Parabola - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

bigbelcher

Arizona

4.8/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage on tap.

Color is dark brown, almost black. Aroma was intense boubon, vanilla and caramel, no hop aroma. Taste was fantastic as expected. Huge alcohol beer that reeally needs to warm up to be fully appreciated. Flavors of oak, biurbon, vanilla and chocolate malt. The beer is extremely well balanced and complex. Mouthfeel was light for such a big beer. Bought a bottle to let age a good while.

Great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2011 22:39:39 | More by bigbelcher

DarthKostrizer

California

4.35/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the taproom In Buelton

Look: Extremely dark purple color to the point where no light can pass through it the beer had very little head maybe because it was poured to the very top of the 6oz snifter and had very little lacing

Smell: Spicy bourbon notes and alcohol are the front runners on this beer and are back up with hints of roasted coffee and chocolate

Taste: Much of the same as the smell. This beer can be alittle over powering on the power and the 13% abv is definately noticeable. When you get past that it has a very nice flavor profile with hints of burnt oak, coffee, chocolate and bourbon

Mouthfeel: It has a very silky smooth feel on the palate with alittle bit of heat from the bourbon and abv

Overall: This beer is good now but will be great with at least 1yr of aging most likely 2 just to dumb down the alcohol punch that it gives you and lets the true flavors really come through. So buy several like I did and forget about them

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2011 03:19:51 | More by DarthKostrizer

claybeerman

California

4.33/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was really thrilled with this beer. A very enjoyable Imperial Stout.

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. is becoming one of my favorite breweries. And lucky for me it is only 45 minutes away from my house. So whenever they have something fun on tap or realeasing, I try to stop by and see what's going on. I had one of those opportunities last month when Firestone Released their Parabola in bottles at the tasting room in Paso Robles, Ca.

Serving type:
on-tap poured into a 6oz snifter and 22oz bottle poured into a large wine glass.

Appearance:
It is quite dark. I held it up to the light in a large wine glass and even at the edges it was hard to see any light coming through.

Smell:
Much more fragrant in the large wine glass than in the snifter. My buddy and I would just sit and smell it over the course of the half hour it took us to finish the 22. It is almost as enjoyable to smell as it is to drink.

Compared to:
My other favorite in the imperial stout category would be Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout which I would say is quite similar. There is definitely much less of an alcohol taste with Parabola. I would say that when it comes to flavor, they are right on par with each other. It would be hard to name a favorite.

With Parabola now in bottles (and $15 for a 22 at the taproom), I am very happy that an amazing Imperial Stout will be accessible now. Way to go again Firestone!

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2011 00:35:34 | More by claybeerman

nataku00

California

4.53/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The 2010 release on tap at Public House poured into a tulip glass. Poured a very dark brown / black with a half a finger of creamy mocha colored head. Head dissipated after several minutes to a thin collar at the edge with some nice lacing. Swirling reformed a finger of quickly dissipating head and showed a bit of alcohol legs.

Nose was very nice, rich dark chocolate, smoothly brewed coffee, dried dark fruits plums and raisins, molasses, red wine like fruit and a tinge of astringency, charred oak, and light vanilla. Really opens up as the beer further warms to room temperature.

Follows the nose. All of fruitiness gets richer as it warmed, along with the charred oak and vanilla. Very nice chocolate, coffee and cherry notes throughout. Delicious.

Full bodied, rich and creamy. Smooth small bubble carbonation further contributes to it. No alcohol detected for this year old keg.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2011 00:28:01 | More by nataku00

beertunes

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I know that this is a highly rated and sought after beer, but for me, it just didn't meet the hype. It was the expected black, but had no head. The aroma was subdued to the point of blandness. Some grainy malt, a whisper of roast and a solid alcohol scent.

The flavors weren't any bolder or more well-defined. The body was decent although much thinner than typical, which did help with drinkability. Overall, a good but not great beer. A relative disappointment from FW, a brewery I think very highly of.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2011 21:07:55 | More by beertunes

Devi0us

California

4.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this for the first time yesterday on tap at City Beer in SF.

A- Poured pretty damn black into a snifter. Couldn't really tell how black due to the place being dimly lit. Had a 1 finger head that gradually faded away after a couple minutes. Hardly any lacing but left a ring throughout my experience.

