Star Cheek IPA
Tool Shed Brewing
- From:
- Tool Shed Brewing
- Alberta, Canada
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #4,222 - ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #31,861 - Avg:
- 3.68 | pDev: 11.96%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 21
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 18, 2026
- Added:
- Jul 12, 2013
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.05/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.05/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Edmonton 14/7 2018. 35,5 cl can from Aligri Wine & Liquors in West Edmonton Mall. A nice change from Toronto’s austere Beer Stores where I feel like I should wear a brown paperback over my head when purchasing beer. A guy with a Star on the cheek on the can. I assume it makes sense to the guys at Tool Shed.
Pours hazy amber with a medium-sized white head. Settles as a thin layer of foam that is crawling up the side of the glass.
Aroma is pretty modest for an IPA. Mild odor of exotic fruit. Stronger citric notes of grapefruit and lemon.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick, lightly prickly texture.
Flavor is medium sweet. Followed by and balanced by a fruity medium bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter. Finish is semi-dry.
Nice - maybe too nice IPA. No surprises and a bit tame.
Feb 18, 2026Pours hazy amber with a medium-sized white head. Settles as a thin layer of foam that is crawling up the side of the glass.
Aroma is pretty modest for an IPA. Mild odor of exotic fruit. Stronger citric notes of grapefruit and lemon.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick, lightly prickly texture.
Flavor is medium sweet. Followed by and balanced by a fruity medium bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter. Finish is semi-dry.
Nice - maybe too nice IPA. No surprises and a bit tame.
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio
3.81/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.81/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I am trying a pint of this beer off the tapper at the Doubletree just south of the Calgary Airport. It poured a clear copper with white head that is leaving some nice lace. The scent had mild bitter fruit hop notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with bright semi sweet malt base with subtle pineapple, mango and apricot presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.
May 07, 2024
Reviewed by BPVandenbroek from Canada (AB)
3.97/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Star Cheek is crystal clear and light copper in color. The head is rocky, off white, and lasting.
On the nose crisp, peppery hops lead the charge and is supported by the buttery aroma of werther's caramels. Bready, biscuit malts come in here, lending more structural support to the hop centered aroma. Hop aroma builds in the center, becoming more juicy and citrusy in nature and coupled with balancing elements of pine needle.
Star Cheek's mouthfeel is smooth, medium bodied, and rounded. Moderate carbonation crosses my tongue, accentuating the beer's hop profile. Up front flavors of Werther's caramels combine with soda cracker and biscuit malt. These flavors lead nicely into a center where I get just the right amount of earthiness to support and balance the hop profile. Again hops give me oranges, dried orange peel, and elements of pine in the finish.
8 out of 10 feels fair. Star Cheek is a flavorful, balanced, and very assertive west coast IPA. The hop profile is assertive and mouth coating as a good IPA ought to be.
May 21, 2021On the nose crisp, peppery hops lead the charge and is supported by the buttery aroma of werther's caramels. Bready, biscuit malts come in here, lending more structural support to the hop centered aroma. Hop aroma builds in the center, becoming more juicy and citrusy in nature and coupled with balancing elements of pine needle.
Star Cheek's mouthfeel is smooth, medium bodied, and rounded. Moderate carbonation crosses my tongue, accentuating the beer's hop profile. Up front flavors of Werther's caramels combine with soda cracker and biscuit malt. These flavors lead nicely into a center where I get just the right amount of earthiness to support and balance the hop profile. Again hops give me oranges, dried orange peel, and elements of pine in the finish.
8 out of 10 feels fair. Star Cheek is a flavorful, balanced, and very assertive west coast IPA. The hop profile is assertive and mouth coating as a good IPA ought to be.
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand
3.77/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Golden hazy with little slow rising carbonation, and 2 fingers of white head.
Smells of phenols and coriander.
Tastes of fire, slightly sour, phenols, and then a big dull bitterness on the end.
Medium light body with little carbonation.
I got this in Banff, AB and am drinking it in Redding, CA, Aug 31st, 2019. Kind of everywhere in its taste.
Sep 01, 2019Smells of phenols and coriander.
