Pioneer/Wisconsin Brewing Company - Wisconsin Rainbow Red Ale

Rainbow Red is brewed with a combination of two row Pale "Briess", Caramel and Belgian aromatic malts. The brewery hops this well-balanced American Red Ale generously with both Willamette and Nugget hops in two additions to the boil. Look for a deep red color in this medium-bodied, filtered Red Ale. We found the nose to be a predominantly floral hoppiness with some sweet caramel maltiness evident. Note a well-balanced spicy nugget hop and caramel malty character in the body and a very prominent spicy Willamette hop finish. Overall, a very nice red ale. You’re gonna like it!

So you’ve got one from California, now how about something from the Midwest? The Wisconsin-based Pioneer Brewing Company puts mainstream Midwest beers like Old Style and Stag to shame! The Pioneer Brewing Company has a fascinating and somewhat misfortunate history.

In 1856, Ulrich Oderbolz founded the original brewery in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Tragedies dogged the Oderbolz family. In the late 1880’s, Charlie Oderbolz fell into a boiling vat of beer. The teenage son of Ulrich Oderbolz managed to pull himself from the vat but died hours later. His father only survived him by a few years. In 1900, Frank Oderbolz, the eldest son of the founder, took over operation of the brewery. Frank Oderbolz drowned in a boating accident at the falls themselves 11 years later and the family subsequently sold the brewery to local businessmen. The brewery reopened as The Badger Brewing Company, but was closed shortly thereafter during due to that prohibition thang.

Brothers Dave and Jim Hellman purchased and refurbished the old building in 1996 and renamed the brewery back to the Pioneer Brewing Company. By June of 1997, their first beers were ready for sale. And now, over 140 years later Pioneer Brewing Company continues the tradition, offering beers brewed at the original location. In 1998 Pioneer purchased the Wisconsin Brewing Company brands and moved production from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin back to the Black River Falls site. Today Pioneer produces Pioneer Pale Ale, Pioneer Lager and Black River Red under the Pioneer label. Badger Porter, Whitetail Cream Ale, Rainbow Red Ale and Woodchuck Wheat are produced under the Wisconsin label.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (715) 284-7553 or check out their web site at www.cuttingedge.net/~pioneer.