Tyrrell and I enjoyed this beer after a busy day of work on Tuesday at the Nova. Knowing very little about Stillwater Artisanal Ales, I was intrigued by the label art and overall packaging of Existent. Stillwater Artisanal Ales was started by Brian Strumke, a self taught homebrewer turned professional. He prefers the name "Gypsy Brewer" versus contract brewer as he does not have a brewery of his own to call home. In the past year, he has brewed in seven different breweries in 3 countries. Now if you are like me, you are probably thinking "oh great another homebrewer that thinks he can hack it with the big dogs". But there was something about this overall package/product that sparked an interest and put Stillwater Artisanal Ales on my radar.
Existent falls under the American Farmhouse category (or so it says on the bottle). Upon first pour however, I was a little confused by the dark hue that quickly filled my glass. The light fizzy head screamed of carbonation which immediately made me think of a Belgian Dark ale crossed with a Robust Porter.
The aroma led me to believe that I may not be the only one confused by this beer. I think in a way this beer was confused as well as to exact what it was, just like Chaz Bono in high school. Fruit and funk overwhelmed my nostrils followed by a hint or roasted malt.
The initial taste brought all of my suspicions to rest. An earthy yeast character dominates the palate. I attribute the funk that I smelled earlier to the yeast strain that was used for this particular beer, and the overall farmhouse style. The beer is rounded out by some caramel and roasted malts and a nice dry (on the verge of bitter) finish.
Overall I was impressed by Existent. At 7.4% ABV, it was a very drinkable ale. I could see this as a great patio beer or a reward for a long day of yard work, although I am glad I had a partner to share it with. It was refreshing and well made, but perhaps a bit too young, as I felt the roasted malts and funky fruity esters may have competed with each other a bit. I am interested to see how this beer evolves with a little age on it. All in all, I am looking forward to trying the next offering from Brian Strumke and Stillwater Artisanal Ales.
Cheers!
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