Episode 483 - Wax Wings Brewing

ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

Though they’re maybe not the first brewery that comes to mind when you think of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wax Wings Brewing (est. 2018) flourished during the pandemic with their fresh hazies and complex barrel-aged beers gaining a ton of word-of-mouth momentum that saw many a beer fan traveling just for the opportunity to take home some of their lineup. Count Craig as one of those folks, as he went to Kalamazoo to snag an interview with owner Rob Hopkins and bring back a fun (and boozy) lineup of fresh beers. The highlights here are about as good as anything we’ve had all year, and thanks to that the rankings are as joyfully inebriated as we’ve been in a while. Also, Craig’s got your Guide to Purchasing a Kazoo in Kalamazoo; Ryan’s gonna buy anything that’s “rustic”; and a certain someone has just discovered that “fruit leather” exists. (And thanks to listener Benji for one of the bottles!)

Interview with Rob Hopkins (00:08:08 - 00:26:20)

Beers Reviewed

Cut ‘Em All Down (Rustic American Ale)

Knows Not What It Means (Double IPA)

She The Queen (Triple IPA w/ Michigan wildflower honey)

The Saucefather (Imperial Stout w/ coconut, vanilla beans, and coffee aged in bourbon barrels)

Goodbye Mr. Sun (Barleywine aged in rye whiskey barrels, finished in tequila barrels)