque, big head. Lots of alcohol aroma! Not much else. Big, black, sweet, roasty, strong, drying.

Date: February 21, 2004 (#5226)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep red. Nice thick head. Intense caramel aroma with hints of smoke. HUGE creamy body. Intensely caramelly and alcoholic. Fair bitterness in the middle, then the malt takes over again for a sweet malty finish.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2971)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep golden, moderate carbonation, thick head. Berry fruitiness in the nose. Medium body, bitterish, sweet bitter finish.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2972)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Deep golden, fairly high carbonation, thick head. Pretty clean aroma. Medium-light body, good malt flavor, some green hops. Late alcohol sensation on the tongue.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2977)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 13½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Red, low carbonation, good head. Smells like Hi-C. Tastes like malty Hi-C.

Date: April 6, 2002 (#4305)

Package: draught

Place: Benno's, Milwaukee WI

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Deep bright red, thick dense head. Big caramel aroma. Medium-big body, huge caramel malt flavor, mild hop flavor and bitterness, mild alcohol character.

Date: July 13, 1998 (#2978)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Red-brown, low carbonation, thick head. Smells very very very faintly smoky. Thick, sweet, lots of caramel. Some hops late, some alcohol later.

Date: September 28, 1996 (#1781)

Package: draught

Place: Great American Beer Festival, Denver CO

Score: 13 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Brown. Some smoke. Thin. Flavors pass very quickly.

Date: May 21, 2000 (#3446)

Package: draught

Place: Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest, Chilton WI

Score: 18½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Darkish amber, low carbonation, thick head. Spicy fresh herbal hop aroma. Big zesty herbal hop flavor, like flowers right out of the bag. Nice mild bitterness from beginning to end.

Date: February 21, 2004 (#5228)

Package: real ale

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright red-brown. Moderate head. Big toasty aroma. Light-medium body. Fairly sweet and malty. Nice herbal hop flavor. Lingering sweet herbal finish.