Brickstone APA 12Pk

Brickstone APA 12Pk is a hop-forward American pale ale from Bourbonnais, Illinois, packaged as a 12-pack at 6.25% ABV. This expression earned a Gold Medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival and a Bronze Medal at the 2012 World Beer Cup, establishing it as one of the Midwest's most decorated pale ales.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.25%  |  Origin: Bourbonnais, Illinois  |  Style: American Pale Ale  |  IBU: 45  |  Brewery: Brickstone Brewery

Production & Heritage

Brickstone Brewery operates out of Bourbonnais, Illinois, and has built a reputation around hop-driven ales. The APA is built on a base of light caramel malts and brewed with a trio of American hops — Citra, Centennial, and Amarillo — chosen for their complementary citrus and floral profiles. After primary fermentation, the beer undergoes a four-day dry-hopping phase, a step that amplifies aromatic intensity without adding excessive bitterness beyond its measured 45 IBUs.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with assertive hop character — bright orange zest and grapefruit peel courtesy of the Citra and Amarillo additions. Underneath, soft lemongrass and a touch of pine resin emerge, with a faint bready malt sweetness grounding the bouquet.

Taste: The entry is moderately bitter, delivering classic American hop flavors of citrus and stone fruit across the front palate. At mid-palate, light caramel malt provides a toasty, slightly sweet counterpoint that keeps the beer from leaning one-dimensional. The hop bitterness crests with resinous, oily notes that reinforce the 45-IBU backbone.

Finish: The finish is dry and assertive, with lingering orange zest and a subtle piney bite. Residual malt sweetness fades quickly, leaving a clean bitterness that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Brickstone APA

Pour into a shaker pint or tulip glass at around 45–50°F to let the dry-hopped aromatics open fully. This beer drinks well on its own, but its balanced malt-to-hop ratio also makes it a capable cocktail and mixed-drink ingredient. A Pale Ale Shandy with fresh lemonade plays off the citrus hop character naturally. A Beer-a-Rita — blending the APA with lime juice and a salted rim — leverages the resinous bitterness against bright acidity. A Hop Drop, pairing a shot of citrus vodka dropped into a half-pint of the APA, amplifies the orange and grapefruit notes already present.

Best For

• Stocking the fridge for a backyard cookout with hop-loving friends
• Introducing craft beer newcomers to a well-balanced, approachable pale ale
• Bringing a 12-pack to a tailgate or game-day gathering
• Pairing with grilled food at a casual dinner party

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Brickstone APA taste like? Brickstone APA leads with bold citrus and stone fruit hop flavors supported by a light caramel malt backbone, finishing dry with resinous pine notes. The 45 IBUs deliver firm bitterness without overwhelming the palate.

How does Brickstone APA compare to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale? Sierra Nevada Pale Ale — widely regarded as the benchmark for the American pale ale style — relies heavily on Cascade hops for its signature floral and grapefruit profile at 5.6% ABV. Brickstone APA runs slightly stronger at 6.25% ABV and uses a Citra, Centennial, and Amarillo hop bill with a four-day dry hop, producing a more intensely citrus-forward and aromatic character.

Is Brickstone APA good for beginners? Yes — its moderate 45 IBUs and caramel malt sweetness make it more approachable than aggressively bitter IPAs, while still delivering enough hop complexity to satisfy experienced craft beer drinkers.

Where is Brickstone APA made? Brickstone APA is brewed at Brickstone Brewery in Bourbonnais, Illinois, a small city in Kankakee County about 50 miles south of Chicago.

What foods pair well with Brickstone APA? Grilled burgers and bratwurst match the malt sweetness and cut through char. Fish tacos with citrus slaw echo the hop-driven orange and grapefruit notes. Sharp cheddar cheese contrasts the bitterness with rich, tangy fat. Spicy buffalo wings benefit from the carbonation and dry finish, which cleanse the palate between bites. Roasted chicken with herbs aligns with the subtle pine and lemongrass undertones.

What sizes does Brickstone APA come in? The 12-pack is the standard retail format for Brickstone APA, consisting of 12-ounce cans.

Is Brickstone APA worth the price? Brickstone APA positions as a solidly mid-range craft pale ale, and its dual medals from the 2012 Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup — plus a 94-point score from Tastings.com — represent strong value relative to its price tier.

Why Brickstone APA?

Two major competition medals in a single year — Gold at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival and Bronze at the 2012 World Beer Cup — put Brickstone APA in rare company among Midwest-brewed pale ales. The four-day dry-hopping regimen with Citra, Centennial, and Amarillo hops produces an aromatic intensity that punches well above what many standard pale ales deliver. At 6.25% ABV and 45 IBUs, it occupies a sweet spot between sessionable pale ales and full-strength IPAs, giving it range as both a standalone sipper and a food-pairing companion. For drinkers looking beyond the coastal craft beer establishment, this Illinois-brewed APA has the credentials and the flavor to back up its reputation.