S- Had a  potent bourbon aroma with some slight dark chocolate and vanilla fused in there as well.

T - Upon first sip was bourbon and alcohol heat. Kinda unpleasant. 2nd sip after warming for about 5 minutes was a completely different experience. Has a nice chocolate taste with a sweet vanilla finish.

M - Medium bodied but not a thickest that I've had. Very smooth and drinkable.

O - What we have here was a highly anticipated beer that exceeded my expectations. When served cold, not so awesome. When given a chance to warm up, watch out now. Can i take a Bomber to the face? Sure, but this is one that you wanna share and enjoy with others. I've already searched all over Hawaii and nothing to be found. Once I get back to Cali, the hunt is on.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2011 19:15:17 | More by Devi0us

Angst

California

4.78/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Was fortunate to have this on tap at the Taproom in Buellton. 2011 poured in a snifter.

A: Pours thick and black. The head is about a finger of a nice brown color.

S: Chocolate, vanilla, & bourbon oh my!

T: Complex layering of consisting of chocolate (so good!), vanilla, oak, toffee, bourbon but not overpowering, and some coffee/espresso.

M: Perfectly thick & rich with mild carbonation.

O: Outstanding big beer. FW continues to impress with their Parabola. This beer is very complex and hides the alcohol nicely! Just the right amount of bourbon comes through. Don't pass up the opportunity to try some if you have the chance!

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 15:44:16 | More by Angst

Ynot2

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2011 vintage On tap at the release at the brewery into a 6 ounce sniffer

Pours a deep deep dark brown, with a slight mocha colored head.

The nose is out of this world, chocolate brownie or fudge followed with carame, toffee and oak.

The taste follows the nose perfectly, chocolate and vanilla with toffee tossed in. A mild oaky bourbon flavor towards the end, the alcohol taste does not indicate 13%.

The mouth is smooth and oily. A nice thick texture.

An amazing beer that should really age well.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2011 18:59:50 | More by Ynot2

MrVonzipper

California

4.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Today was a good day!
Yesterday on the official release of this '11 Parabola, I didn't have time to stop by Firestone on my way to a wedding in San Luis Obisbo. But I'm glad because today we stopped by and took our time and was able to enjoy a meal as well as this phenomenal beer.

From the tap to a snifter tasting glass:
Poured a beautiful thick pitch black color. Nothing visible while held to light. Light frothy khaki head. Very little head retention.

Notes of deep chocolate/cacao, rich bourbon, roasted malt, leather and a little roasted nut.

Deep, dark full flavor with the Same flavor notes for the most part. Nice chocolate flavor up front with sweet/dark maltiness, nice alcohol-bourbon and a little oaky.

Smooth and almost creamy mouthfeel at first to the bourbonny alcohol zip. And that nice chocolatey bourbon aftertaste. Low carbonation.

The only reason I did not give this beer a perfect score is because it will be absolutely perfect after some proper aging. All the extra levels of flavor will open up that much more to make this beer a life changer. It is crafted So Well. So Balanced. Not overwhelming in Any way. I got 2 bottles for myself and can't wait for the right time to enjoy this Perfect Imperial Stout again.

Smooth and silky with the alcoholic zip. Low carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2011 23:32:56 | More by MrVonzipper

Mooch273

California

4.88/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Black like tar or molasses; no head yet still looks so inviting.

A: Cocoa, vanilla, anise, slightly nutty and quite roasty.

T: Coffee, cocoa, roasted almonds, bourbon, vanilla, slight nutmeg.

M: Very thick. Coats the tongue with a layer of roasted cocoa and vanilla nuttiness. Not hot. Very smooth.

D: Surprisingly easier drinking than I thought it would be. I could easily enjoy a bottle on my own. This is one of the best stouts I have ever had. Nice job Firestone!

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2010 05:46:12 | More by Mooch273

thatsfine

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is my first review on here and this is a beer I've been wanting to try for a long time. Seemed like the right time to start posting. I'm new at this so please forgive any shortcomings, as I am learning each day.

The beer appeared extremely dark in the glass. I couldn't see any light through it. No head or lacing at all. Looks amazing.

Not a very strong smell. Traces of coffee and chocolate. The rest of it is too subtle for me to identify. The scent is just a tease of what the beer tastes like but it smells delicious.

