Lift Bridge Brown Ale
Keweenaw Brewing Company


- From:
- Keweenaw Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Brown Ale
Ranked #372 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 80
Ranked #36,829 - Avg:
- 3.48 | pDev: 13.51%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 61
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 24, 2025
- Added:
- Mar 03, 2008
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 7
Reportedly the widest and heaviest double-decked lift bridge in the world, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Houghton and Hancock here in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. So get a lift from this American Brown Ale; a rich, dark brown color, complex malt flavor with hints of chocolate and caramel and a mild hop finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota
3.93/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Pours out dark but largely transparent, brown with just a hint of orange-red in the highlights, off-white head, fading to a minimal cap and lacing.
S - A note of dark bread is out front, honey, molasses, and grassy hop notes act as highlights.
T - Open is molasses bread, dark and sweet, with honey and dark toast in the middle, and soft, slightly dry finish.
M - Moderate weight, clean, and a softly drying close that keeps things moving nicely.
O - A solid, drinkable Brown, quite delicious, and surprisingly clean. I'd pick this one up again.
Nov 24, 2025S - A note of dark bread is out front, honey, molasses, and grassy hop notes act as highlights.
T - Open is molasses bread, dark and sweet, with honey and dark toast in the middle, and soft, slightly dry finish.
M - Moderate weight, clean, and a softly drying close that keeps things moving nicely.
O - A solid, drinkable Brown, quite delicious, and surprisingly clean. I'd pick this one up again.
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.75/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a mug, the appearance was a dark amber close to brown color with a finger’s worth of sustaining white foamy head. Some lace. The aroma had some toast, caramel, toffee, earthy hops, light grassiness. Ends with a little bit of woodiness. The flavor mildly leaned towards the malts trying to pull in some light sweetness. But some light roast and some bitterness came in for a decent balance. Nice malty aftertaste. Some wood dryness and earthy hops in the finish. The feel was about medium bodied with a decent sessionability about it. Good carbonation. ABV felt right. Overall, pretty good brown ale to me. I’d have again if I could get it.
Jun 25, 2017Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan
3.5/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a hazy, brown color with a foamy head that lasts quite a while. Aroma is brown sugar, caramel and malt. Tastes sweet up front. Finishes with a hoppy bitterness.
May 30, 2017Reviewed by mooseisloose from Florida
2.98/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
2.98/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Big bridge. Is the beer as big? Let's give it a whirl. Popping the top I get a waft of molasses and hops. Pours to a deep brown with a tan head that recedes quickly. On the taste this brew is a little thin on mouthfeel up front then starts with earthy hop metallic flavor that is consistent throughout. Not much backbone at all. Hopping is good but where's the malt. I throw this one back, not a keeper.
Sep 24, 2016Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota
3.74/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
This beer pours fairly dark. The head was frothy, but did dissipate fairly fast. The nose is got a maltiness to it. The taste of this beer has a bit of smoke to it. It does feel a bit watery, but not a bad beer at all.
Jul 19, 2016Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
2.58/5 rDev -25.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
2.58/5 rDev -25.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
Could barely tell the difference between their brown, amber and Scottish. All had the same hue, same body, same aroma, same consistency (watery). Nothing memorable here, folks.
Feb 12, 2016Reviewed by thebeerman25 from Michigan
4.23/5 rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.25
appearance-dark brown
smell-smells very sweet. no chocolate or caramel as stated on the can.
taste-has a sweet and smooth taste. easy drinking. no chocolate or caramel as stated on the can
feel-i really dont know
overall-overall its a good beer. my favorite from the keweenaw brewing company.
Nov 14, 2015smell-smells very sweet. no chocolate or caramel as stated on the can.
taste-has a sweet and smooth taste. easy drinking. no chocolate or caramel as stated on the can
feel-i really dont know
overall-overall its a good beer. my favorite from the keweenaw brewing company.
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