BeerAdvocate is the largest online community of beer enthusiasts anywhere, and they love to rank beers. Not like. Love.
As craft beer has exploded over the last decade, the sheer number of beers for that community to rank has also spiked. For example, there are over 34,000 American IPAs as of this writing. To put that in perspective, that means there are almost as many American IPAs as there are people in Bettendorf, Iowa. The Bettendorf Line, a term we just made up, has never been crossed in the history of American IPA brewing.
Given the competition, and given the natural tendency to chase shiny new things, something remarkable is taking place with BA’s American IPA ranking. Despite a constant influx of new and worthy contenders for the crown, one American IPA has sat atop these rankings for weeks, going on months, going on a full calendar year:
Even though it’s been around for awhile in craft beer terms, Axe Man still turns heads. Its 4.46 rating is the elite of the elite. Look at the top 50 and you’ll see some of the finest craft beers in America, including our own Furious and WET, along with some other local greats — Minnesota represents. Axe Man rules them all with a steady, hop-heavy hand.
Could a group of mischievous Estonian teens get on The Dark Web, skew the ratings, and torpedo Axe Man’s score? Probably. It’s likely happening as you read this. Lowenbrau Dry or the beer your grandpa used to drink before the ulcers kicked in is number one now. But we’ll remember.
Axe Man is available on draft and in 4-packs of 16-oz. cans to all Surly markets. Including Bettendorf.
