Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Great Lakes Brewing Company
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
By Oiznop
The legend lives on, from the Chippewa on down, of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee. The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead when the skies of November turn gloomy. So starts off the 1976 hit song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Canadian pop and rock star Gordon Lightfoot. A ballad that will forever honor the 729-foot long, 75-foot wide iron ore freighter, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald. On November 10, 1975, while sailing Lake Superior on the way to Detroit from Superior, Wisconsin, the mighty freighter could not endure a fierce storm that packed winds in excess of 60 miles per hour and 15 foot waves. The huge ship, the largest ever to travel the Great Lakes, sank off the coast of White Fish Bay, Ontario while hauling 26,000 tons of iron ore. All 29 crewmembers on board the Fitzgerald perished in the tragedy.
Soon after the Fitzgerald sank, Lightfoot recorded his pop music tribute to the demised ship and it’s lost crew. The song went to the top of the charts back in ‘76 and to this day still gets airplay on American and Canadian radio. But Lightfoot’s impressive ballad is not the only tribute bestowed upon the fallen vessel. The Great Lakes Brewery, from its homeport of Cleveland, Ohio, also has honored the Edmund Fitzgerald with a rich, dark and satisfyingly delicious porter that bears its name, and gives other porters on the beer landscape a run for their money.
Established in 1988 by brothers Patrick and Daniel Conway, Great Lakes Brewing Company became the first microbrewery in Ohio and today remains the state’s most celebrated brewer of lagers and ales. Some of the tasty treats brewed by Great Lakes include their Burning River Pale Ale, named after the infamous 1969 fire on the Cuyahoga River, Elliot Ness Amber Lager, named for Cleveland’s most noted crime fighter, and Dortmunder Gold, a robust interpretation of the German Dortmunder Export style. These, as well as various seasonal brews, give Great Lakes Brewing Company their own distinctive identity in the beer world.
Edmund Fitzgerald porter is one of the best of this brewing style. An abundant fluffy latte like head with a nice texture and leave sits on top of a black body that displays very light hints of reddish brown when held up to a light. Hops play a big role in the aroma and the flavor of this porter, as they override its burnt malt quality. Fitzgerald’s hop bite and bitterness were not terribly harsh making it very drinkable. Wine, licorice, coffee and peppery notes can be detected on the taste buds as well. Edmund Fitzgerald's aftertaste is smooth with a nice finish that is not akin to beers that use a lot of hops in the recipe. Complex roasted malt flavors and bittersweet chocolate round out the delectable flavors of this world-class dark ale.
GLEF has won numerous awards over the last 15 years, including three gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival, and four golds at the World Beer Championships. This smooth, creamy, and toasty porter weighs in at 5.8% ABV, and can be enjoyed during a long drinking session without the pain. Try it with barbecued ribs, steaks or oysters, or even with a nice chocolate desert! As a matter of fact, the brewpub at Great Lakes actually has a chocolate cake made with the porter. Edmund Fitzgerald is by far a versatile, well-balanced and remarkably drinkable dark brew. This year (2005) will mark the 30th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking. Gordon Lightfoot should write another song about it, only this time he needs to somehow incorporate the porter into the lyrics. That would be good music, and good food!
