Champion Brewing Stickin’ in My IPA
Gimmick, band sponsored or band endorsed beers like this Stickin’ In My IPA from Champion Brewing typically don’t make it into my shopping cart. I think, aside from a couple of Dogfish Head beers, this NOFX collaborative brew may be the only one. So why did I purchase this monster can of brew?
Honestly, I was just really in the mood for a rye IPA and I’m always up for trying something new. It just happens that this 7% ABV and 65 IBU beer also caused me to dig into the old CD (look it up, kids) collection in the process — I own a few of the band’s albums.
As for the beer, it’s brewed with rye and a blend of Simcoe and Falconer’s Flight hops. The result is a fairly pungent IPA with plenty of spicy rye notes to hit the mark.
Appearance
The beer pours golden amber in color with a frothy cap of off-white foam that left behind sticky lacing as it dropped.
Aroma
A load of fruity, indistinct hop notes lead the way for a hint of rye (I wish there was more here), toasted bread and a healthy bit of pine resin.
Taste
Thankfully, the rye that was missing from the nose is more dominant here with a smooth bit of spiciness. The hops have a great fruit character, pine resin and a solid amount of bitterness. Toasted bread and a touch of caramel attempt to balance the hop bite.
Overall
Stickin’ in My IPA is a decent brew. Much like that band as they’ve aged over the years, so too have they mellowed out a bit. That describes this beer well. The spicy rye sot of captures that maturity making this beer more than just a one-dimensional hop bomb. That said, it’s still got a decent hop bite and refreshes nicely.
Rating: 3.75/5
