Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter - Great Lakes Brewing Company

QXSTER1

Pennsylvania

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

A dark almost black, chewy, chocolatey, well balanced version of a porter. Hard to find fault with this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2001 19:48:08 | More by QXSTER1

christmasg

Indiana

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

I think Great Lakes Porter is the best Porter you can get in the midwest, maybe even in the US. Excellent balance between hops and malt. Sweet, carmel, chocolate flavors. Not too harsh astringet or "burnt". Smooth, creamy rounded mouth feel. Just enough hops to complement the malt and not compete with and /or overwhelm like many others. Squeeky clean. Gotta have it!

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2005 16:52:14 | More by christmasg

metallistout

Ohio

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

I have so many things about this beer, so I had to venture for myself. This was absolutely worth the money.

Pours a dark, dark brown with a bit of ruby showing through as I look up to the light. The head is tan thick foamy monster that seem to lace the glass for a long while.

The aroma of chocolate, coffee. Sweet malt.

Tastes of the chocolate, sweet fruit, coffee, and a little bit of hops, but not overpowering. Smooth mouthfeel.

I could just keep drinking these one by one all night until I sank into Lake Erie.

Damn what a fine brew. This beer will probably ruin any other Porter that I try from now on. It will be on my grocery list every week for a very long time.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2005 21:09:37 | More by metallistout

ultralarry2006

Illinois

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

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle. Leaves a one finger foamy head that sticks around a good long time, and is the color of espresso foam. The head alone looks amazing, then there's the body. Deepest of all possible browns, like espresso as well. This beer is just beautiful to behold, seems like a shame to drink it, then you do.

Aroma - but before we drink , we smell...chocolate, hearty dark bread, toffee, caramel, hint of lemon.

Taste - as promised by aroma - rich chocolate, dark bread. Smokiness from roast of malts adds richness and depth, and not not any burnt acridness at all. Caramel in the middle, and tea with lemon finishing. Some pleasantly mild smokiness in the aftertaste. This is simply excellent !!

Mouthfeel - very full, somewhat chewy, little carbonation.

Drinkability - goes down very, very easy, and is entirely delicious and satisfying - I'll have the next one, or two, or four anytime !
Simply excellence !!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2006 17:45:49 | More by ultralarry2006

rabsten

West Virginia

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

Poured into a pint glass from 12oz bottle (opened up with my new Beer Advocate opener! ), it presents with a three finger, lighter-brown head. Body is a dark red-tinted ebony, while the head has good lacing.

Smell: Toasted cocoa malt with metallic hop tang in the background. Coffee notes as well. Toasty all around.

Taste: This is everything I want in this style: toasted chocolate and coffee malts, some caramel-like sweetness, balanced with a subtle hop bite that keeps the malt from being too clingy. My favorite Porter.

Remarkably dry mouthfeel, especially considering all of the candy-like qualities in the flavor. Crisp enough to leave the palate mostly cleansed, with only a lingering cocoa/toasted malt flavor on the roof of the mouth. Excellent-to-spectacular.

As drinkable as a porter gets. I can – and have – have one after the other.

I’ve said it before: EFP is my favorite porter. And since porter is one of my favorite styles (DIPA and IPA being the other), this is one of my favorite beers. Add to the mix that this is AVAILABLE and reasonably distributed in West Virginia (I’ve heard rumors of Keg Availability, even!) and I’m in heaven with this brew. I try to keep my consuption seasonal so as to not get all burned out on it. Becasue of this, this was teh first one I'd had in several months. Come September, I won't be without at least a six around.

The way I see it, I’m allowed one “Five out of Five” per style and still maintain some credibility
For Porter, Edmond Fitzgerald is my Five.

God bless Great Lakes for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2006 23:21:13 | More by rabsten

BeerRun13

California

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

Pours a very dark garnett. A creamy thick tan head sits on top and leaves A+ lacing.
Roasty, nutty, chocolatey in the nose. Very nice.
Touch of chocoalte. Nice roasted/toasted quality. A nice use of hops in the back end of this one.
Lighter side of full bodied. Nicely carbonated. Creamy smooth with a crisp finish.
By far the best porter I've had to date, and one that lives up to all the hype... My first perfect score.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2006 23:52:12 | More by BeerRun13

philberinghele

Illinois

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

Porter of few peers
Brutal Chicago winter
I will stay inside

One of three porters that qualify for the mark of perfection (Bells and Mill St. = other two). Since Bell's has been pushed out of my grasp by the stubborn beer barons of Illinois, this has become my "Official Beer of Winter 2007". Besides Pere Ubu, Cleveland's only contribution to American culture.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2007 02:35:16 | More by philberinghele

Lepley

Pennsylvania

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

From a variety twelve pack from Giant Eagle. I think they accidentally put six of these in the case and I can't complain.

