Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter - Great Lakes Brewing Company

gjoker321

Florida

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Black brown with brown and crimson highlights. Tan head of two finders with linger. Very subtle, fine, legs.
Aroma: Earthy roasty aroma upfront with a very subtle maltiness following. Possible hoppiness from earthy/woody hoppy aromas present.
Flavor: Roasty/charcoal up front. Malty sweetness WELL balanced by acidity of dark malts. Sweet and sour pungent hop flavor in finish. Subtle/earthy/cloying hop flavor in finish For the roast flavors there it is fantastic but could use more depth. Perhaps layering of some of the dark malts. No diacetyl. Light dark esters of cherry and grape that are a secondary note to the malt flavors.
Mouthfeel: Medium heavy to medium mouth feel with moderate carbonation. Light acidity on the tongue for overall balance.
Overall: A very pleasant classic example of a robust porter VERY subtly lacking of complexity. Could use more variety of roast flavors thought that is being nitty and picky. I couldn't ask for a better example of what fresh, quality ingredients can do! I will take a six pack of this home any night that I need to quietly contemplate anything.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:31:07 | More by gjoker321

Roman5150

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

bottle into tulip

appearance: pitch black, 2 finger slight off white head, lots of lacing

smell: strong vanilla, dark coffee, roasted malts, resin/earthiness, milk chocolate

taste: the smoothest porter i've had, heavy notes of milk chocolate, hardly any bitterness, it has more of a creamy coffee taste rather than a black coffee. Smooth malt backbone, not very much smokiness. So well balanced and drinkable, once it warms a little it starts to bring out the milk chocolate taste, almost tastes like a chocolate milk shake with some added coffee flavor!

mouthfeel: full and average carbonation, very thick creamy feel

overall: Did a blind test with Founder's Porter, Bells Porter, and Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald. This slightly nudged the Founders (which was a lot smokier and hoppier), as it was just smooth as you can get in a porter. Highly drinkable, perhaps my favorite porter. This is a well crafted amazing beer, too bad it's from Ohio, I wish I could call this a Michigan beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:13:03 | More by Roman5150

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.91/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown with two fingers of foamy tan head. Good lacing.

S - Roasted malt, a hint of sweetness, and lingering coffee aroma.

T - Mocha, sweetness, and a smooth finish. Good balance of sweet and roasty flavors.

M - Smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Medium body. Very satisfying.

O - Smooth and extremely drinkable. Good flavor profile. A solid porter that I will definitely enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 23:28:29 | More by thlayli87

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle into pint glass.

A - Black as night with a thin tan head.

S - Light milk chocolate, coffee, and roasted burnt malt.

T - A perfect blend of roasted malt, chocolate, black coffee, and mild earthy hops. Finishes bittersweet with a slight smokiness and toasted malt flavor.

M - Smooth and creamy, medium bodied. Dry finish.

O - A really well-done rendition of a basic porter. Good balance, drinkability, and malt profile.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 22:58:21 | More by mooseo

magictacosinus

California

4.59/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a shaker pint at the Map Room in Chicago.

Pours a darkish, near opaque color that reveals slight reddish transparency when held against the light. Not much of a head to speak of, although carbonation is still decent and attempts to hold up well here. There's some dripped, slightly cobwebby lacing that goes all around the glass's edges, which adds slight character. Looks like a classic American porter all around.

Whoa! The aroma completely caught me by surprise here. Very robust, full bodied, and juicy unlike any porter I've had to date. Chocolate nibs, cracked roasted barley, vanilla, cream, and berries (blueberries in particular). Not much coffee is present here, to my surprise. As this warms up, the chocolate aspects become far more accentuated and meld with the vanilla notes in almost a dessert-like manner. Luckily, the barley flavor and slight hoppy bitterness keep this from becoming too sweet, and provide a combination of a bready, toasted character combined with all of the chocolate and dark fruitiness.

The flavor only makes things better, really. The chocolate is ever more present (think semi-dark), and combined with the vanilla and big dark berry flavors, it almost resembles the texture and thickness of a cake or brownie of sorts. There is finally some coffee that creeps in towards the finish, which adds a little bitterness to the otherwise well atoned flavors that range back and forth from dessert sweetness to the cracked barley character. Hops lie beneath all of these flavors, but they are by no means muted – there's a subtle hint of grassiness at the finish here. However, the chocolate and vanilla creaminess are the really the highlights here, and really in ways I haven't had an American porter before.

This is awesome! I should have invested in a 6-pack of this during my stay, but I had too many beers I wanted to try. This is exactly like a hearty stout without being nearly as heavy on body or senses, yet still tenfold in flavor. Not sure how they did it, but I think the well rounded carbonation, as well as the excellent ingredients they're using here, helped it out. While I'm glad I get stuff like, say, Black Butte Porter out West, I want more of these sometime!

