Country of Origin: United States
Availability: I guess nationwide, since it's from Wisconsin, but I got it in a restaurant (which shall remain nameless for reasons that will soon become obvious) in Connecticut. Supposedly a springtime selection, but here it is January and I scored one.
Price comparison: The same price as all the other bottled beers at the restaurant, which is to say, about twice what one would pay buying a national brand in a store and drinking it at home.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 5½%.
Cute bottle/label? Twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a very attractive metallic gold-and-green label.
Appearance: Light amber with an off-white head. Probably would have poured prettier had the glass been, well, glass. Points off for the plastic cup. (Don't even bother asking if it was chilled, as I will have to laugh at you till juice comes out of my nose. The cup was still warm from the dishwasher. I could weep.)
Scent: Malty citrus, with a little bit of that Milwaukee-ish hops, but only when I smelled the bottle, not the cup.
Flavor: Not as hoppy as most examples of what I consider a "pale ale," but certainly more flavorful than Budweiser and less offensive than Miller.
Impressions: Not particularly interesting, but serviceable and smooth for what it was, a decent value, and probably would have been better right out of the bottle. Went pretty well with the steak and baked potato I had for dinner.
Will I buy this beer again? I wouldn't drink it out of plastic again, and I don't think it's worth buying or drinking as a session beer, but it's got a flavor like what Budweiser would like to be when it grows up. Also, it's good to know I have options next time I want beer when I eat at this restaurant.
Rating:
3 out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: January 13, 2007
