Maple Nut Brown Ale, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

No Mas. I give up, I have tried the Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale and the biggest conclusion I have drawn from this beer is that I don’t like beers where a good portion from the flavor is nut based. The Tommyknocker wasn’t overly nutty like the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, but it was nutty enough where it threw me for a loop. The Tommyknocker was very sweet, from the maple syrup, yet also very dry. I wish the flavor was a bit more sugary and chocolatey tasting, more of a brown sugar I guess. The 4.5% ABV was solid as I wasn’t looking to knock myself out with one punch. The Maple Nut Brown Ale gets a very even 3.0.

Pick Axe Pale Ale, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, Co.

I have had a pretty good few weeks in the free beer department; it's almost as if Karma is helping me out after dumping all that cash on the Utopias. My amigo Downtown, gifted me some Tommyknocker Pick Axe Pale Ale and I feel quite indebted to him. It's been awhile since I've enjoyed a good American Pale and I was definitely looking forward to putting this one into a tall glass. The Pick Axe poured a nice orange brown color with modest head. The beer led off with a bitter hop first impression, melding into a caramel apple malt hop combination. Finishing with a crisp tasting, solid even bitterness. The Tommyknocker is a great example of how American Pale Ales should be constructed. The 6.2% ABV only solidifies this beer’s standing. Now only if I can get Downtown to gift me a few more! The Pick Axe Pale Ale gets a 4.0