Today we are going to be drinking an old favorite… Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by the Great lakes Brewing Company.
A couple of quick stats here, 37 IBU and 6% abv.
Poured from a 12oz bottle, Fitz drops a big light tan head that lingers for quite a while. The body is very dark brown, but staying short of black. Ruby or reddish edges where light makes it through.
Even upon pouring the aromas of chocolate, light roast and grainyness hit you. There is something in there that’s giving the impression that it should be sweet along with a faint old school earthy/citrus hop aroma as well. Don’t see this much any more, but reminds me of cascade. There really is quite a bit happening already and we didn’t even taste it yet.
Oddly, with all of that stuff going on in the nose, the first taste I get is that grainy backbone. Then comes the roasted barley, dark chocolate with caramel on back end. Quite a bit of a smooth hop taste as well. All of these points are bold, but not overpowering. Noticably minerally. Could be the water?
Thankfully it is not as sweet as I thought it was going to be.
Somewhat dry and well received roasty finish, but a decent roasty beer should have this. Would’nt say this is a thin body, but it is thinner than your eyes think it should be. But could be some of that bitterness and carbonation tricking you as well.
There is good roast, and solid bittering, with thise hops really wanting to stand out. Everything about this screams old school. So it’s solid, balanced, big but subtle. Most importantly, smoothly drinkable.
I am sure glad these older beers are making another run to show today’s drinkers and brewers what can be done when not over playing any part and just letting things play together.
Easily 4.5/5. I recommend this if you can get it.
Stoutmaker.beer 