Beer Guide: Aqueduct Brewing

Robert Hernandez had caught the homebrewing bug. After meeting some fellow dads at his daughter’s school who dabbled in the craft, he joined a few brewing groups and collaborated with buddies on beers that even his wife, Sara, a non-beer drinker, liked. In 2014, the couple opened Aqueduct Brewing after Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. owner John Najeway told them about a spot inside the same building as his top-tier brewery. The Hernandezes’ taproom feels homey with patchwork bricks, a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture and a rotating list of 10 brews such as a tart watermelon orange shandy ($5.50 for 16 ounces), a honey wit ($6 for 12 ounces) and a hazelnut amber ale ($5.50 for 16 ounces). While they’ve graduated to professional brewers, the couple offers one-on-one brewing classes for beginners and beer elitists alike. Our Pick: The Hermes Fluffernutter Porter ($6.50 for 16 ounces) is a silky smooth take on the sweet sandwich with notes of peanut butter and marshmallow cream. 529 Grant St., Akron, 330-606-6583, aqueductbrew.com