What I love most about Fremont Brewing’s Universale Pale is that it finds a middle ground between beer’s two main essences, malt and hops. Floral and aromatic on the nose, sweet yet bitter on the tongue—in the end I have to agree with what Fremont Brewing itself says about it on their website: “This is beer.” Yes, yes it is. 3409 Woodland Park Ave. N., 420-2407, fremontbrewing.com

In a city of damn good beer and many damn fine porters among them, the roasty, malty balance achieved by Stoup Brewing’s Robust Porter elevates it above the competition. Stoup’s brewers treat their beer like wine, paying close attention to the way its flavors develop along the palate and thinking carefully about how the beer looks, smells, and feels in your mouth. That level of detail shows in all their beers, but the Robust Porter is a masterpiece.

1108 N.W. 52nd St., stoupbrewing.com

Read all of our picks for Food & Drink, and explore the rest of this year’s edition of Best of Seattle.