Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter - Great Lakes Brewing Company

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Dark chestnut; medium tan, frothy head; good lacing

Aroma: Malty; dark chocolate; roasted grain; coffee grounds

Taste: Interesting flavor; bitter grains and hops up front, leading into a juicy, slightly thin mouthfeel and coffee notes; bittersweet chocolate notes; finishes slightly dry and hoppy

Remarks: Better as it warms up

Did not score A, T, S, M at that time; disregard those scores

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 12:39:08 | More by IchLiebeBier

SportsandJorts

Michigan

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

Appearance: a nice blackish brown. a finger or so of a tan head that sticks around.

Smell: chocolate and roast malts.

Taste: nice chocolate up front followed by roasted malts. some bitter hoppiness.

Mouthfeel: a creaminess to it. a slight bitterness as well

Overall: another spot on brew by Great Lakes. extremely well crafted, easy to find and at the right price

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 02:16:54 | More by SportsandJorts

JohnG190

New York

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - nearly black with ruby highlights. Tan head dissipates to long-lasting lace cap.

Smell - dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans.

Taste - hop bitterness balances the malt sweetness flawlessly!

Mouthfeel - medium body with refreshing carbonation.

Overall - a flawless porter that goes perfect with BBQ!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 22:09:31 | More by JohnG190

Gnarles

New Jersey

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Had this beer on tap last night at a local bar, to be quiet honest i have not explored to much into porters yet. Im mainly and IPA/Lager drinker but I was having a conversation with the bartender and different styles of beers and she pointed me to this beer. I was amazed at how smooth it was with slight after tastes of roasted coffee and chocolate. This beer alone has made me this twice about porters.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2013 20:03:16 | More by Gnarles

dar482

New York

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

The beer pours out black with a creamy off white head.

The aroma has roasted malt, chocolate.

The flavor follows with roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate. The beer has almost an herbal bitterness that really picks up the beer despite it lack of creaminess.

The flavor are quite good on this beer, and the highlight is the bitterness. It lingers a bit and really helps give the beer a dimension.

Still the flavors are still a bit muted for me. I love the bitterness though. I had this next to Smuttynose Robust Porter however, and that to me is where a porter should be.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 06:06:48 | More by dar482

KFBR392

Illinois

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

Appearance: pours a light to medium bodied thickness. A gorgeous head at about a fibers worth. The head is present throughtout. Light lacing. Against the light, there is a deep red color around the edges. Everything a porter should look like.

Smell: a wonderfully rounded sweet malt greets the palette right away. Caramel, molasses, licorice, light oak, and sweet taffy. Balanced between the malt and bright tones.

Taste: a smooth greeting of a creamy head greets the drinker right away. Medium nutty accents and oaky malt fill up a full bodied flavor. Sweet flavors pop up all over the place and surprise the palette. This beer lights up on the back end and leaves a sugary feeling behind.

Mouthfeel: rich, creamy, smooth, and delicious.

Overall: its either this or founders porter as the best in the business. Porters can go too far on the malt or sweet side but this one is right on point. Simply outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 04:31:50 | More by KFBR392

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.51/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

A- Pours a deep, deep brown color with hints of red peaking through the edges. When held up to the light, a little bit gets through, and a little bit of clarity is distinguishable. Medium sized, 2 finger head that is somewhere between off-white and tan. Retention and lacing are phenomenal.

S- Big coffee malts are the main scent. Coffee and big, roasted malts intermingle to create an overall dark, bitter smell. No chocolate or sweet tones in this one. Maybe a hint of smoke in with all of the dark malts.

T- Starts out big and bitter with moderate to strong coffee flavors. Coffee is not overpowering, but it is dominant. This coffee flavor persists through most of the drink, with a slight transition to dark malts. The smokey flavor from the scent is more pronounced in the taste, and when mixed with the coffee and dark malts, the combination produces a flavor similar to tobacco. Fades out in the end, with coffee flavors lingering on the palate.

M- Low to medium carbonation, but thinner and lighter than expected. This is a beer that would be easy to have a few of at the bar. Heavier flavor profile makes it somewhat less drinkable than it would otherwise be, but not much so.

Overall, this is a pretty awesome everyday porter. Great coffee and dark malt flavors. My only criticism of this beer is that the feel is slightly thin and watery compared to other porters and stouts. I would definitely drink this regularly if my regular bar was in the distribution footprint.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 20:30:34 | More by boilermakerbrew

WunderLlama

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle poured into a pint glass

Three finger tan foam cap settles into a thick sudsy lid with plenty of lacings covering the alls of the glass.Impenetrable chocolate brown darkness will not light pass through the glass.

Aroma of roasted coffee beans.