Chocolate and coffee immediately. Bourbon taste stood out at the back of my mouth in particular. Not overpowering but enough to kick you in the pants. I loved the taste.

Felt good to drink. Perfect amount of heat on the back end, but pretty creamy and good.

Outstanding beer. Tons of different flavors. But not overdone and a pleasure to drink. Just had one glass, but definitely was sad to down the last sip. I love Firestone and this lived up to my expectations. If it were more available I would always have some in the cellar.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2010 07:17:29 | More by thatsfine

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap last night at The Library in Santa Monica.

Appearance - Comes in a 10oz sniffer. Arrives with about a finger of dark, mocha colored head that slowly dissipates. The beer itself is opaque, with literally no light showing through, even around the edges. As the beer begins to disappear, great looking lacing is left on the sides of the glass.

Smell - Wow, this smells amazing. Dark roasted malts, heavy on the dark chocolate, slight vanilla. I believe there is a hint of brown sugar and bourbon with slight burnt wood. This beer smells freaking amazing.

Taste - Wow again. Massive amounts of roasted (thought not overly bitter) malts up front. The dark chocolate is immediately made known and the other flavors just begin to make themselves known. Dark fruits such as sweet cherries and plums, vanilla, oak, and bourbon. This beer tastes just utterly amazing. Having had the Abyss on tap I was expecting it to be a bit muddled with picking the flavors out being so "fresh", however, this is not an issue whatsoever with this beer.

Mouthfeel - Great, thick viscosity. Lower carbonation, and finishes with a slight alcohol warming of the throat.

Drinkability - A sipper as it should be. However, let me preface that by stating at such an early and fresh age for this beer, it is more drinkable than BCS and the Abyss at the same age. I was very impressed at how this beer turned out and I wish I could have had a second glass. Good thing I have two in my cellar. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2010 01:40:20 | More by SpdKilz

MexicanSkittel

California

4.2/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

13% ? Yah you can certainly feel the heat in the after taste of this little gem. But the sweet port like upfront taste is a good balance to the Alc.
When I received this glass last night I noticed the very light cream colored head floating on an over powering DARK brown with highlights of black.
The nose was pleasant notes of coffee grounds, burbon, chocolate, and a subtle oak lingering.
Along with the smells I tasted each of those in this beer, along with a sweetness of port, which I think better described as Burbon in cherrywood casks.
I was preparing my mouth for a more viscous beer from the color, but it was a little lighter in texture, but it made up for that in the Alc. Then having a lasting finish of an irish coffee made from sweet american burbon, without the cream.
Quite a drinkable beer, but make it an after dinner sipper, or pair with bacon pancakes for a sunday brunch to get your day started.
Another yummy beer from the Firestone Walker.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2010 16:47:08 | More by MexicanSkittel

augustgarage

California

4.43/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Blue Palms Brewhouse - served in a generic snifter.

Bistre/seal brown body, opaque, crowned by a finger of creamy tan foam which recedes to a thin but persistent collar and slick. Rich sticky lacing, light viscous tears.

Brown sugar, molasses, demerara rum, and faint barrel notes in the nose. It takes some time for the aromas to develop at this chilled draught temperature.

Super-intense but masterfully balanced array of roast malt, dark bread crust, vanilla, bourbon, hops, earth, pepper, anise, and more. The profile really blossoms as the ale warms.

Thick, chewy, viscous, but rather sticky. Very slight astringency.

Barrel-aged to perfection, while Firestone gives tremendous attention to their blending, the base beers (especially Parabola and Abacus) are remarkable on their own. ABV is well integrated into the whole - while the stout base isn't as remarkable as the best examples as the style, the subtleties from the barrel are unique to this brewer. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2010 21:50:46 | More by augustgarage

vertigelt1

Texas

4.85/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on tap at Blue Palms in Hollywood. At David Walkers suggestion, I tried it with a Garrotxa Sant Gil D'ibio Spanish semi-hard goat cheese. Perfection.

A: midnight black stout, thin kalua-coloured halo of head ringing the snifter.

S: slightly malty, very toasty. A bit of vanillin, tobacco and coca tinged with alcohol.

T: perfect blend of the above, plus notes of chocolate, boysenberry, and anise. Not as mnd bowing as the Avery Black Tot, but damn good.

M: substantial, milky but not thick. noticeable but light carbonation. Perfectly compliments the flavour and the alcohol.

