Cranky Reviews

Stern Cardinal, angry Cardinal, hungry cardinal.

You’ve got the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Blue Jays, the Ravens, the Falcons, the Seahawks and the Eagles. Then there are the Hawks and the Orioles. And not just the ducks, the Mighty Ducks, and if you want to put a bird on ice make it a Penguin. It seems like Major League sports are for the birds.

Bicycle’s Stubborn Cardinal is a major beer leaguer, but this isn’t just any cardinal, this stubborn cardinal has me seeing red with way too much head. Lots of froth to blow off this one. Below the half a hand of head there is a light to dark golden orange body. A juicy hoppy citrus funk of an aroma, all that and a bag of chips to go. Busy nose. First taste provides a full mouthfeel with a nice tropical fruit body, then the malt and bitters kick in for a junk in the trunk funk fest with some dank in the tank to boot. More swigs required to figure out this busy bird. Everything is mellowing out a bit including me, but all in balance (not including me).

Sometimes I have a rating in mind after a few swigs, the final rating taking into account how a brew evolves of course. But this one with its bitter funk combo had me on the proverbial fence until the bitter end. This one is no cardinal sin, but I wouldn’t say cardinal rules either.