Busted Knuckle, Gray's Brewing Company

Paul Ryan and Joe Biden went toe-to-toe last week in the only vice presidential debate of this year’s U.S. election.  How did his image hold up?  It was pretty easy to bolster his little guy motif when his opponent, 27 years his elder, kept giving that smile that says, “I remember when I was young and stupid!”  He also reminded us of his style of half truths early on by tying the fortunes of the entire country to one, unglamorous city in Pennsylvania.  So pretty much no change.  My last two beers from Gray’s Brewery in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin didn’t quite capture the man who is running to be the next VP.  Therefore I am giving it one more shot with an Irish Red.  While the company’s own description doesn’t seem to match the Ryan motif, the name conjures up images of the debate he just contested.  On to Busted Knuckle!

Nice pour!

This beer is really quite red.

It forms a very nice head.

If you wanted a bite,

You’ll find no delight.

It’s malty and sweet instead.

This is not going well.  Busted Knuckle tastes even less like Ryan than Bully Porter and the Oatmeal Stout.  I don’t feel busted up at all.  It is indeed Irish, but if its finger joints are damaged, it’s from hand-kneading dough for bread to be donated to homeless orphaned children.  This beer couldn’t hurt a fly, in the exceedingly rare case it ever felt the need to.  Far from a young gun in his fighting prime, I’m seeing an old grandpa who sticks his foot in his mouth, but in an endearing sort of way.  Wait a minute...

What?  Can it really be?

Yes.  Busted Knuckle is Joe Biden.  Which means Biden must be from Janesville.  Which means Ryan must actually be from Scranton!  Now to find a microbrewery there.  Does anybody know where one is?  Preferably near the Dunder Mifflin office.