D: glad I got this in a 10 oz. snifter, but I could easily drink three of these in a row, despite the alcohol. Definitely a sipper that gets better as it warms, but over a long session, I could keep going with this all night.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2010 05:16:06 | More by vertigelt1

DoubleJ

California

4.43/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

The one and only Parabola, on-tap at 38 Degrees. The final beer of the night, on to the beer:

Oh my, another darker than black imperial stout! The lacing on this one is actually quite solid for the style. Now in this beer, the barrel qualities are noticable, but are more subtle than the Rasputin XII I had earlier. The aroma is very mellow, with a little oak, and succulent cocoa.

While not as complex, it's still very tasty. There's chocolate, boysenberry(!), licorice, and a little touch of oak. That sounds, good, don't you think? And they're blended and balanced together with the craftsmanship of FW. It's thick and rich, yet never overbeaing or harsh on the palate.

Do I need to say that this is delicous beer? A bomber of this may be a little much for me, but I'd certainly be happy to split one with somebody in the future...or be lucky and find Parabola on-tap again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2010 16:57:56 | More by DoubleJ

Dlish

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- It is murky black with a hint of ruby. its foam is a dark brown and lightly beaded.

S- smells of dark chocolate, hits of Bourbon and alcohol.

T- Rich deep chocolate, hints of vanilla race by as a bourbon and rich dark cherries spread over the tongue. coffee and roasted malts start to grow and ends with just a hint of smokiness. Overall amazing, taste like liquid black forest cake but better.

M- thick chewy milky.

D- I've had this both on tap and from the bottle, both are amazing, I enjoy the small 4oz of it just fine, the 22 becomes over whelming. but now that i have had it, i keep getting the urge to by more or drive back to firestone!

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 08:57:00 | More by Dlish

oregonskibum

Oregon

4.78/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted at a release party at a local Portland pub. Served in a 8 oz snifter glass. The beer was served way too cold (likely in the lower 40's). On the bad side, the first couple tastes were not optimal. On the plus side, I was able to experience this beer as it warmed. Review from notes taken after the event.

A: Color is a very dark black with almost no head. The glass was very full.

S: Smell changed dramatically as the beer warmed. First impression was coffee and licorice. Later the chocolate and bourbon flavors started to show up. Eventually, the more subtle vanilla and oak flavors appear. THe smell is lush, complex, and big.

T: Taste is amazing. Big coffee and chocolate up front. In the middle, dark fruits, vanilla, oak, and some faint toffee. The taste is creamy and rich. The bourbon is obvious, but it's not in-your-face. Instead, you're able to pick up the vanilla and oak flavors rather than just tasting like a RIS with bourbon mixed in. Didn't notice the heat until I took a break and ran to the bathroom. THat's when it hit me - the back of my throat all the way down my neck has a warm, glowing feeling. Yeah, there's some heat there, but very comforting. Taste lingers (and lingers), leaving some light bitter, coffee and woody notes.

M: Big, lush, smooth. Full bodied with minimal carbonation (although definitely not flat). Definitely coats the tongue and stays around for a while.

D: This was excellent and will likely improve over the next year or so as the warming (which was increasingly noticable during the tasting) calms slightly. I really liked how well integrated the bourbon was with the stout. Not over the top, but just enough aging time to pick up the vanilla and oak flavors. Overall, this is excellent and I look forward to seeing this develop over the next couple years.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2010 20:37:13 | More by oregonskibum

2ndloveofmylife

California

4.72/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving type: on-tap into a 4oz sniffer glass released day at Firestone

Pitch black with with a nice thin mocha colored head. Smells like chocolate and burnt marshmallows, thick caramel malt fudge, cocoa nibs, and a roasted malt characteristic reminiscent of espresso. There is also caramel, vanilla, and bourbon. Whiffs of alcohol.

The taste pretty mostly follows smell. Layers and more layers of bourbon with dark chocolate, chocolate fudge, pralines, caramel, vanilla. Roasted expresso and milk chocolate, some roasted cocoa, a ton of vanilla raisin, vanilla and bourbon flavor lingers. Wonderfully complex everything you would expect from a barrel aged imperial stout.

The drinkability is pretty unreal for 13% abv. Simple delicious!

