Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter - Great Lakes Brewing Company

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

kawilliams81

Illinois

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

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Pipeworks snifter.

A- pours lack with a 2 finger tan head. Random blotches and trails of lacing remain on the glass.

S- nice roast, dark chocolate, some molasses and light coffee.

T- semi sweet chocolate, roasted malts, light dark fruits, and some pine.

M- medium body and carbonation. Smooth and a little slick.

O- good porter with nice roast and semi sweet notes. After having Founders the other day his doesn't quite stack up to it but still very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 05:56:06 | More by kawilliams81

AmitC

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Thin dark brown pour. Excellent one finger thick tan colored head with excellent retention. Superb lacing on the sides. For a porter this one achieves a lot. Opaque and dark black inside the glass with slight ruby hues.

Aroma is of a mildly roasted malts. A little bit of sweetness and easy body.

A good amount of roasted malts that are strong and powerful. Very easy on the palate. Finish is dry with some twist of sweetness blended in. Very light.

Mouth feel is light to slightly medium on the side. Very easy drinking and smooth brew.

Don't know why this is so highly rated. This one is to the par but not that good.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 02:23:10 | More by AmitC

centurian62

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I bought this beer because I couldn't find anything else that looked appealing at the small store I stopped at. It was one of the few beers they stocked in the Porter or Stout category. I'm glad I did purchase it. It pours very nicely with just the right amount of head. The smell is superb and gives hints of chocolate and malt. I found that the taste was slightly behind the smell but not far. It still has a great taste and a nice chocolaty finish. I found this beer to be a great go-to even when other Porters or Stouts are available. I think I will add this to the "grab it if they've got it" list for my wife when she makes her trips to the store for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 19:44:41 | More by centurian62

Gavage

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: pours a dark brown color with a 2" head that slowly falls. Some moderate lace paints the glass.

Smell: mild roasted tones with some chocolate aromas.

Taste: moderate roasted malt profile, with chocolate, some dark fruit swetness, and a nice bitterness create a well balanced beer.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp from start to finish. Afteraste is short lived but pleasant on the tongue.

Overall: this is a real flavorful porter that is easy to drink. Very sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 18:42:01 | More by Gavage

Uniobrew31

Pennsylvania

4.61/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: very dark, thin head, classic porter appearance

S: sweet and malty.

T: right on the verge of boozy. Little hop charictar which lets you taste the almost 6% abv. Rich and malty sweetness. Very tasty

M: smooth and light on the pallet. No pucker at the back end. Easy and pleasing
to drink

O: a world class porter. The best strait up unflavored no frills old fashioned traditional porter I have tried in a long while. This one could beat most porters I have had in the Pepsi challenge any day. Priced reasonably and worth every penny.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 02:33:10 | More by Uniobrew31

JPlo

Maryland

4.11/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Almost black color with a light tan head. Head is moderately lasting with great lacing.

Aroma: Sweet, chocolaty, caramelly

Taste: Sweet, caramelly, nutty, smoky. mild hops creates a very nice bitter-sweet flavor.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, silky consistency and an average finish.

Very good Porter, yet a little too "traditional" for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 18:18:01 | More by JPlo

Utica_Brew_Review

New York

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great dark amber appearance without too much head. Chocolate, coffee, creamy noted aroma. Smells great. Great complex, nuanced, and full bodied flavor gives way to a spicy, cherry and floral aftertaste. Finishes strong.

It's nice to have a beer that goes beyond the typical chocolate malty flavors and into something much more meaningful. We look forward to trying this beer on draught.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 07:26:48 | More by Utica_Brew_Review

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

4.16/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. Poured into a Tulip.

A: Dark dark brown almost black with little to no head.

S: Dark Chocolate, Mild Coffee Notes, Pleasant Malt aromas.

T: Mild Coffee flavors, bitter Chocolate, Roasted Malts with a pleasant bitter finish.

M: Ideal mouth feel for an American Porter, not to thick but silky and drinkable.

O: An Excellent Porter and a great example of the style. Top 10 American Porter in my mind.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 16:14:59 | More by TheLostGringo

KelsoSaaz

New York

4.6/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle into nonic pint. Enjoy by date is 06/26/13

A: Deep, black-brown coffee color, with mahogany tones when held up to light. Thin, quickly dissipating, khaki head leaving little lacing.

S: Dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, light and sweet toasted bread malts.

T: Warm, dark, chocolate , followed by slightly burnt toast, bittersweet espresso with slightly smokiness in the finish. Very little in the way of hop bitterness. Excellent

M: Medium body with moderate carbonation. It has a silky and soft mouthfeel.

O: One outstanding American porter. It's super flavorful without being overwhelming and is perfectly balanced. This is one of my favorite beers for wintertime. GLBC continues to amaze.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 21:55:41 | More by KelsoSaaz

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.14/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I bought a six-pack of this venerable, much-hailed Porter at the liquor store in Kimbark Plaza, Hyde Park, Chicago a while back and am finally getting to the review. Twelve oz. brown bottle with "Enjoy By 3/27/13" printed on the label served in my Chimay chalice.

Appearance (4/5): Edmund Fitzgerald is dark brown, almost black, and you can see red-brown highlights when holding the beer up to the light. It is topped by a one-finger khaki head of creamy foam that recedes quickly. A good looking Porter, but I would have liked to see a more generous, longer-lived head.

Smell (3.75/5): EF features aromatic notes of dark fruit, mainly raisins, dark chocolate, burnt malt, roasty, nutty. Not especially pungent, but nicely balanced and inviting enough. No booze (not that you thought there'd be any in a beer clocking in at 5.8% ABV) and none of that off-putting metallic smell that spells spoilage. Good enough.

Taste (4.25/5): EF really scores well in the category of true consequence: taste! It's roasty, features a light hop bitterness, and plenty of black coffee, chocolate, dark bread, and fruity raisin-like flavors. A tad of caramel sweetness lurks in there. Light burnt malt, a touch of smoke, and also tad nutty. This is a nicely complex, yet balanced American Porter. Very tasty and, I have to say, the flavor is more interesting than the smell. I really am enjoying how well the beer warms and how easy-drinking it is.

Mouthfeel (4.25/5): Medium carbonation, medium body, appropriate to a porter. Light bitterness works the palate only moderately. The beautiful thing about this beer is that it goes down easy–it's just so slick and smooth on the tongue. Drinkability is exceptional.

Overall (4.25/5): Edmund Fitzgerald is a very good American Porter. It is nicely complex yet beautifully balanced and features a great array of flavors. Very drinkable and tasty. Though perhaps not as incredible, in my opinion, as the BA score indicates, it is an outstanding value and one of those perfect beers for the cold weather.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 06:14:27 | More by hagbergl