Axes of Evil is a fence mender. Despite the massive flying skull
on the side, Indiana's Three Floyds Brewing didn't make half
this beer. ("I didn't even know that happened," said the guy who
picked up the phone in Munster.) But who could blame Portland's
upstart Gigantic Brewing for plastering the much-lauded
brewery's logo on this English pale ale? Gigantic has been
brewing in its industrial facility for only a few months, and
its owners were trained by Rock Bottom and Hopworks, so this
collaboration is a coup. Gigantic's Van Havig might thus quell
the minor furor that erupted after his friend Nick Floyd dissed
Portland beer in the Chicago Tribune back in April. ("Look at
Portland. It's still based on Willamette and Cluster [hops].
It's the same fucking beer you were drinking 30 years ago!")
Thus far, this is the best brew I've had from Gigantic—smooth
and bright, with clean resiny flavor—but, don't be fooled, it's
no Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale.