A toast to the SS Edmund Fitzgerald
Has the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald flooded your social media feed this month?
Online algorithms are deluged with memes, reels and even fall aesthetic suggestions inspired by the wrecked freighter, which sank in Lake Superior 50 years ago this November. The shipwreck, and the haunting 1976 Gordon Lightfoot memorial ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” have generated cultlike interest across today’s social media channels.
The sheer, terrifying power of the largest of the Great Lakes and the mystery of the wreck speaks to primal fear and invites a moment of deep reflection. To honor such a powerful story, a complementary cocktail should be equally evocative — strong, dark, intense and complex.
Here are a few recommended drinks to accompany the maritime media moment.
Dark ‘n Stormy — Victory Sandwich Bar
Consider a Dark ‘n Stormy to mirror the furious weather that tossed the 729-foot freighter. The cocktail was allegedly named by a sailor, just after the First World War, who likened it to a stormy sky at sea. The highball of rum, ginger beer and lime juice is a fusion allegedly enjoyed by seafaring merchants as a cure for seasickness. Whatever the weather, you can sidle up to the bar at both Victory Sandwich locations.
340 Church St., Decatur. 404-377-9300 or 913 Bernina Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-963-1742. vicsandwich.com
Toronto — Madeira Park
A bitter and contemplative Toronto is a suitable tribute to the depth of the shipwreck. The wreck rests approximately 535 feet below the surface of Lake Superior. The classic Toronto was traditionally made with Canadian whisky but now usually calls for rye whiskey, maple syrup, bitters and laced with Fernet-Branca for a minty kick. Philip Weltner of Madeira Park makes a deeply autumnal version including local rye from Distillery of Modern Art, overproof Armagnac, Bonal Gentiane-Quina aperitif, Fred Jerbis Fernet and aromatic bitters. “I wanted it to taste like fall smells,” Weltner said, “with the earthy-sweet aroma of decaying leaves.”
640 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-228-2058, madeiraparkatl.com
Midnight Bliss — The Third Door
Superior is the deepest and coldest of all of the Great Lakes. Due to its large size, it creates its own weather, unleashing intense lake-effect snow, hurricane-force winds, dense fog and ice. Marietta’s the Third Door serves a fitting concoction. Blended cabernet sauvignon, mulberry juice and mulled cider syrup are served frozen in Midnight Bliss.
131 Church St., Marietta. 470-361-0370, thethirddoor.net
Ghost Ship — Ticonderoga Club
Twenty-nine men lost their lives when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank during 80 mph winds and 30-foot waves. Atlanta’s Ticonderoga Club is as cozy as a ship’s galley and even has a captain’s chair as a bar seat. The club’s Ghost Ship cocktail, featuring Rye & Sons straight rye, sweet vermouth, amontillado sherry and Fernet-Branca, is a drink evocative enough to contemplate the maritime tragedy.
99 Krog St. NE, Atlanta. 404-458-4534, ticonderogaclub.com
Foghorn — To make at home
Surely a foghorn went off as the waves churned and visibility grew dim. A deceptively simple classic Foghorn is an apt sipper. Gin, lime juice and ginger ale are built in a glass with a simple stir — a beacon of flavor with no need for shaking or mixing. It’s an easy drink to enjoy at home while doomscrolling.
You are sure to hear the song and see the social media chatter as new generations honor the anniversary of the shipwreck. Each of these cocktails offers a suitable, somber liquid toast to the legendary ship and the men she carried.
