Late last night and the night before, tommyknockers, tommyknockers, knockin’ at the door.

What is a tommyknocker? Some say they’re mischievous little leprechaun-like creatures that pester unfortunate miners; Stephen King turned them into creepy aliens out for world domination in a 1987 horror novel, because that’s just what he does.

But not all tommyknockers are unpleasant; some make damn good beer.

Tommyknocker Brewery was founded in Colorado in 1994, and it won medals for its beers one year later. The company’s breakthrough came in 1997, when it received Great American Beer Festival silver medals for its Butthead Bock and its Pick Axe IPA; The Daily Iowan‘s beer of the week is the latter.

Pick Axe features a piney, grapefruit-tinged nose, much like many other Indian pale ales; the hops in the Tommyknocker variety are particularly pungent, though.

It pours a beautiful dark, hazy orange with a very thin, off-white head that quickly dissolves, leaving a few straggling bubbles behind.

The brew is hoppy, malty, and surprisingly sweet for an IPA; its heavy grapefruit notes combine with a smooth, medium-bodied texture for a nicely bittersweet finish.

Tommyknocker, tommyknocker, can I have some more?

Salud.

— by Seth Roberts