Firestone Walker Stickee Monkey 12OZ

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee 12oz is a bourbon barrel-aged Central Coast quad from Paso Robles, California, bottled at 12.5% ABV. Scoring a near-perfect 99 on BeerAdvocate from over 3,000 ratings and a 99/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing, Stickee Monkee stands as one of the most critically celebrated American barrel-aged ales ever released. Note that this beer has been discontinued by the brewery, making remaining bottles increasingly collectible.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%  |  Origin: Paso Robles, California  |  Style: Central Coast Quad  |  Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Firestone Walker Brewing Company, based in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast, built its barrel-aging program into one of the most respected in American craft brewing. Stickee Monkee began as a component of Firestone Walker's famed Anniversary Ale blends before earning a standalone annual release. The quad was brewed using turbinado brown sugar sourced from Mexico — a deliberate substitution for traditional Belgian candi sugar that imparts the beer's signature deep molasses character. Each batch spent over a year aging in a selection of bourbon barrels sourced from Woodford Reserve, Elijah Craig, and Four Roses distilleries, layering complex oak and spirit notes into the base beer.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark fruit and raisin lead the nose, followed by waves of toffee, toasted oak, and a distinct bourbon sweetness. Subtle cigar tobacco and leather round out a complex, inviting bouquet.

Taste: The entry is rich with molasses and semisweet caramel, quickly giving way to a mid-palate of fig, baker's chocolate, and brown sugar. Bourbon barrel influence emerges prominently as the beer warms, bringing coconut, vanilla, and oaky depth alongside a measured sweetness from the turbinado sugar.

Finish: Long and warming at 12.5% ABV, with lingering tobacco, leather, and toasted oak. A final thread of bourbon-soaked dark fruit slowly fades, leaving a dry, lightly smoky impression.

How to Drink Stickee Monkee

Pour into a tulip glass or snifter at cellar temperature (50–55°F) to allow the barrel character and dark fruit complexity to fully express. This is a sipping beer — the 12.5% ABV and layered flavor profile reward patience and small pours. Given its intensity and rarity, Stickee Monkee is best enjoyed on its own rather than in cocktails or mixed drinks.

Best For

• Gifting a serious craft beer collector or barrel-aged ale enthusiast
• Cellar aging alongside other vintage-dated American strong ales
• Special-occasion pours on anniversaries or milestone celebrations
• Side-by-side tastings comparing bourbon barrel-aged quads and Belgian quads

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Stickee Monkee taste like? Stickee Monkee delivers profound molasses and semisweet caramel up front, followed by dark fruit, baker's chocolate, and prominent bourbon barrel character including oak, coconut, and tobacco. The finish is long and warming with lingering leather and smoke.

How does Stickee Monkee compare to Firestone Walker Parabola? Both are flagship barrel-aged releases from Firestone Walker and key components of the brewery's Anniversary Ale blends. Parabola is an imperial stout — darker, more roast-driven, and intensely chocolatey — while Stickee Monkee is a quad built around molasses sweetness, dark fruit, and a more pronounced Belgian-inspired sugar character.

Is Stickee Monkee good for sipping neat? Stickee Monkee is purpose-built for slow, contemplative sipping at cellar temperature; its layered bourbon barrel complexity and 12.5% ABV reveal new dimensions as it warms in the glass.

Where is Stickee Monkee made? Stickee Monkee was brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, California, a Central Coast region better known for wine production but home to one of the country's premier barrel-aging beer programs.

What foods pair well with Stickee Monkee? Braised short ribs complement the beer's molasses depth and barrel richness. Dark chocolate truffles echo its baker's chocolate notes. Aged Gouda mirrors the caramel and toffee character. Pecan pie aligns with the brown sugar and bourbon sweetness. Smoked brisket bridges the tobacco and oak tones in the finish.

What sizes does Stickee Monkee come in? Stickee Monkee was released in 12oz bottles, typically sold individually as a specialty barrel-aged offering.

Is Stickee Monkee worth the price? Stickee Monkee positions as a premium barrel-aged specialty release, and its dual 99-point scores from BeerAdvocate and Craft Beer & Brewing place it among the highest-rated American ales ever produced. With the beer now discontinued, remaining bottles carry additional collectible value.

Why Stickee Monkee?

Few American barrel-aged beers have earned the kind of critical consensus Stickee Monkee achieved — a 99 on BeerAdvocate from thousands of reviewers and a matching 99/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing. The use of Mexican turbinado brown sugar in place of traditional Belgian candi sugar gave this quad a molasses-rich identity that no other barrel-aged quad replicated. Extended aging in premium bourbon barrels from Woodford Reserve, Elijah Craig, and Four Roses added layers of oak, coconut, and spirit warmth that elevated it well beyond the Belgian style it drew inspiration from. With production now ended, Stickee Monkee represents a closed chapter of Firestone Walker's celebrated barrel program — and a benchmark that defined what American quad-style ales could achieve.