Founder's Porter

Beer: Founder's Porter
Brewing Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Beer Style: American Porter
ABV: 6.5%




It appears as if I've been reviewing a large number of Founder's beers lately, but I just happened to buy a sixer of this beer when I bought the imperial stout. I've heard this is going to be in their regular rotation and not a seasonal beer. Founder's has not bottled this offering in several years I don't think.


Appearance: Pours a dark black color with two finders worth of dark tan head. The head collapsed fairly quickly, but left decent spotty lacing on the walls of my pint glass.
Smell: Dark roasted malt and black malt dominate with chocolate, sorghum, and coffee present as well.
Taste: The flavor profile is a rich combination of the things in the nose with plenty of roasted grain, a touch of grassy hops, dark chocolate, and coffee combine into a wonderful drinking experience.
Mouthfeel: Good carbonation with coats the mouth nicely, with the alcohol hidden quite well.
Drinkability: I will certainly be buying this beer again. This is pretty much everything I am looking for in a porter.

Until now my favorite American porter was Edmund Fitzgerald from Great Lakes, but this beer eclipses that for me. Both are tremendous beer in their own rights, but this beer gets the nudge over the Great Lakes. I love how robust and rich this beer is, and will have a permanent spot in my cellar.

Cheers!
Matt

Tröegs Dead Reckoning Porter

Beer: Tröegs Dead Reckoning Porter
Brewery Location: Harrisburg, PA
Beer Style: American Porter
ABV: 5.8%


I've enjoyed the beers I've had from Tröegs. It is sad that we don't get it in Indiana as they seem like a really rock solid brewery and brew some great beer across most beer styles. Their Troegenator Doublebock was my favorite a few weeks back when we did a food and beer pairing for Thanksgiving. This is another of their seasonal beers, and it is on its tail end of their most recent run, but you can probably still find it on the shelves if you are in a state that sells them.


Appearance: Pours a very deep brown color with a big two fingers worth of tan head. This beer leaves tremendous lacing and left sheets of it all over my glass until the very end.
Smell: I get loads of caramel and roast grain along with a citrus and piney hop scent that is working well together.
Taste: The sweet caramel rushes to the front of the palate followed quickly by the hop bitterness bite. The hops leave an almost fruity and citrus flavor along with caramel. There is a roasted nut quality as well as the beer warmed. The flavors work well together, and if I hadn't tasted it I wouldn't think that they would.
Mouthfeel: The carbonation is a little high, but it is medium bodied and quite smooth.
Drinkability: This was quite refreshing, and with the ABV I would have another quite easily.

I usually like my porters with the American hop profile left out of them, but this beer combined all the flavors nicely and changed my mind about the American porter if it is brewed like this beer. This is another great beer from Tröegs.

Cheers!
Matt

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Beer: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Brewery Location: Cleveland, OH
Beer Style: American Porter
ABV: 5.8%



Are you thinking about Gordon Lightfoot when hear the name Edmund Fitzgerald? I have to say that I think of that song before I think of the ship that went down in Lake Superior in the 1970's.

I've reviewed several offerings from Great Lakes, and I have to say that they must be included in any discussion about great Mid-Western breweries, and really around the US for that matter, and every time I review a beer from them I say the same thing: "I wish we got them in Indianapolis." Their beers are set a good price point, the beer is tasty and consistent, and I like they use a bit of history in the name of all of their beer.

This beer pours a very dark brown color with slight ruby highlights around the edges with an inch of creamy head on it. The lacing on this beer is impressive and stayed for the entire beer. The first scents are of coffee, chocolate, and roasted grain. The smell is comforting on this cool evening. The flavor profile is spot on when I think of a porter. I get loads of dark roasted grain, caramel, coffee, and a slight chocolate taste, and a touch of hop bitterness as well. The mouthfeel though I think has a bit much carbonation, and could be toned down a bit. I am not really bothered by it, but I think it could be toned down a bit. The drinkability is very nice and would be a great session porter.

This is an outstanding example of a porter. I've had plenty of porters, but this beer melds the smell and taste together wonderfully. This was just about as perfect a porter as I've had recently.

Cheers!
Matt