A: Pours blackish-brown with two fingers of brown head, nice lacing but little retention.
S: Sweet, roastiness, coffee, smokey.
T: Coffee, roasty, smokey, sweet, fruity, bitter, chocolate.
M: Smoot, creamy.
D: This is one of my favorite beers, ever. Porters don't get much better than this.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2009 04:10:57 | More by Lepley

dhannes

Wisconsin

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

I haven't had an Edmund Fitzgerald in close to a year, so I was hoping that I hadn't gone mad into thinking that this beer was so much better than the ones I've sampled of late. Finally got back to this beer, poured cold into a standard pint glass.

A=Rich, dark brown color with a tan foam head of 2" plus lasting more than a minute.

S=Like root beer with a splash of mocha. For once, a beer that actually smelled great.

T=Rich malty flavor, with mocha, vanilla, and a tad of saltiness.

M=Perfect...not too light, nor too thin...just a hint of carbonation.

D=Porters, I've found, rarely make good session beers. Not this one--I bet I could drink a 6-pack in an afternoon.

I truly did not want to give straight 5's on this one, but every aspect of this beer is truly exceptional...it is far better than I remember it. I had hoped, at one point, to find a beer that I liked better than this one...I'll keep searching, but now doubt I'll ever find it.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 02:29:28 | More by dhannes

hopman333

Illinois

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

Now I am rating this a perfect score as far as Porters go and it Damn well deserves it. Many moons ago I was a porter fanatic, however being 40 years old , soon too be 41 I was limited to the Redhook porter , the Sierrea Nevada Porter and the finest Porter of all time !!! From the now defunct Chicago Brewing CO, BIG SHOULDERS PORTER, Thank you Greg Mohen for the best Porter ever. But over the last ten years or so the Edmund Fitzgerald Kicks some Major ASS !!! None better.

The smell is sooo deep and complex, think dark chocolate, a mildly scented coffee mixed with a liberal dose of creamy cocoa and a caramel scented finnish to boot. Amazing !!!

The taste is unbelievable for a bottled beer... Rich notes of Pipe Tobbacco, Chocolate and layered Caramel malts that are perfectly balanced by a liberal hopping from Northern Brewer, Fuggle and Cascade < That lead to an all too wonderful lingering Chocolately and hoppy Synergistic blend.

This is an amazing beer that I'm sure will hold the test of time,,,, There is not another Porter that is more complex and drinkable than this. All hail the king of kings.

SUPREMELY SESSIONABLE TOO SAY THE LEAST !!!

Just grab some, and do not hesitate to grab a twelver as you will definately be drinking them in rapid succession !!! LOL

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 00:48:12 | More by hopman333

mater

Ohio

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

Back in October this was the first non Sam Adams craft beer I tried.

12oz bottle poured into a Stone imperial pint glass.

A-Very dark brown, pretty much black with some ruby highlights. Had a nice two finger tan head with lacing till the end.

S-Roasty malts, coffee, milk chocolate. Smells really tasty.

T-This just taste delicious. It has more of a creamy chocolate taste at first, with the coffee following, also a little bit of hops come in that I didn't really smell.

M-Really smooth and creamy with a medium body.

O-My favorite porter(might be my favorite beer). At 5.8% abv many can be consumed. I like everything about this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 19:31:12 | More by mater

rms61moparman

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

Almost black body yields a reddish tint in strong light. Very light tan head that produces beautiful lacing.
Strong coffee with a hint of chocolate and the faintest allusion of mild smoke at the onset, building to a mildly robust but never overpowering smoke overtone.

My favorite all time after dinner beer and always on tap in my kegerator.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2012 02:14:26 | More by rms61moparman

Wolfee02

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

First off I would like to say that this is the only beer I have ever had where I can confidently say that it is the greatest beer in the world! It has the perfect balance of feel and an amazing taste. I have tried many porters but none like this! Once again Great Lakes proves that they are one of the best breweries this world has to offer.
This beer is jet black. It appears like a dark black with a golden head, it pours an inch and half or so of head.
It smells fantastic! Almost like brown sugar, coffee beans and chocolate.
This is one of the best tasting beers I have ever had! The taste is one of a kind really, just like the smell! It is as smooth as a box of chocolates or a refreshing cup of coffee.
Overall I recommend this and the Great Lakes vareity pack to anyone who loves great beer! The variety pack contains 4 world class brews!