Tastes of fire, slightly sour, phenols, and then a big dull bitterness on the end.
Medium light body with little carbonation.
I got this in Banff, AB and am drinking it in Redding, CA, Aug 31st, 2019. Kind of everywhere in its taste.
Reviewed by kitsgrad84 from Canada (AB)
2.79/5 rDev -24.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.79/5 rDev -24.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Easy drinking mellow hop bite ipa session tasting but a nice kick after a few.
Nice chewy ipa with yes grapefruit citrus, but all the flavours really separate in this brew for a very good tasting. Damn good beer good job
Aug 11, 2019Nice chewy ipa with yes grapefruit citrus, but all the flavours really separate in this brew for a very good tasting. Damn good beer good job
Reviewed by MaltyPythonsHopCircus from Canada (BC)
3.81/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Fruity and floral hop aroma with sweet malt background notes. Fairly assertive hops but backed up by full bodied malt. Relatively easy drinker and goes well with food
Jun 21, 2016
Reviewed by LampertLand from Canada (BC)
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Tool Shed Brewing 'Star Cheek IPA' @ 6.2% , served from free sample 355 ml can
A-pour is gold from the can to a hazey amber in the glass with a small off-white head leaving a streaky lace along the pint
S-hoppy , mostly citrus
T-clean and a certain crispness
MF-ok carbonation , medium body
Ov-ok beer and Alberta IPA
prost LampertLand
May 07, 2016A-pour is gold from the can to a hazey amber in the glass with a small off-white head leaving a streaky lace along the pint
S-hoppy , mostly citrus
T-clean and a certain crispness
MF-ok carbonation , medium body
Ov-ok beer and Alberta IPA
prost LampertLand
Reviewed by Mlkluther from Canada (AB)
3.73/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I don't think this is being contract brewed anymore - I think it's brewed in Calgary now?
Great looking hazy golden orange with lots and lots of head that is off white and sticks around. There is yeast in floating about as well - that doesn't bother me.
I was expecting to get kicked in the face with hops - but it's actually quite mild and balanced. The hops are there at the front in a nice subtle way and then the malt, also subtly, come and back it all up. It's a solid beer - if not uniquely outstanding - very enjoyable
Apr 29, 2016Great looking hazy golden orange with lots and lots of head that is off white and sticks around. There is yeast in floating about as well - that doesn't bother me.
I was expecting to get kicked in the face with hops - but it's actually quite mild and balanced. The hops are there at the front in a nice subtle way and then the malt, also subtly, come and back it all up. It's a solid beer - if not uniquely outstanding - very enjoyable
Rated by derdtheterd from Canada (AB)
4.29/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
New recipe as of October '17. Amazing west coast style IPA. Well done.
Dec 20, 2015
Reviewed by headlessparrot from Canada (ON)
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours a very hazy almost orange-amber colour. A semi-aggressive pour nets a stupid (4+ fingers) amount of head that is dense and pillowy and recedes slowly, leaving a decent amount of lacing.
This IPA leads with the pine resin and vegetal greens, with a noticeable undercurrent of citrus. Is that coriander and anise? Very floral. Biscuity malt, a bit of pepper. There's almost a hint of Belgian character here?
Taste actually has a distinct peanut butter note, so that's strange. A mix of pine, dank marijuana, and very dry grapefruit juice. A bit of pale, crackery, biscuity malt. Finishes dry, herbal. Good body and good carbonation.
Not the best Calgary IPA, but a respectable beer. My preference runs toward more juicy and less piney on the IPA front, but this is quite nice for what it aims to do.
Nov 30, 2015This IPA leads with the pine resin and vegetal greens, with a noticeable undercurrent of citrus. Is that coriander and anise? Very floral. Biscuity malt, a bit of pepper. There's almost a hint of Belgian character here?
Taste actually has a distinct peanut butter note, so that's strange. A mix of pine, dank marijuana, and very dry grapefruit juice. A bit of pale, crackery, biscuity malt. Finishes dry, herbal. Good body and good carbonation.
Not the best Calgary IPA, but a respectable beer. My preference runs toward more juicy and less piney on the IPA front, but this is quite nice for what it aims to do.
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