Parabola - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage. After lots of seeking, sleuthing, battling, and waiting, I'm finally gonna crack this one. It better be worth the hype and wait. Also gotta thank Visionaries and womencantsail for last year's vintage that I never ended up cracking.

Pours a fairly thick oil level viscosity midnight black syrupy looking beer, with a smaller 1/2 finger fizzy black head that fades fairly quickly, not one photon of light getting through.

Nose erupts with chocolate, baker's, dark, cocoa, hot chocolate, milk chocolate, etc. Some roast, light coffee, but not a ton of roasted malts, dark malts, fairly malty but lots of dark malt aromas, hints of caramel and dark crystal malts, hint of licorice and some oats. Then a light bourbon touch, some sweet candy bourbon, as well as a bit of a wood and barrel, with quite a bit of vanilla as well. Hints of booze waft out, and bring a very slight earthy hop kick.

taste starts creamy and luscious, dark malts just sit. It's fairly sweet from the loads of malts, balancing out the booze a bit that doesn't come on as strong as 12.5%, but you can tell is there with a bit of tingle and lots of warmth. Again loads of chocolate, some dark chocolate, baker's, hot cocoa and almost cocoa nib like addition, and creamy chocolate milk almost. Lots of oats as well bring a nice creamy thick almost gooey feel. The bourbon is there too, but not dominant, it plays a role in helping to round the heavy beer off, bringing more of the oak and wood, especially vanilla, but just a bit of the sweet molasses like bourbon. Then come the hops, it starts slightly bitter but gets more so the longer the sip goes and fades, bringing some big earthy hops, light spicy and chewy hops, a slight salty bitter hop quality. There is a slight touch of brine between the charred malts and earthy hops. As it fades, some caramel comes out with the vanilla, and a bit more of the bourbon, a big mouth coating that just blankets the mouth for minutes after, and still a bit sweet. But that all gives way fairly quickly to the bitterness and earthy hops that bring a bit more salty and earthy bitter tastes long after the sip is gone.

Mouth is big bodied, very big, thick and luscious, creamy, a bit velvety, and slightly syrupy and mouth coating, lower but decent for the style carbonation, and some hot booze.

Overall great, worthy the hype I think. not the best of the big Imperial Stouts around, but definitely a great Imperial Stout. Big and bold, great stout flavors, doesn't overpower with roasted malts or briny scorched malts, and doesn't overpower with booze or sweetness but definitely lets you know it has both. The oak, wood, and vanilla help round it some, but the bourbon is just an afterthought compared to the big malts, chocolate, and other big flavors. The nice creamy and lucious feel are great. And then when the big earthy spicy hops kick in it really brings it up to hype level of awesomeness. Can't wait to see how it ages.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 19:48:53 | More by jlindros

alex021224

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-19-2013 01:29:03 | More by alex021224

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.63/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

On-tap 6/18/2013 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color, with a short beige head that fades slowly and leaves a very thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is very robust containing roasted malts, chocolate, dark fruit and bourbon.

T: The taste starts out with sweet flavors of chocolate, bourbon and some dark fruit. Then a very hearty roasted malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild but complementary but brings a very good balance. The after-taste is full of dark chocolate bitter-sweetness.

M: Crisp and very smooth, heavy body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Very tasty, goes down dangerously easy, slightly filling, deceptively strong kick, excellent representation of style, this is a very good big stout to drink for as long as you can handle it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2013 01:24:13 | More by TheManiacalOne

jealmanzar

New York

4.5/5  rDev -2.2%

06-19-2013 00:25:51 | More by jealmanzar

Tyrus

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.2%

06-18-2013 23:08:03 | More by Tyrus

shamrock071521

Michigan

5/5  rDev +8.7%

06-18-2013 20:09:58 | More by shamrock071521

Jacob007

New Hampshire

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-18-2013 16:28:53 | More by Jacob007

RyV

California

4.5/5  rDev -2.2%

06-18-2013 05:59:25 | More by RyV

Beer21

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-18-2013 03:02:33 | More by Beer21

leansean88

New York

4.25/5  rDev -7.6%

06-18-2013 02:15:42 | More by leansean88

Jpirkle2715

California

5/5  rDev +8.7%

06-18-2013 01:51:31 | More by Jpirkle2715

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -2.2%

06-18-2013 00:59:34 | More by tommyguz

virinow

New York

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-18-2013 00:52:42 | More by virinow

sfr26

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-17-2013 20:47:44 | More by sfr26

Dyelawn

Maine

4.5/5  rDev -2.2%

06-17-2013 20:09:55 | More by Dyelawn

Buttermilk

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -7.6%

06-17-2013 17:19:07 | More by Buttermilk

Busker

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +8.7%

06-17-2013 15:42:18 | More by Busker

arfenhouse

California

4.59/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013 bottle. Chilled for 15 mins in refrigerator, slightly below room temp.

A: Black with light tan head. Decent retention and lacing.

S: Baker's chocolate, prunes, and whiskey/oak heat. Light vanilla.

T: First comes a bittersweet chocolate/coffee/roasted grain mix. Quickly followed with some whiskey heat and a veritable oak. Aftertaste has some prune, grass, vanilla, and more roasted malt bitterness.

M: Full bodied with a medium and fine carbonation. Slight smoothness.

O: Great BA stout.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 04:20:27 | More by arfenhouse

Mersh

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-17-2013 00:19:13 | More by Mersh

Dhamma73

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-16-2013 20:30:59 | More by Dhamma73

Rocklobsterbrew

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -7.6%

06-16-2013 18:20:02 | More by Rocklobsterbrew

ummswimmin

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +8.7%

06-16-2013 17:20:11 | More by ummswimmin

beerinNV

Nevada

4.5/5  rDev -2.2%

06-16-2013 15:31:39 | More by beerinNV

errantnight

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-16-2013 07:15:42 | More by errantnight

Amerikon

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%

06-16-2013 05:08:12 | More by Amerikon