Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Bottle at cellar temperature. It’s dark brown, almost black with a thick, creamy "coke-float" of a head, two inches thick. The aroma is wonderful, very balanced: creamy fresh coffee, milky chocolate; it’s slightly lactic with subtle nuts in the background. The mouthfeel is terrifically smooth and full. There is plenty of green hops in the flavour, more coffee, hazelnut, chocolate. The finish is long and full of coffee.

It pours opaque brown, almost black in color with a thick foamy creamy tan head...somewhere around two fingers thick, that thinned rather quickly. The head has left nice sporadic lacing in the glass. It’s aroma is quite light, but has hints typical of dark beers like this - milk chocolate, dark French or Italian style coffees. There is also a bit of a hop flower presence in the aroma. First sip is very carbonated, has a medium mouthfeel, a slight bitterness, one that you would get not only from hops, but also from coffee that has been sitting around for too long. It has a lingering taste though, maybe a bit nutty. Very enjoyable.

Pours black with a small white head. Aromas of bitter dark chocolate. Flavors of roasted coffee and chocolate. Medium bodied. Nice finish.

Ridulously good!!!!! This is the BEST porter that I’ve ever tried....I’m surprised that I’m just now reviewing it since, I’ve been drinking it for awhile now. Pours the beautiful dark, dark brown....with these amazing reddish hues. Looks interesting...with a beautiful light tan head. This ship smells of cocoa powder, coffee grounds, dark fruit and a definite hoppiness. Upon tasting its very light yet bold in flavor. Starts with dry cocoa powder, an oakiness follows and then malt. The finish is all hops..a light, bittering flavor realy complimets this beer. Pretty Good!!!

This is a good porter! I need to get some more. Coffee dominates the Edmund Fitzgerald. Roasted malt, missing an equal amount of chocolate but who cares? Surprisingly bitter for the style but an interesting asset that sets it apart from others in the style. Wish the head waited a little longer to die.

Creamy and dry coffee notes, one sided but very full. Dark rich brown, fluffy tan head, strong lacing. Dry and bitter coffee notes, strongly burnt. The 60 IBUs is VERY surprising, I’ve had this bottle for a while but still can’t imagine that they’ve fallen off this much. Dry and bitter mocha finish in the back of my mouth.

Bottle. Clear, but very dark brown pour with nice average carbonation and a mellow aroma of roasted malts. Flavor is initially peat, bitter chocolate, roasted malts and mellow and a little tobacco and smoke on the finish. Well done.

He poured deep brown-black into my glass and almost billowed over in a frothing explosion of dark tans and feisty bubbles. As he starts to settle into his new surroundings, deep amber sap can be seen glinting around the edges and bottom while his cover sticks like glue. Wafting my way are those oh-so decadent aromas of cocoa beans, coffee grinds fresh from the grinder, oak and smoke, nutmeg and cinnamon, maple drizzled raisin bread, dark chocolate powder, bakers chocolate, and chocolate covered coffee beans. Yeah, I think that covers everything; quite a bit to take in at once, but I am certainly not complaining. Judging from the plethora of dry aromas and oak, I expect a fairly dry palate and I am not disappointed. His body is rather light, balanced by a dry body of wood, powdered dark and bakers chocolates, and ground espresso. A faint smoky presence slowly permeates the palate and lingers in each breath. Balancing his dry personality is sweet maple drizzled atop warm raisin bread while cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkles give him spice. Crunchy, bitter and sweet chocolate covered coffee beans snap and pop atop my tastebuds as some licorice root compliments further notes of oak with the smoke continuing to subtly permeate. Lip-smacking, thirst-quenching, drool-inspiring quaffing ecstasy, I sadly bid farewell to Mr. Edmund Fitzgerald as we part ways with one last moment.

From the Dortmunder Gold to the Edmund Fitzgerald, I’m not sure where I can go next, though I am sure it can only get better. Great Lakes, brew on for I shall continue to drink on and somewhere in-between, may we meet many more times.