Medium mouthfeel, lighter than other porters. Subtle carbaonation. Roasted malt , roasted coffee taste with no bitter aftertaste. Velvety smooth. Quite quaffable and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 01:52:50 | More by WunderLlama

themind

New Jersey

4.09/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This Porter is good! no doubt these guys put some time in to make this brew. That said the mouth feel for me was a little thin. I am of course comparing this to Everette which is Legendary. All in all this beer holds it's weight with a good roasty aroma and taste. If you like porters this beer is worth the jingle.

Bottom Line: Porter Lovers unite!

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 22:23:16 | More by themind

Kearneytheking

Arkansas

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Put this in a create your own 6-pack and sure glad I did.

A- Pours straight to a non-transparent dark chocolate color with a nice dark khaki head that forms a thick foamy barrier

sm- chocolate, some roasted vanilla, barley

taste - very smooth and creamy right upfront. A bit of sweetness, nice bitterness on the backend. Chocolate from the smell is definitely apparent

mf - smooth and creamy, light carbonation. Great palate feel.

Overall- I could drink a few of these. Its so smooth and tasty. Probably no more than 3 though, its a good thick beer. ABV at 5.8% goes unnoticed, but makes for a better beer effect ;)

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 02:27:18 | More by Kearneytheking

kojevergas

California

3.71/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Enjoy by: 06/01/13. Served in a bar in Chicago over St. Patrick's day weekend. Reviewed from notes. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle served into a pilsner glass. Expectations were high given its reputation.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger khaki-tan colour head. Decent cream, nice thickness, and above average (3 minute) retention.

Body colour is a solid nontransparent black.

Sm: Light chocolate. Muted dark malts. Light cream. A mild strength aroma.

T: Creamy up front. Dark malts. Chocolate malt. Light caramel. Maybe some light vanilla. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. Buried roast. Somewhat milky. Balanced overall. Not really complex, but fairly subtle. Tasty and right on the money for the style. Nicely layered.

Mf: Smooth, lightly creamy, and wet. Decent carbonation. Good thickness. Complements the flavour profile decently well.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. I like it, but I don't know that I'd regularly buy a 6er of it. Hides its ABV well. A solid porter across the board. It's a fine show by Great Lakes and it's a beer I plan to revisit for a more in-depth review.

High B

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 20:58:21 | More by kojevergas

brewtus

Ohio

4.49/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours very very dark brown with a two finger off white head. Smell is very smokey,earthy, some coffee, some wood, some slight vanilla. Taste is also very smokey, pepper, peppercorn, slightly nutty, some chocolate and vanilla. I get a small amount of hops in the after taste. Has a great smooth mouthfeel without being thick. This porter is so drinkable but loaded with complex flavors. A staple of GLBC

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 01:23:41 | More by brewtus

BeerYoss

Pennsylvania

4.56/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: very dark brown, almost black with dark mahogany at the edges. big pillowy, carmel colored head... sticky too.

Smell: malt coffee. truly a delight to the olfactories

Taste: the bitterness of a good strong cup of coffee or high cacao chocolate. the bitterness rides right along with a nice carmel sweetness. they don't fight, they just weave through your taste buds.

Mouthfeel: medium body - there is a lot of texture and 'feel' to it but there's a lightness as well. very smooth and a little dry.

Overall: a real joy to drink this brew. there's not much more you could wish for in a porter.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 00:32:02 | More by BeerYoss

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12oz. Bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Nice dark brown with reddish highlights. Nice tan head of about 1" forms initially then recedes to a cap.

Smell: The nice roasted malt coffee aroma is there but what is very nice is some dark fruit, fig & raisin with some vinous characteristics.

Taste: Chocolate and coffee followed by the same dark fruit in the aroma, really both unique and exceptional for a porter. Very well balanced complexity and rich flavor.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth with a clean finish.

Overall: A whole lot of flavor here and all of it is very good! Truly an exceptional porter and worth seeking out!

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 02:40:04 | More by BobZ

hopsputin

California

4.56/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

a: pretty dark - black/deep dark purple. some reddish notes at the bottom of the glass. large 3 finger beige rocky head that fades pretty quick

s: smells like a pretty standard porter. toasted malt, milk chocolate, hint fig and plum, candied sugar, lactose? smells pretty inviting

t: first sip makes me think this is definitely worth the high rating. second sip confirms. this drinks REALLY smooth. nice toasted malt, dark chocolate, plums, raisins. there is a very slight and smooth earthy coffee-like bitterness, almost tea leaf like on the backend. milk chocolate and toasted malt linger for a while - real nice

m: lighter side of medium. even though there was a large head, there is not much carbonation in the mouth

o: i am very happy with this, it is absolutely worth you getting. at 5.8% its really drinkable, yet the filled with smooth flavors. i have nothing negative to say about this beer. if you like porters, drink this.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 05:01:48 | More by hopsputin

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