Latest Reviews

Double Dry Hopped pseudoSue
Toppling Goliath
Modus Vivendi
Wild Beer Co.
Spaceman
Brewfist

Recent Articles

Outdoor Winter Tippling Tips
Stay safe from the pandemic and stay warm with these winter patio drinking tactics. Shameless
Craft brewer sellouts become as tone-deaf and underhanded as their new overlords. Great Taste Eve
Check out the burgeoning Madison beer scene the night before the best fest in country. Good Beer Makes Good Conversation
The effects of drinking beer worth talking about. The Beers of Walmart
The largest retailer in the world now has its own line of beers. archives »

Beer Reviews

Pick Axe Blonde

Keweenaw Brewing Company
Houghton, MI
USA
http://www.keweenawbrewing.com/

Style: Blond Ale
ABV: 4.8%

Rings’s Rating:
   (Drinkable, but flawed)


Comments:
I covered a bit of KBC’s story in my review of their Lift Bridge Brown.

Today, I gave their entry-offering, Pick Axe Blonde, a try. It’s an American Blonde with a “kiss of the hops” and intended as an introduction brew to the marvelous world of Michigan beer and a nod to the copper mining pioneers of the area. Most likely, the lighter offering was seen as a necessity for their far northern and rural market where macro beer in cans is the traditional beverage of choice.

This is a very basic light ale and, unfortunately, my pour was plagued by DMS, with a thick creamed corn nose that put me off from the initial sniff. A cloudy orange pour, there was a touch of body as it lingered in the glass, but washed down with relative tastelessness.

While it’s most likely intended to be rather “blah” and clean, off flavors proved to me again why craft brewers should not try to beat the big boys at their own game—you can’t out-Bud Light a Bud Light drinker—but stick to producing flavorful brews that are intentionally NOT Bud Light.

Reviewed by Rings on October 18, 2010.

Drinkin’ And Thinkin’

Beer Dorks News

Want to know how healthy the craft beer industry is? As always, look to Portland. Craft pioneer Bridgeport announces sudden closure, adding to a growing list of PDX casualties. Did Anheuser-Busch Chicago offer their shit beer to Cody Parkey before his missed field goal? Because that may explain why he "accidentally" biffed it. Chicago now has the most breweries of any city in the country. Other things Chicago has the most of: murders, mobsters, and Ditkas. Trying to spin it positive, BA releases end of year graphic. Only 5% growth in the craft sector when nearly 1000 new breweries opened? That's a collapse waiting to happen. R.I.P. Tallgrass... another casualty as the regional/national craft beer market continues to get squeezed. Wait... Constellation Brands cut all of the Ballast Point and Funky Buddha sales staff? They merged it with their Corona/Modelo staff?? We're SHOCKED!!! Pizza Beer founder crying about failure of company, blames everyone else. Reminder, the beer tasted like vomit. Try having better ideas or making better products so you're not a failure. It's Bud Light so doesn't really matter, but we expect this beer to be sitting around for awhile. Indiana brewery to open with controversial beer names to "get the conversation going". Translation: taking advantage of serious issues for free publicity. Hundreds of amazing beers in Wisconsin and the Cubs took back the one everyone drinks just because it exists and people have heard of it. How fitting...