Stillwater is the brainchild of Baltimore native Brian Strumke, whose past life as an internationally renowned electronica DJ and producer led him down a path to crafting some of the world’s most unique and highest rated beers slapped with haute couture can and bottle labels. A homebrewer turned pro in 2010, nomadic brewer Strumke slapped his Stillwater sticker on many a brewery’s cooler around the world before the pandemic nudged him to place roots at the Talking Cedar Brewery & Distillery in Thurston County, Washington. Today, Peaks & Pints presents an in-house flight of Stillwater beers — a flight we’re calling Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Stillwater.
Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Stillwater
Stillwater Cellar Door
6.6% ABV, can
By using Sterling and Citra hops, with a dash of white sage, Strumke created a very intricate saison bursting with flavors. It pours a beautifully big head, and immediately fills the nostrils with scents of yeast, lemon peel, pepper, grains, and even spices. While the first sip will explode with citrus, the beer evens out with grassy and sage notes. Its light carbonation makes bubbles dance on the tongue, but it finishes with a nearly astringent feeling.
Stillwater Filson Rustic Gold
6.8% ABV, can
Paying homage to outdoor outfitter Filson’s Seattle roots and the history of the Pacific Northwest, this West Coast-Style IPA pulls inspiration from the Scandinavian influence during the turn of the 19th century with robust Nordic farmhouse yeast Kveik for unique citrus esters that perfectly compliment the fresh pine and grapefruit notes of the hops.
Stillwater Pacific North Wild
7% ABV, can
Whether in Stratford, Connecticut at Two Roads Brewing or Baltimore, Maryland at Of Love and Regret, Stillwater functioned as more of a living organism than a brewery, led by founder Brian Strumke’s wanderlust to go wherever the road, beer or art took him. He founded the company in 2010 in Brooklyn, or Baltimore, or where ever Strumke happened to be, until the pandemic pushed him to settle in Washington state. Aged in oak with wild yeast, Stillwater’s Pacific North Wild IPA offers vivid flavor and aroma compounds, notably esters, and tastes like candied apricots and oak with a dry, sparkling finish.
Stillwater Extra Loud
7% ABV, draft – can in our cooler
Stillwater’s India pale saison ale Extra Loud brewed with Japanese rice is a collaboration with Dubfire, an Iranian American house and techno DJ and producer. It has effervescent carbonation, right for the style, that is quite prickly. The nose hits with pineapple, mango, and light pine with sweet honey malts and yeasty white breaded notes. Flavors exceed the nose with light cracker, honey, mango, pineapple, pine, and yeasty notes amongst herbal hits. It’s a lovely, hoppy saison.
Stillwater Wavvy Triangle
8% ABV, draft – can in our cooler
As previously mentioned, Strumke is now brewing his Stillwater beers from a permanent location — Talking Cedar Brewery & Distillery on tribal land in Ground Mound, Washington. One of the first beers out of Talking Cedar is his longtime double IPA, Wavvy, but with a twist. Wavvy Triangle is a double international pale ale hopped with Motueka, Waimea, and Nelson Sauvin, and blended with Controlled Chaos v2 yeast blend. It’s delicious.
LINK: Peaks and Pints cooler inventory
