Big Axe Salivator Doppelbock

 Big Axe Salivator Doppelbock. 7.9 %, 24 IBU, Big Axe Brewing, Nisswa, Minnesota. 

Clear, caramel-toned, nice slice of tan head atop.

In the nose: sweet and malty. Toffee and caramel. Delightful.

In the mouth: rich and delicious. Warm, full-bodied, more flavors of toffee, caramel, nougat. Liquid candy bar. I am enjoying this treat and will probably go back for more. Yu-um. 

Traditional German style winter lager with rich flavor.  This brew is defined by intense malt & bread notes, along with mild hints of caramel, chocolate and a slightly sweet finish.

Big Axe Triple Double double dry-hopped triple IPA

 Big Axe Triple Double (double dry-hopped triple IPA)

10.5 % ABV, 100 IBU. Big Axe Brewing, Nisswa, MN. 

Clear, bright golden hue, slim, but lasting ivory head. 

In the nose: intense citrus, ripe lemon and grapefruit, candied orange, big and raw.

In the mouth: All that and more on the palate, citrus, tropical notes, stone fruit and then some. Orange, pineapple, apricot. Higher alcohol roars in from the start. Body is lean and light, malt is meager and mellow. High hops, big bitterness. Finishing soft and dry. 

This is damned good stuff. I would never turn one away. 

Although, I must make one criticism. Spruce up your labels, guys. If you're going to market, put something pretty on your cans. Someone at the brewery must have a cousin with design skills, or a regular at the taproom, or ...anything's better than "comic sans" taped to the front. 

Double dry hopped (DDH) New England style Triple IPA clocks in at 10.5 %ABV and is loaded with hop flavor and aroma, including intense orange, pineapple and tropical notes along with soft bitterness and mild alcohol warm.

Big Axe Stoutrageous Peanut Butter Stout

Big Axe Stoutrageous Peanut Butter Stout.

6.8% ABV. 44 IBU. Big Axe Brewing, Nisswa, MN. 

Strictly ebony hued, completely opaque, thin ring of a roasted brown head.

In the nose: There's the sweet, peanutty-ness right out of the gate. Chocolate lingers just below. 

In the mouth: Chocolate and peanut butter are at it again, moderate bitterness is here for balance, too. Not too sweet, not too strong, not too anything. Medium bodied, long lasting flavors, subtle finish. 

If you're looking for the most peanut butter, or the thickest stout, this will not qualify. But as it is, it's pretty damned tasty. There's something to be said for restraint. 

Big Axe Santa’s Helper Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Big Axe Santa’s Helper Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.

10% ABV, 45 IBU, Big Axe Brewing, Nisswa, MN.

In my first few weeks at my new job, I was stationed at a register nearby one of the roller shelves, whose end display hosts large format single bottles, mostly from Minnesota breweries. I watched this lone bottle of a Christmas-themed barrel-aged imperial stout sit by itself in the middle of September, and I had to wonder if it had been there all year long. September is rather early to release a beer named for Santa or his helper. But, I was informed that it was new, and we had sold all but this one. I've been happy with most of the Big Axe output, so I plunked down the $20 for the single 750 ml bottle, something I rarely do. And then I sat on it until just now. Let's look at those notes. 

Strictly ebony, completely opaque, beautiful ring of brown foam serves as cap.

In the nose: Boom. OK, cocoa,  coffee, vanilla, dark fruits, cherries, raisins. It’s a big one.

In the mouth: Thick, rich, bittersweet. Fat and woody. Full bodied. Edging towards the fruitier side of the Imperial Stout in this one. And it could use a fuller body. Yeah, I said full, but it’s not quite full enough. 

This could be better, but I still enjoy it. Tasty. Roasty. But just a little short of what I really want.

And this is why I so rarely spend $20 or higher on new single bottles, if you don't know what you're getting. I can't find further information on this one. There's no entry on Untapp'd, or BeerAdvocate, but other barrel aged stouts, yes, just nothing with this name. Wondering how many they released.

No matter, I say give it another try, and give it a little something extra next time. 

Big Axe Axe Kicker Double IPA

Big Axe Axe Kicker Double IPA.
Proudly brewed in Nisswa, MN.
9% ABV. 100 IBU.