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2013 04:21:50 | More by magictacosinus

downeyj4

Michigan

5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Overall, the best Porter out there. It has a blackish/caramel brown color. It smells like roasted malts with a hint of chocolate. There is a perfect combination of roastiness, maltiness, and bitterness. It isn't too thick and isn't going to knock you off your feet. This is the definition of a Porter to me. It makes it really tough on everything else that I try.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 03:59:31 | More by downeyj4

sharlie

Michigan

3.81/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very nice Porter. The appearance is a dark brown similar to molasses. The head on the beer is also similar to molasses in the sense that it is a thick, dark and tan head. The beer has a very natural and the taste has traces of dark chocolate and coffee which are very apparent. Uniquely this beer has good carbonation for being such a dark beer but it compliments it well.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 11:19:39 | More by sharlie

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A- pours dark brown-almost black with just a bit if light seeping through, creamy light-tan head that retains long after the pour with a ring of lace sticking to the sides.

S- grainy roasted malts with a bit of cocoa and coffee, slight hop bitterness

T- roasted & toasted malty goodness, smoky firewood with a bit of charcoal, mid-palate transitions into silky sweet chocolate flavors with a touch of caramel, the finish is smoky and dry-yet-sweet with rich chocolate on the linger. The smokiness provides almost a dried meat flavor. Flavors are so complex, yet just enough hop to balance it out. The smoky flavors sit on the palate long after consumption.

M- medium body with low carbonation, velvety smooth mouthfeel leads to a silky finish

O- be of the best examples of an American porter out there. Smoky, chocolaty and silky smooth. This is probably my favorite everyday porter and one that I'm glad I can get very easily.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:40:07 | More by Treyliff

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Black in color but when light hits it turns into a dark brown, almost no head at all on this one, and just a slight lacing around the glass.

S: Lots of malt up front, slight hint of caramel, and some brown sugar as well, very good nose.

T: Up front is some nice caraemel, the malts even it out and the hops add a warming to the tailend, some roasted coffee as well in there.

M: Medium bodied and a good amount of carbonation.

O: A very good porter, was not expecting this after trying the IPA from this brewery, very imprressed, solid and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 20:38:43 | More by thedoubler55

Catherine8189

Michigan

4.06/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A great Porter! Appearance- dark, rich molasses brown. The beer has a thick, dark and tan head that adds to the overall experience of the exceptional beer. The naturalness of the beer comes through very clearly and dark chocolate and coffee noted are very apparent. The carbonation is lively for such a thick, heavier brew, but compliments the beer well.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 01:07:21 | More by Catherine8189

wac9

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

frist taste a smoky robust dark and bittersweet and i dont like the frist taste but after that it blends into a wonderful smmoth dark beer that lives up expections loving the all the beer the whole dark beer its thats good enjot it tasty dark chocolate that warms you all over love it drink it remember it its a keeper

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:40:05 | More by wac9

gr0g

New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pitch black in color, capped with a frothy, creamy head. Above-average head retention and lace formation. Strong note of coffee grinds on the nose. Some nice char, too, plus a bit of cocoa powder. Really fantastic aroma all around.

Flavor profile is dry, roasty, and solidly bitter. Lots of toasted grain. Citric hop presence lurks beneath the surface, probably Cascade. Texture is smooth but with a slightly prickly carbonation.

A very sessionable dark beer than still retains plenty of character. I'll definitely be coming back to this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 01:27:26 | More by gr0g

CardiacNP

Louisiana

4.66/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Edmond Fitzgerald porter from Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland OH (check out the great song from Gordon Lightfoot)

Aroma nice roasty malt. Chocolate and slight coffee

Appearance dark brown/black with a beige tight creamy 1 finger head

Taste smooth malty chocolate with a slight bitter coffee finish. Mild bittering hops

Mouth feel Smooth creamy slight to moderate combination. Mild dry finish

Overall a very solid beer. It has won Gold medals at the great American beer festival and is well deserved. I would drink it again

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 12:11:04 | More by CardiacNP

Ego

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

heard good things about this brew for some time, finally stumbled into a bottle this evening...

