Stickmen Brewing Company Red Kit NW Red Ale

76 IBU 7.0% ABV
Beer Advocate score - n/a
Untappd score 3.67/5

22B. American Strong Ale

A strong, full-flavored American ale that challenges and rewards the palate with full malty and hoppy flavors and substantial bitterness. The flavors are bold but complementary, and are stronger and richer than average strength pale and amber American ales.

For this weeks brew, I hopped over to The Beir Stein Bottle Shop & Pub, an Institution in Eugene, Oregon since opening in July of 2005.  This is the place where I go to stand in awe of all the beers that are available to drool over and every body present understands all the feelings rushing through your body and leaves you alone. If I am feeling extra rich, I will splurge and buy a nice, expensive bottle to bring home. This time, I reached for a middle of the road $7 bottle from a brewery I had never heard of... Stickmen Brewing Company's Red Kit. I just love NW Red Ales. Don't you? On to the scores!


Aroma: Hop forward with a nice grapefruit presence. Slightly sweet on the back end.  7.9

Appearance: Nice dark red, hazy brew with a thick foamy, creamy, persistent head tinted with a little red from the brew itself.  7.8

Flavor: Citrusy hoppiness at the forefront that give way to a slightly sweet biscuit maltiness. The hops drive through to lend a bit of a bitter aftertaste.  8.1

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and lingers slightly. Not under-carbonated but could have a little more.  7.5

Overall: From a brewery I had never heard of before, this was a solid offering. If this is an indication of what I can expect from their brews, I'm all for it. Red Kit is a nicely balanced, hop forward beer that will keep you coming back for more. The slightly sweet biscuit reminds me of an autumn evening right before the chill sets in. Definitely a must for this time of the year.  7.8

Matt's mark: 3.91/5

This weekend was all about inspiration in the kitchen (as well as Duck football per usual). My lovely wife has been canning and roasting tomatoes all week (I am pretty sure this is why she is sick this weekend). We had so many tomatoes, I decided to spend some time making a yummy dinner... and also do some pickling (not tomatoes 'cause that would be gross, cucumbers from the in-laws garden) which is a first for me. On top of that, I decided to try and capture my own yeast from the pear tree in the backyard (the jury is still out on that one; update next week). I stewed tomatoes with herbs from the garden to make a wonderful sauce for Spanish rice, boiled and then roasted mini golden potatoes and then cooked chicken thighs with herbs and grapefruit... I must admit, I outdid my usual performance in the kitchen. Even my teenage, first year of college, daughter liked it. In between all this, I managed to drink the Red Kit. It's quite unusual to come across a beer that is not scored on beer advocate but I am pretty sure the drinkers from Untappd have no clue what they are talking about. Really? A 3.67? That is waaaaay to low. If you are in the Tualatin, Oregon area (basically Portland), I highly recommend you stop by and grab a brew. If you can't make it, request your local bottle shop to carry it. Delicious!