Sticke Altbier
Goose Island Beer Co.

Sampled on Tap at GI Clybourne
Ah, a Sticke, my first I believe, can it live up to the regular Alts that I have sampled in Dusseldorf. The beer is a deep amber color and is quite clear, it is topped by a thin tan head. The aroma is fruity and herbal with notes of fruitcake, toasted grain, and strawberries. The taste is light and refreshing, yet full of flavor. It is sweet and has a toasted malt finish to it that seems appropriate. There is a solid fruity component throughout this beer (strawberry again, but also plum and raisin), and it also has a nice bitter finish to it.

The hops are certainly here, yet they are not nearly as prominent as my favorite regular Alts. The maltiness is in full force though, with the fruity spicy hop notes acting in an accentuating/ supporting role to the malt. This is really quite an enjoyable beer, even though I was hoping for something a bit more hoppy.

Even though the menu at Goose Island says that Sticke Alt is usually a unadvertised "secret" beer made by Alt brewers in Dusseldorf to reward its regulars, it doesn't explain that Sticke alts are usually made with more malt and hops and brewed to a higher alcohol percentage. And after tasting it, I see why. At 4.5% abv, its is a little low for a sticke and the hops were nearly non-existent. Aromas were rather off putting with a stale malt aroma dominating. This was a very sweet cloying alt with not enough hops to balance and the aftertaste was reminicient of a ringwood brew. They could just take their Hex Nut Brown ale and call it an alt and be closer to the style.