The Summit Unchained series continually goes and has interesting interpretations of various beer styles. The series attempts to resurrect some styles that are not as common today, and the 20th effort in the Unchained series, their Sticke Alt, looks to reinvigorate the altbier style (to say nothing about a more esoteric style, the eponymous Sticke Alt, which beefs up the malt and intensity of the parent approach). Summit’s Sticke Alt pours with a dark-brown to reddish color, with a fair amount of offwhite head that is fairly persistent. The initial flavors that can be discerned during Summit’s latest are pretty deep, tying together bits of caramel, dark chocolate, and toffee into a grain-heavy brew.
There is a small amount of hop that can be discerned from the onset, an inclusion that allows the malt to be upfront and strong in the beer without making the overall effort too sweet. The slight bite of this Sticke Alt ensures that one’s palette will be refreshed whenever they take up another sip. The robust style of the Sticke Alt makes this a perfect choice when paired with dried meats, soups, and any sort of strongly-flavored fare. Ratcheting up the alcohol content from the 4-5% mark to the 6.3% which Summit reports gives this effort a much more complex and deep feeling than other beer
We have reviewed other Summit efforts in the past; check out our coverage of Unchained #19: Make It So , Hopvale , Hop Silo, Unchained #17 : Harvest Fresh IPA and Unchained 15: Fest Bier. Make sure to locate your own six-pack of the latest inclusion in the Summit Unchained line before it makes its way off of shelves. For more information about the entirety of Summit’s year-round and seasonal efforts, visit their domain. Additional information about new products and events can be located on their social media accounts.
Rating: 8.0/10
Sticke Alt / Summit Unchained: 20 / 6.3% ABV / 55 IBU / www.summitbrewing.com/ / twitter.com/summitbeer / www.facebook.com/summitbrewingcompany /
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com