Thursday, October 20, 2011

On Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

It's cold... And cloudy... And rainy.  Not a torrent, just a drizzle.  Just enough to be annoying.  Sounds like porter weather.  The roasty malts and alcohol should keep me warm.  And since it's my day off, I can have one.  I am fortunate enough to have access to one of the best beer bars in the midwest and possibly all of America:  The Map Room in Chicago.  This bar prides itself on a large selection of specialty beers and a knowledgable staff.  

Looking at the menu board I find a lot of Belgians and imperial IPAs. A downside of the unique beer bar is it's sometimes hard to find something "normal" - the beer equivalent of comfort food.  Luckily they had a porter.  The porter on tap: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald.  A beer as mysterious and unexpected as the sinking of the ship it's named after.  

The aroma starts with  chocolate covered caramels and a bit of coffee. 

The Beer is black with an off white head that quickly recedes to a thin layer atop a sea of black. Minimal lace but a large meniscus around the inside of the glass. 

Tastes of dark fruit and roasted malts dominate but with a grassy/piney hop note. Medium bodied with a slick texture that coats the mouth. Carbonation is average. 

In the end, the hop flavor is a little distracting and I’d like to see more roasty malts, but overall this is a good beer for a such a dreary afternoon. Not the best of the style, but I would definitely order again.

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