Here’s a surprise! I just enjoyed one of the best beers I’ve imbibed all year, and I got it for a bargain-basement price. What you don’t know yet is that the beer was Hickory Stick Stout from the Olde Hickory Brewery of Hickory, North Carolina. Now that you do, I’d advise you to try this wonderful beer if you ever have the chance.
Amazingly, Olde Hickory has been around since 1994, they this is the first of their beers that I’ve ever tried. I’ve lived in the south since 2001, made multiple trips to North Carolina for beer, but my most recent trip to Asheville (July of this year) was the first to yield me an Olde Hickory brew.
From the label:
Hickory Stick Stout is a complex beauty. Rich, flavorful and aromatic but not overly heavy. Roasted back and chocolate malts give this beer its dark color and robust flavors of coffee and dark chocolate. Pale and crystal malts impart mild sweetness and caramel flavor to balance the intense roasted malts.
Olde Hickory Hickory Stick Stout has an alcohol content of 5% by volume with 57 IBUs. I paid an amazingly low $4.75 for a bomber bottle at Bruisin Ales in Asheville. It was bottled on 4/2/15 and I drank it on 11/5/2015.
Olde Hickory Hickory Stick Stout pours to a dark black but not opaque color with a light chocolate and carmel nose. A thick layer of Brussels Lace forms on the sides of my glass and follows Taking a sip the beer has a medium body with roasty dark chocolate notes at first laced with light caramel and coffee. The beer finishes toasty dry and bitter with a hint of minty grassy bitter hops and an intense roastiness. The more I drink it the more I like it!
I’d rate this one at 4 and ½ out of 5 for style and hedonistic enjoyment plus a 1/2 star bonus for the bargain price. That makes this a perfect 5 out of 5 folks! Don’t miss it…..
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler