Much-awarded and much-acclaimed, from Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland, Ohio, here is a homebrew-scale recipe for the robust yet smooth-drinking American porter that has inspired many others.

In looking for insights on brewing a great porter in the modern American style, Josh Weikert talks to Cleveland’s Great Lakes about the inner workings of the beloved and enduring Edmund Fitzgerald.

The brewmaster and the co-CEO of this Midwestern stalwart respect their brewery’s three and a half decades of tradition—but they also test assumptions while tackling new beers that reflect today’s trends.

Yes! Rich malt depth with hints of dried fruit, toffee, and jasmine. Slightly spicy hop bitterness balances perfectly. Very clean finish with enough body for a nice drinking experience. Something a bit beyond light lager, but still has all-day barbeque drinkability.

“Fig Newtons on the aroma—crumbly, slightly toasted, soft crust wrapped around some chewy, sweet figs. Cookie dough in the flavor creates a thick mouthfeel and decadent quality. Caramel sweetness, chocolaty depths, mysterious dark, jammy fruits combine to create a fascinatingly complex beer with layers of cookie goodness.”

“Light brown pour with a frothy tan head. Well-balanced aroma of piney hops, roasted malt, and caramel with a touch of chocolate. Medium body with layers of dark fruit, chocolate, light vanilla, and a pleasant hop bitterness that cuts through the residual sweetness on the finish.”

“Hints of cucumber and orange marmalade mingle within the pine and dank notes to create a compelling aroma. The sip brings wet grass and malt-soaked tea, hints of citrus and fruit, and a firm, enveloping bitterness. A bit thin to deliver the full package; the mild malt character and dialed-down intensity temper it a bit too much.”

Leave understatement to the lagers. These big, estery wheats celebrate the fine flavors of rich fermentation.

**Aroma:** “Medium strong malt aroma with toast and biscuits. Caramel with some melanoidin character. Subtle hops in the background. Some earthy and woody notes. Clean lager profile.” **Flavor:** “Rich, sweet melanoidin malt. Caramelly and full, the crispy toast malt is followed by ethanol and reasonable hop flavor. Hop bitterness balances the malt nicely. Hop flavor is somewhat piney. Finish is dry with some warmth. Less of a malt bomb than the nose implies.” **Overall:** “Slightly harsh, lingering hop bitterness combined with the rather sweet malt profile makes this beer fully flavored. Beautiful in the glass. Very pleasant, but a bit alcoholic. A well-made Vienna lager.”

“Neutral aroma with a light hint of green apple. Malt-forward with a surprising hint of nutty brown bread. Understated, but surprisingly full malt flavor. Spicy hops with a wisp of stealthy bitterness are just enough to keep the malt sweetness in check.”

The National Audubon Society is working with brewers in the Delaware River Watershed to keep waterways clean so that customers can continue to drink great beer and birds don’t lose their habitat.

Here are five porters that exemplify the best of America’s own approach to this dark and drinkable style.

Aroma: “Overall quite simple, subtle, and clean. Some Continental malt notes, slight grassy character. Fruity floral, slightly perfumy, subtle sweet, spicy, and peppery hops aromas. Minimally present biscuit and bready malt.” Flavor: “Slightly pine-like and resinous hops flavors that become more perfumy and herbaceous as they linger. A slight ‘papery’ or cardboard-like flavor that isn’t quite oxidization. Subtle sweet malt flavors or sweet bread and biscuit. Finishes fairly dry and lightly bitter. A very subtle metallic characteristic on the finish.” Overall: “Fairly well-balanced classic-style beer. A few metallic and soapy notes took away from an otherwise solid and easy-drinking beer.”

“Light bready aroma shows just a hint of graininess, with subtle orange and lemon. Moderately low bready base supports moderate orange and light lemon flavor. A medium-low floral hoppy character adds complexity. A light bitterness balances and lingers into a fruity finish.”

“Intensely fruited nose. Both cranberry and orange are distinctive throughout. The cranberry flavors blend well with the citrus notes and create a nice sweet/tart counterplay. Finish is tart and crisp, with a nice cranberry bite. Despite the brighter tartness from the cranberry, the overall impression is bit clunky.”

“Pineapple notes jump out immediately; as they blend with the strawberry, they create a fun tropical-punch character to the aroma. Similarly, in the sip, the pineapple hits first and allows the strawberry to accompany. Sweet on balance. Finish is fruity, sweet, with some pithiness on the end to add structure.”

“Milk chocolate, light roast coffee, and smooth dark malt nose. A delectable roast and a touch of sweetness that balances. A smooth mouthfeel rounds out everything and makes this beer even more enjoyable. A perfect breakfast beer. An easy-drinking dry stout.”

Here are those rarest of drinks—products of studious craftsmanship and persistent tinkering, balancing great character with great drinkability. Once again, here are the pinnacles of the craft.