eyes...
pretty black but not nearly opaque, light can navigate its way through and there are even some ruby edges that haunt this lot like some sort of beer aura, 2 full fingers of off white head rise up and quickly fizzle down to a more manageable 1 finger size, beautiful lacing as there are just perfect waves of micro bubbles making tide lines on the edges of the glass as well as crashing undulations of foam as this beaut is tilted towards my gaping maw. this is a solid looker

nose...
a white ceramic coffee cup, sitting on a glass table, with almost drawn lines of vented steam emanating from the surface, coffee just hot enough to be right and not hot enough to burn your lap, slight roasty smoke, some chocolate darting in and out playing in the background like a mischievous dog, some chalky dryness... totally in balance, maybe if this was a whiff stronger it might be perfect, but man this is really good

taste etc...
follows the nose, drinks a bit light for my taste, the carbonation is a touch too fizzy as well, the roasty coffee flavor is nice here, it lingers and lasts throughout the sip and beyond, good chocolate notes, some subtle bitter bite in the back compliments the overall flavor, really easy drinking.

verdict?
a nice tasting porter, pretty light but still good flavor, a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 03:55:13 | More by Ego

videofrog

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a nonic pint glass. Enjoy by date of 6/19/13.
Thanks to dvmin98 for this one.

A: Black with the faintest ruby highlights on the edges when held to the light. Fluffy mocha head that settles into a thin rim that makes it all the way down the glass leaving sticky, spiderweb lacing down the sides.

S: Roasted barley, chocolate, sweet malts. Catching some herbal hops in the background.

T: Dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee. Sweetness in the nose tastes of caramel. Slight citrus in the finish.

M: Medium-bodied, very creamy. Carbonation is spot-on for a porter.

O: Really wish this was available in TX. I have one other bottle and need to do a side-by-side with Black Butte. Great beer, textbook example of an American Porter.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:26:49 | More by videofrog

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Pretty pathetic pour by the bartender, which kind of effected the appearance. Besides that...

About .5 fingers of creamy off-white head. Beer is pretty dark brown (I'm guessing about 27 SRM) with red shining through in the light. It's not particularly viscus. The head died pretty quick and left a blanket on the beer.

Smells great. Not a huge nose, but I get roasted notes all over the place. Dark roasted (but not bitter) barley, dark roasted coffee, a little bit of vanilla, a little bit of roasted chestnut, a little bit of smoke. Very delicate.

I taste that roastiness too! A rather dry flavor. Roast malt, coffee, and some nuttiness. A little hoppiness is left on the tongue after each sip. Extremely well balanced and very relaxing to drink.

Medium-full body, creamy, and goes down very smooth. A very good example of a porter.

GL does it right. Probably my favorite in their lineup, as well as my favorite porter to date.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2013 22:37:17 | More by lunarbrew

barczar

Kentucky

4.21/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours an opaque deep brown with amber highlights and a frothy half inch tan head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of lacing.

Chocolate, roast malt, and coffee grounds dominate the initial aroma. Notes of nuttiness, caramel sweetness, and citrus add complexity, with a hint of resin emerging late.

Flavor reveals more floral hop character at first, which ushers in chocolate and is eventually overpowered by deeply roasted malt and coffee. There's an underpinning of subtle dark fruit. The finish is somewhat bitter and fairly nutty. It's borderline acrid, but the nutty character saves the experience.

Body is a touch full, fairly creamy, with low carbonation and a hint of an acrid bite.

I didn't recall as much floral hop character, but it makes things interesting. The roast malt and coffee are kept in check fairly well. Would like a touch more chocolate. The underlying fruity notes are nice.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 03:26:51 | More by barczar

TeamMathis

West Virginia

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark and portery!
Smell: Coffee and some chocolate.
Taste: Coffee and some chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation and creamy.

The first smell is a smokey coffee, and then subtle chocolate. The taste is wonderful. The creamy flood of coffee and chocolate are well-balanced, but in some way individually bold. From start to finish, it is an overly enjoyable experience. This is how a porter should taste. I would definitely get this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 02:15:46 | More by TeamMathis

barnzy78

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, pours dark brown - nearly black with a tall, frothy everlasting tan head that eventually falls leaving a ton of lacing at the top of the glass. Aromas are smoky, with roasted malts, and baker's chocolate. Robust flavors of roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, caramel, and smoke, meld together with perfect balance. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Overall, definitely a world-class American porter. I always love going back to this one time and time again.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 11:46:01 | More by barnzy78

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Deep dark and opaque this porter sets up like stout but rubiness sits at the edges. The head is thin and bubbly and theirs very little lacing.

The scent is varied but weak. Combinations of chocolate, raisin, malt, touches of sweetness and even coffee makes an appearance.

