Homemade Is Best
Stickman Brews

 

 

 

 

There's plenty of carbonation in this one. That's revealed by emptying the contents of a pint can into a clear glass Imperial pint mug. The color is a murky orange-amber and there's a sizable white head. It's a fresh aroma of malt and hops, resinous hops. The taste is mildly sweet with resinous hops that get slightly bitter during the aftertaste. The body is rich, as well as dense and smooth. It's unlikely this has been filtered. This is a very much above average AIPA. It brings all the basic good of the style, namely malt for body and a counterbalancing sweetness, with the bitterness of a well hopped ale. There's only spare glass lacing, but its body is excellent, almost like a New England IPA. The ABV is just about perfect for the style and only augments the overall taste and body.

On tap at the brewery. Poured into a snifter.

Pale yellow/orange, one finger white head, opaque, light lacing, little retention.
Smell: Orange, pineapple, light pine
Taste: Light citrus, bitter pine
Feel: Bitter aftertaste, moderate carbonation, full bodied
Overall: Decent brew

16oz can purchased from the fridge as a 4-pack for $10.99. No canned on date, but I think that it is pretty fresh.

Look: Deep orange color. Almost opaque in the core, transparent on the edges of the glass. A very rocky off-white head has left some spiderwebbed lacing behind.

Smell: A lot of citrus - predominantly orange zest and orange juice. Also some mango and green grassy notes. A bit of chalky chewable vitamin aroma. Fairly simple, not complex nose that is foreshadowing juicy.

Taste: This beer comes off like an interesting cross between an American IPA and a NEIPA. Spritely carbonation, juicy orange citrus notes, and sweetness up front. These are quickly replaced by rindy, pithy bitterness on the mid and back palate. The bitter finish leaves me with no choice but to go back for another sip. I like bitterness in beers. But to me, it's just too bitter and unbalanced. It has this like burnt orange marmalade bitterness that really coats the palate.

Feel: Medium bodied with a slightly oily mouthfeel. Appropriate level of carbonation.

Overall: Not my cup of tea. Perhaps freshness is a factor? Hard to say because there is no canned on date. It's a different take on the ubiquitous juice bomb drop-out all bitterness or west coast IPA.

16 oz can

pours lighter yellow in color, hazy to the point of being opaque, white head. Aroma is grassy, floral, and some citrus. Similar flavors in the taste, with moderate bitterness. Very soft mouthfeel

 

I am SO excited to be embarking on a brewery horizontal with these guys in support of The CANQuest (tm)! They have great word-of-mouth among the locals & I keep meaning to visit, but between COVID-19 restrictions & public trans inaccessibility, this is the best that I CAN do. 8=( I also really dig the simplistic artwork of their labels!

From the CAN: "Homemade Is Best India Pale Ale"; "It's a Stickman, just drink it."

I beCAN by Crack!ing open the vent, but having pretty much given up on any ChANce of clarity, I let it kind of free-flow into the awaiting glass. It foamed nicely to form two-plus fingers of foamy, soapy, rocky, off-white head with moderate retention, slowly fading into wisps. Color was a deeply-hazy/ lightly-cloudy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5). Nose was a fruity admixture of (especially) citrusy orange-CANgerine and pineapple as well as a more undefined tropical fruitiness, but it was all relatively subdued, making it tough in terms of getting a handle. Mouthfeel was medium, but barely. It was very close to being thin. The taste was pleasantly fruity, but it lacked the requisite bitterness. It was mostly tropical with some orange citrusiness and, as it warmed, an emerging pine-mint coolness. Finish was semi-dry. I am stunned. I had heard so many good things about these guys & yet, I feel deeply underwhelmed. YMMV.

 

Pale yellow with a murky, slightly milky, unfiltered appearance. Poured with a short, creamy, bright white foam with medium retention. Sweet fruity aromas with sharp grapefruit, lemon peel and nectarine notes. Medium malty aroma beneath the fruitiness. Medium light bodied with medium light carbonation. Soft, silky smooth feel through the middle with mellow warmth in tow. Fruity and light pineapple flavors with over-ripe lemon and malty notes. Medium light bitterness through the middle. Mellow fruity and sweet melon flavors on the back end. Finished with a touch of bitterness followed by malty and dark melon fruit flavors. Great feel and very tasty.