Cousin Stoopid
Stickman Brews

A golden, but dullish amber colored brew, this has almost no head after its pouring from a pint can into a clear glass Imperial pint mug. It's more opaque than translucent, but it doesn't go too far over that line. There's very little aroma, unusual for a Belgian Strong Ale, even those made in the States. Slightly undercarbonated, maybe not to a fault, this is an interesting take on the style. That big banana-like yeasty taste is quite subdued. So is the ABV bite, something that's not easy to do within this style. Both characteristics innate to this style are here, they're just not annoying. This is drinkable, even for those that don't particularly like the Strong Belgian style. This brings about the same ABV as another local, Victory's Golden Monkey. That one is unapologetic in its delivery of Belgian yeast and malting, but here, Stickman has brought us something in the same style and same area of ABV, that's more acceptable for those that don't particularly like this category of brewing.

 

 

 

on draft at the brewery in a snifter

clear golden copper in color, thick white head. aroma of herbal spice, Belgian yeast. taste is balanced by some bready malt flavor. thin to medium bodied.

 

Stickman Brews "Cousin Stoopid"
on tap at the brewery on 1 April 2017

Notes: Cloudy golden body beneath a frothy white head. The body looks a little like a hefeweizen. Aroma delivers clove, wheat, "spice", and other phenols like plastic but not in a bad way. The flavor follows the aroma with all of the aforementioned characteristics and an added fruitiness that's got a lot of apple to it, sweet red apples and some tart apples as well. Overall it's sweetish but balanced by the tartness and moderate bitterness. The alcohol is completely hidden. It finishes spicy and dries quickly. Medium-full in body with a dextrinous edge. Creamy smooth with a very fine-bubbled, seemingly natural moderate carbonation. Really nicely balanced and rounded.