The taste is dry and laden in coffee. Touches of rich chocolate, graham cracker, caramel and malty grains assault the taste buds. So smooth, so easy to drink this is a true treasure.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 22:14:27 | More by KYGunner

MCain04

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Drink by 06/13, 12 oz bottle poured into an oversized DFH snifter. 55 degrees.

a: Dark brown, almost black, 1-2 fingers of tan head, great retention and lacing.

s: malty and roasty, a little coffee dark chocolate, some caramel, very nice!

t: bitter roasted malts, follows along with the nose. wet finish. a bit of sour lingers.

m: moderate carbonation, thin but along the lines of what porters feel like. Very easy to drink.

o: really nice tasting porter. not so heavy as a big stout, but nearly as much flavor. Great alternative when you want the flavor without the huge body. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 04:13:28 | More by MCain04

Ilafan

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've seen this beer around for quite some time, but I never bothered to try it. Something about naming a beer after a horrible tragedy like the sinking of that ship and the death of 29 sailors didn't seem right to me.

Then I saw it on sale.

Appearance: Beautiful! It has a nice tan head that contrasts wonderfully with the virtually black coloring.

Smell: Mostly coffee, but it is far from overwhelming or obnoxious.

Taste: As the bottle says, it has a touch of smoke to it. But roasted malt and coffee dominate the taste. Do I taste a tartness at the end?

Nice beer! It's worthy of the inland seas!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 04:37:08 | More by Ilafan

mfnmbvp

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle, with a best by date of 07/04/2013. Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Somewhat aggressive pour yields about two fingers of mocha colored head on top of a virtually opaque black colored body with the tiniest ruby dot showing through some light.

S - Chocolate. Roasted coffee bean aroma. Vanilla. Cream. Slightly nutty. Vague hint of dark fruits like raisin and figs. Smells very enticing. Has a strong aroma yet has a lot of very distinct smelling parts to it.

T - Smooth, creamy, chocolate coffee bean flavor. Taste is definitely jam packed with flavor. Bitter roasted coffee beans, silky chocolate, roasted oats and malts, vague hop bitterness. Subtle brown sugar sweetness. There is a lot going on here. An excellent tasting beer.

M - Feel is creamy, silky, smooth, and light. Some coffee bean / hop bitterness lingers out for a little while. Very excellently balanced and bodied, with hardly any noticeable carbonation at all.

Overall, an excellent beer, and highly recommended. Since I discovered them about two years ago, Great Lakes has ceased to disappoint me. Possibly my favorite porter yet, from one of my all-time favorite breweries. Moderate 5.80% abv, and highly drinkable, if you can obtain this beer in your area, there is no excuse not to give it a shot.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter ---4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 06:02:13 | More by mfnmbvp

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.14/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a deep brown, basically black, with one full finger of tan head. The foam settles pretty quickly, and there is a ton of lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is caramel, cracked wheat, milk chocolate, and mild raisin.

T: It starts out with soaked bread, raisin, and milk chocolate. It thickens up in the middle with caramel and more milk chocolate. The finish is caramel and bread.

M: Full bodied beer. It's sweet and jam packed with flavor up front. It gets heftier in the middle as I get more oatmeal. It's think, creamy, and smooth in the finish.

O: Great beer. I have underestimated this beer for many years... but no longer. This will be my go to porter from here on out. Super good/10.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 01:54:29 | More by trxxpaxxs

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Note: personal scoring system goes in whole numbers only)

12oz bottle served at Craftsman Table and Tap with a house tulip glass, consumed 2/27/2013 (going off notes from my napkin)

Aroma: Smells fantastic. Roasted malt, dark chocolate, burnt sugar. Somehow it all comes together to make this a true pleasure to smell. (4)

Colour: Pours a nice dark black with a 2 finger beige head that sticks around for a minute or so before disappearing into a small foaming film covering the surface. Illuminates cola brown. Lacing forms a nice collar, spreads when swirled. (5)

Flavour: Really fantastic, it somehow comes together better than the nose does. Dark roasted malt contribution gives quite a bit of chocolate, a little bit of black coffee, hints of caramel and burnt sugar. Really a complex, sweet flavour for a Porter. I love it! (5)

Mouthfeel: Medium body on the thicker side, very easy to drink this beer. Carbonation is good, just right. The aftertaste gives me a lot of chocolate and a little bit of pine, and doesn't linger too long with a dry finish. Very sessionable yet tasty. Can't do much better in this category. It could be more creamy like the Black Butte can get, though. (4)

Overall: This is going to be my go-to porter. Easy to get, easy to drink, easy to appreciate. For a porter, it packs a quite a bit of the complex character and the flavours I love the most in general- chocolate and coffee especially. I can get it for $7.49/6pk here in Madison, WI and there's no question that's one the best values I've come across. As for beer aesthetics, the only thing that it could possibly improve on is small potatoes- if it were a bit more creamy and fuller bodied, it would be perfect. (4)

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 16:59:48 | More by Stevedore