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 07:44:49 | More by Wolfee02

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

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

4.97/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Pours a clear dark ruby red, with a very very solid head of sticky tan foam. Kinda jiggles like jello. Maaaybe could lace a touch better, but really, we're nitpicking now.

S - Huge aromas waft out upon pouring. Toasted grains, molasses, dark sugars, some pungent fruitiness as well. Toasted seaweed - don't get that very often....

T/M - Slightly sweet, with a creamy nuttiness, then BAM. Big hit of bitter espresso. Slightly thick body is smooth and chewy, but very clean - doesn't have that slick, oily feel. Might be the touch of astringency that does that. Lots of toasted graininess and a finish hop bitterness.

D - A superior brew. Ridiculously drinkable, extremely tasty, well that's about it.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2008 05:42:51 | More by allergictomacros

Jenkster4

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured pretty dark, not pitch black but it's a very nice looking porter. Got almost 2 fingers worth of creamy head that turns out to a very nice looking lacing.

Nose: So GOOD! Tons of roasted malts, everything that you should smell in a very good porter comes out in this one. Chocolate, coffee, slight hop presence, it just a very nice smelling brew.

Taste: Hands down amazing. Everything you get in the nose come through and just melds to a beautiful tasting beer.

Mouth: Medium bodied. Very pleasing.

Overall: Thee is nothing negative to say about this beer at all. Other than the fact that I can not get it in my state. Just a great beer, and I would buy over and over again.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 18:45:05 | More by Jenkster4

beerme626

Kentucky

4.97/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I didn't even like porters, or didn't think I did. And then I found this. Glorious.

A: Beautiful thick dark. Decent head. Gorgeous.
S: Rich, smoky, like stepping into a warm log cabin in the cold of winter.
T: Like orgasm. A beautiful rustic orgasm in the forests of the Appalachian mountains. Thick, rich, flavorful, smoky, but cohesive.
M: Pure carnal pleasure
O: One of my new favorites. I was not expecting too much, and I was blown away. This will certainly be a repeat buy.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 16:37:18 | More by beerme626

asabreed

New York

4.95/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A hyped up beer for sure, as many know by now. And this lives up to the hype ten fold. Picked up a case for around $28.

Of the many porters I've had, it seems -- though I may be wrong -- that an average porter seems to be pretty standard, meaning I guess there are many average ones out there versus many that I wouldn't even want to try. However, I've yet to come across one as delicious and balanced as Edmund Fitzgerald.

Appearance: Beautifully black and opaque, with a mocha-colored lace that keeps pretty sticky to the glass. Red / Amber tint to it in the light that's also quite gorgeous.

Smell: Wow. Chocolate. Honey. Mocha / Coffee. Dark berries. The faintest hop nose to complement the sweeter accompaniments.

Taste: Again, wow. Balance all the way through, and a finish that may rival the best beers I've ever tasted. Nothing ever seems overpowering, as if everything is working together all the time. Yet it remains complex even after you swallow and the flavors are still on your tongue. All the smells above seem discernible, in addition to a lingering fruitiness that I can't pin down. Amazing.

Mouthfeel: Once again, it's dark, so the body is chewy, but also deceptively light, which makes it very interesting to swish around a bit.

Drinkability: For a Porter, I could certainly make this a session, as mainly because the hops and malt never seem to overpower each other, and though the body may be a bit chewy, it's also light, which makes Winter not necessarily the only season to drink this I feel. Can't wait to have many more of these.

Great Lakes continues to impress me, and this is not only no different, but I don't know if they make a better beer. I want to try the Blackout Stout, as seemingly that may be the only one that can rival Edmund Fitzgerald.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2005 22:54:21 | More by asabreed

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours an opaque black color with a large tan head. Big coffee aroma with subtle chocloate tones The taste is huge with coffee and chocolate everywhere. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with lively carbonation. Overall, this is a great beer. Too bad it is not available in my area.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2005 16:38:19 | More by KarlHungus

generallee

New York

4.95/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Presentation: It was poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: It appears dark and opaque. It has a dark black color with deep crimson highlights when held up to light. The head is tan, thick and foamy with good retention. Some light tan lace slowly sides down the glass, chasing the head, as I drink.

