Founded in 2010, Stillwater is an original nomadic beer project that utilizes the traditional brewery as if it were a studio - a place where beer becomes a canvas for creation, collaboration, and experimentation. For it’s founder Brian Strumke, nomadic brewing isn’t simply a job title. It’s a way to tell stories, engage with the world at large, and move through it on his terms.
In 2011, Strumke woke one morning to find himself anointed as one of the top new brewers in the world by Ratebeer.com - a proclamation that would change the trajectory of his life forever. Over the last 10 years, he built and scaled Stillwater® into an international business, capturing broad attention with it’s multidisciplinary approach and award-winning products crafted worldwide.
Formerly known as Stillwater Artisanal. Brian is from Baltimore, MD but has relocated to Seattle. Stillwater was tied to the Brooklyn, NY scene and importer / brewery Twelve Percent. Beers have been brewed at various breweries, but with many coming out of Twelve Percent's North Haven, CT brewery. Now Brian has brought Stillwater to the state of Washington and set down roots. Stillwater beers are brewed at Talking Cedar as of late 2023/early 2024.
A dozen years after pioneering the “nomadic brewing” model, Stillwater® has planted roots in the Pacific Northwest. For the first time, all production of its inventive and style-bending beers is concentrated at one location under founder Brian Strumke’s oversight and control: Grand Mound, Washington’s Talking Cedar. Opened by the Chehalis Tribal Enterprises in 2020, Talking Cedar is a 35,000-square-foot complex that houses a state-of-the-art brewery with a 60-barrel brew house, rows of 120-barrel fermenters, and multiple oak foedres.
Bottle at home. Aroma is floral, grassy hops, spicy peppery yeast, white pepper, grainy malt, some herbal and peachy notes with a touch of bubblegum. Flavour is light sweet and moderate bitter. Body is medium. A tasty floral yeast delight.
Can. Clear pale red brown with a modest off white head. As much woody and funky as fruity with some leaves and stems as well as fruit from the cherries. Some boot polish. Light bodied, slight creamy. Off dry but quite sour with medicinal notes and the tiniest hint of nail polish.
From tap at Avenue Pub, New Orleans. Fruity and yeasty aroma with citrus, grass, some peach and bubblegum, lychee, mild esters. Sweetish flavour with a hoppy bitterness. Body is medium. Nice hoppy Saison.
Can from 504 Craft Beer Reserve, New Orleans. Aroma is roasted malt with chocolate, caramel, molasses, bit sugary, mild liquorice, hint of coffee. Flavour is pretty sweet with a moderate roasty bitterness. Body is medium to full. On the sweet side with molasses and some liquorice but not to the point of becoming a nuisance, the chocolate is nice. Sweet but good.
Can from Drankenhandel Leiden. Aroma is tropical fruits, fruity hops, grapefruit, bit candied fruits, a little herbal dankness, light pale malt, citrus, grass, some mango. Flavour is a little sweet with a moderate to medium bitterness. Body is medium. Bit modest in aroma and flavour, no hop bomb, that being said this is a pleasant soft IPA with a little dankness. Light and easy.
Can from Drankenhandel Leiden. Aroma is fruity and tropical with lots of slightly tart mango, passion fruit, fruity hops, zesty citrus, orange peel, and grapefruit. Flavour is light sweet, slightly tart and moderate bitter. Body is medium. Lovely tropical fruit bomb that doesn't fall into the trap of artificiality.
Can from Drankenhandel Leiden. Strong grape aroma with oak, tart red fruits, raspberries, red wine, vinous. Flavour is quite tart and mild sour with a little sweetness. Body is medium. Very vinous and grapey, pinot noir, red wine.
Can from Drankenhandel Leiden. Aroma is fruity and spicy with citrus, mango, fruity hops, subtle green chili, light malt, and orange. Flavour is sweetish with a nice bitterness. Body is medium. Quite satisfactory blend of fruity hops and a light spicy chili element, not burning at all, rather 'green' chili influence with the fruity hops taking the lead position.
Can from Drankenhandel Leiden. Aroma is strong tart fruits with ample tart plum, lacto, stone fruits, citrus, soft wheaty malt, and a touch of dry hopping. Flavour is quite tart and mild sour with a medium body. Typical lacto kettle sour character but I dig them tart plums.
Can from Drankenhandel Leiden. Aroma is fruity and piney hops with citrus, pine resin, sweetish orange, ripe tropical fruits, some caramel malt, mango, stone fruits, peach. Flavour is pretty sweet with a moderate bitterness. Body is above medium. On the sweet side, very fruity, feels heavier than the 8%. A sweet IIPA to sip on.