$12.99 for 6 12 oz. cans at South Lyndale Liquor. That's cheaper than Sticker Fight, and a whole hell of a lot cheaper than the trendy ones, the milkshakes and the hazies and such.
But, how's it taste?

First, though, how's it look?

Clear, bright golden hue, pure white head, lasting long. Looking great.

In the nose: Pine and citrus present and accounted for. A little on the shy side, though.

In the mouth: Hops blast the palate from first sip, growing as we go. Big fruit, juicy, spilling out orange and grapefruit, turning bitter and dry. Right amount of bitterness here, fresh and lively, definitely downable and downright delicious. And getting delicious-er and delicious-er, while the alcohol rises up. Everything is in it's perfect place.

Man, I'm digging this one. The first five cans went down so nice, and I saved the last can for the torturous task of taking notes. This is delivering everything I want in a double IPA: clean, mellow, full of hop flavor, tons of bitterness, not too much malt. And just enough booze, if not more than enough. I'm going to keep adding it to the fridge. Big Axe Axe Kicker, you're in the repertoire.

This 6-pack is actually the second time I've had this beer, the first being nearly four years ago when I saw the brewery in Nisswa. I ended up not writing a blog post about that visit, for reasons still unexplained. It vexes me to this day. That was a hell of a fun day: Roundhouse in Brainerd, then Gull Dam and Big Axe, and then a fourth one. Who was it? It'll come to me, I'll figure it out...
(Just checked my data: Jack Pine in Baxter was the second stop. What a day!)

Loads of Amarillo and Citra Hops are heaped into this one. A crisp, light malt bill lets the juicy citrusy, tropical hops flavors and aromas shine through. The smooth bitterness balances the rich hop flavors.

Big Axe Agropelter Mosaic Pale Ale

Big Axe Agropelter Mosaic Pale Ale.
6.2 % ABV. 49 IBU.
Big Axe Brewing, Nisswa, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Bold citrusy aromatics: big lemon and lime. brash grapefruit.

In the mouth: There it is, on the palate. Brief bitterness leads right to juicy. Medium bodied, long bitter finish. Smooth as it gets, easy drinking, mellow. Lean malts, moderate hops. Citrus fruit and bits o' berries, popping on the palate. You can pass the time away with a few of these.

Nice pale ale. Glad I've still got a few left.


Light-bodied and delicious single-hop pale ale. With a light malt backbone consisting of pilsner and 2-row malts, the hops really take center stage in this beer. It’s packed full of flavor and aroma, containing hints of grapefruit and tropical fruit.

Thanks for all that information, but I still need to know what an "agropelter" is. Someone who throws things angrily?

Big Axe Splinter Cat IPA

These notes have been sitting in wait for far too many weeks, while I wondered if I should combine them with my MN Breweries report on the brewery. Jason and I visited Big Axe on Sunday, August 21, 2016, after Roadhouse, Jack Pine, and Gull Dam. What a day that was. And I've decided to wait and wonder no more, posting this, but plotting to get to that report as well, a little bit farther down the line. Here we have notes on Big Axe Splinter Cat IPA:


Big Axe Splinter Cat IPA. Big Axe Brewing, proudly brewed in Nisswa, MN. 6.3% ABV. 63 IBU.

To the eye: Slightly hazed, murky amber-ish coloring, off-white froth atop.

In the nose: Fruit and funk. Stone fruit, pitted fruit, much malt. A little bit odd, this one. A little herbal....not at all typical. huh.

In the mouth: Bitterness hits first, followed by fruit, then sweet turns to dry. Medium body, longish, bitter finish. Funky malt, but not in the usual meaning. There's something off about this one. Not unpleasant, but not pleasing, either. I so want to like it, for I had a good experience at the taproom last year. But I have to call it as I see it. This one needs to go back to the ol' drawing board. As it is, it's a very mediocre India Pale Ale.

 I'll keep trying the Big Axe canned efforts, hoping for better success.

I wonder what a "splinter cat" is? Must have a logging connection. I Googled. It does.  I didn't need to Google, though. The label tells us this: "The splinter cat will hurl itself from tree to tree, smashing the trunks to pieces, revealing the tasty morsels inside."