Smell: The aroma is full and rich. It has notes of caramel with a strong dark roasted malt presence that has a deep roasted espresso character.

Taste/Mouth feel: Its flavor has deep chocolate roasted malts with flavor notes of coffee and cream with bittersweet chocolate. The hops play well off the malt and further develop the bittersweet chocolaty flavors before slowly fading out into the finish. The palate is smooth, creamy and slightly slick with mild carbonation and a medium to full body.

Notes: Outstanding. This porter is one of my personal favorites, with a wonderful balance of flavors and drirkability. I would highly recommend this as a stand alone drink or even pairing it with your favorite chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2008 05:39:49 | More by generallee

spitInTheOcean

Michigan

4.95/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

the beer pours as black as night, with a pleasant tan head that laces the glass.

the smell is beautiful. rich malty aroma with strong roasted notes of chocolate and coffee

for me the beer never comes of as sweet. its just varying shades of bitter. first the bitterness of the roasted barley with a subtle coffee flavor(a well roasted coffee like french mind you, not some weak-ass medium roast), then followed by the bitterness of the hop, and a dry finish. no discernible hop flavor here.

for me the real beauty in this beer is how powerfully it smells of malt and then, when sipped, the taste of the malts just fills the palate. to quote a chef i once knew, "it's just nice."

so why the 4.5? the dryness just seems a little much.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 04:56:12 | More by spitInTheOcean

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

pours nearly black, with a thin, dark head, that quickly fades to a ring around the glass.

the aroma is rich and roasty. espresso and dark chocolate. really inviting, can hardly wait to taste it.

taste is fantastic. deep bittersweet chocolate flavour, with some espresso. a bit of sweetness, but nothing sticky or unpleasant, the perfect balance to the roasty flavours.

body is full and tasty, but for some reason today it feels a bit thinner than what i remember from previous samples. i'm rating it based on this tasting, and not based on what i think i remember.

overall a fantastic porter. the few times i've had an "ed fitz" it's always fantastic, and i always look forward to the next.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2006 01:47:32 | More by grub

brjr508

California

4.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I picked up a six pack of this in Dekalb, Illinois, at the start of September, 2006.

Appearance: This is a nice, dark brown beer. Some hints of red when held up to light, but for the most part this beer is very dark.

Smell: Coffee, chocolate, and, when warm and straight out of the bottle, caramel. The caramel seems to disappear, however.

Taste: Again, the coffee and chocolate notes come out, but despite the smell of caramel I was unable to taste it in the beer. Maybe this comes out if the beer is colder? I tend to drink porters when they're a bit warmer. A nice bitterness complements these flavors.

Mouthfeel: Mouthfeel is very good, and very substantial.

Drinkability: This is a beer I could drink all day. It takes a while to drink it because I don't need to take large sips in order to get its complexity; the complexity is just there so less is required to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2006 19:26:46 | More by brjr508

Blanchette

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I am rating this beer for what it is -- a sessionable porter. It's not going to be mindblowing, and nor will be an entirely unique offering. It is the type of beer that invites you to toss down three in a couple of hours. Maintains a robust porter taste in your mouth for 30 minutes after the bottle; but doesn't overpower you during drink. I am very happy to see this beer in the Top 100, despite the fact that it's not a barnburning 11% stout. This is a pure porter; what comes to mind when one thinks a standard, rich afternoon beer. Top quality.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 04:48:04 | More by Blanchette

scottyshades

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Ryan011235 for this awesome extra in our trade

A: Pours pitch black with a khaki color head. Retention is decent, not great, but leaves sheets of foam along the glass.

S: Wow, awesomeness right here. Lots of roasty and toasty notes accompanied by milk-chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, lactose, and subtle dark fruit (raisin, plum). Also lots of coffee in the nose. The hops are light and subtle, but give a little pine.

T: Amazingly balanced and pretty complex. Bittersweet chocolate and the hops provide a nice bitterness to balance the lactose, milk-chocolate, and dark fruit. The coffee simply excels this to a whole new level. I am also getting some nuttiness (coconut or macadamia?).

MF/D: Carbonation is spot on, allowing the fullness of the body to come out. The finish is a mixture of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. This beer is amazingly drinkable, and I am having a hard time putting my glass down. At this pace, I'll finish this in about 15 minutes compared to my usual 30

Notes: I really can't think of any reasonable complaints or criticisms...Really awesome beer and extremely drinkable. I need to trade for this one in the near future. Thanks again Ryan!

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 22:18:17 | More by scottyshades