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Beer Reviews

Bad Ass American Lager

Michigan Brewing Company
Webberville, MI
USA
http://www.michiganbrewing.com/

Style: Lager
ABV: 5%

Rings’s Rating:
   (Not good.)


Comments:
Michigan Brewing Company has long done a bit of contract work, and this has only expanded with the move to their new brewing facility several years ago. Many craft brew fans are aware that they’ve picked up the Celis labels from Miller Brewing (including Celis White & Pale Rider Ale), after its original owners—the same family that founded Hoegaarden Brewery in Belgium—closed their Austin, Texas brewery and sold the brands to the big house in Milwaukee. They’ve also worked with several other labels, including Wolverine and Sergeant brands in Michigan.

One of the difficulties encountered in a brewhouse doing too many things can be inconsistency. Multiple yeast strains, wavering brewing and lab techniques, and suspect identities can all lead to occasional issues.

This past summer, rock ‘n’ roller and ex-Mr. Pamela Anderson Kid Rock made a splash with the launch of his American Bad Ass Beer Company and their Bad Ass American Lager. The brand is also being contract brewed by Michigan Brewing Company. Unfortunately, it’s as bad as its label implies and not in a good way.

I sampled …er, choked down a pint on my last visit to MBC, and one can see what it’s trying to be: a full bodied, but non-offensive American-style light lager. Unfortunately, I could barely get my nose past the offensive DMS to actually take a sip. I don’t know if the diacetyl rest took, either, as the flavors of creamed corn and butter overwhelmed any malt or beer flavor.

It could have been a bad day at the office or perhaps there was just an issue in that keg, I don’t know, but in any event, I can’t recommend this one. I can only hope they get things cleaned up before they plan any wide releases of this stuff.

They do have a website separate from MBC, which can be found at AmericanBadAssBeer.com, although most of it is still “under construction.”

One mug. Barely.

Reviewed by Rings on March 29, 2010.

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