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2010 20:09:09 | More by 2ndloveofmylife

MrTopher

California

4.9/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served in a tulip at the Surly Goat on May 18th.

A - Pitch Black, impossible to notice any other color other than black. Head is a dark rich mahogany color that fades away very slowly. But leave a nice lace around the glass.

S - Oak, Bourbon, Molasses, very complex but inviting.

T - The first taste is an explosion of chocolate that doesn't overpower, but invites the taste buds in for more and more. The next flavor that is present is a hint of coffee with some oakyness to the party, followed closely by a hint of bourbon with some molasses and vanilla. Every taste gets better and better.

M - Balanced and even, never to think or to flat, constant happiness from the front to the back all around the palette. This gets a 5 without a doubt. As described below velvet is spot on.

D - One of the smoothest Imperial Stouts on the market, easily!

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 22:36:36 | More by MrTopher

youradhere

Arkansas

4.88/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had at Jakes on tap, presented in a nice 8oz glass. Pitch black with no head. Smells like chocolate and burnt marshmallows, thick caramel malt and puppy kisses. Tastes like chocolate and burnt marshmallow, light char and a slight bitterness on the tail end. The alcohol warms just right and collaborates with the flavors decadently. Mouthfeel is perfect and the alcohol is sneaking up. I can see why there is so much hype on this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2010 01:10:48 | More by youradhere

popery

California

4.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

City Beer Store, Parabola release party. Two incredible barrel-aged beers from Firestone Walker in one night. Parabola pours a wall-to-wall black with a great brown head, thick and creamy. The aroma is complex and wonderful. Bourbon and oak are probably the strongest notes, but they don't dominate quite as much as in Parabola. There's a ton of dark chocolate, a healthy dose of roasted malt and a touch of vanilla. Brown sugar, molasses and caramel round it out. The flavor is all barrel-aged imperial stout goodness. All of those roasty sugars did their magic in the barrel, changing and blending with the barrel notes. It's not exactly sweet, but there are plenty of sugars present. There's definitely no unpleasant cloying sensation, despite its viscous feel. The finish gives a mild hop bite. This is a wonderful imperial stout.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2010 05:20:06 | More by popery

djmichaelk

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Firestone taproom in Paso Robles, May, 2010. 4oz tasting snifter (several of them).

A - Good two finger head, mocha in color, medium bubbles. The folks at the taproom know how to pour a beer. Very dark, as expected. Just a bit of light around the edges, coffee colored, of course. Decent lacing down the glass -- patchy, no rings. Nice looking beer.

S - Oh my! This is why I drove all the way down here. Strong french roast coffee and dark chocolate in the aroma. More of the coffee as you go along, with the bitterness fading toward the end. Excellent.

T - WOW. This is hard to drink slowly. The coffee is more forward, just how I like it. The sweetness is there in decent amounts, like a chocolate dessert, but the dryness keeps it from being overbearing the some stouts are. I didn't get a whole lot of barrel or bourbon in this, only hints of them, but that didn't hurt it at all. Everything seemed just right. I would have loved to try this with a food pairing, but no luck. Delicious.

M - Velvety. Definitely full bodied, and coats the mouth but then gets out of the way. Carbonation seems just right.

D - Unbelievable that this is 13%. I had four 4oz snifters, and while I definitely felt it, it was all I could do to not just sit and keep ordering more. If I hadn't had to drive two hours to get home, I probably would have. (Edit: just read some of the other reviews, and realized that others said almost the same thing. Nice to know I wasn't the only one.)

Overall -- I want to go back to try it again to be sure, but right now I'm about ready to say that this is the best stout that I've tried to date. Absolutely fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2010 17:32:19 | More by djmichaelk

olympuszymurgus

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A fine stout, a good showing from the boys in cali. The roast is big, the fruits present, it feels lacking though. I want more vanilla, more licorice, more fire. Stupidly smooth for such a virginal imperial stout, take that as a positive or negative or moot point from whatever your vantage.

I think my hesitation with this beer is the lack of identity. Its like so many other RISs, its just a fairly smooth one. A fine showing, but not one I would put in a fancy box and charge too much for.

I like it, I like it a lot in fact, I just would rather have an abyss.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2010 21:02:36 | More by olympuszymurgus

ThreeWiseMen

California

4.13/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Following review (written by Nick) based on notes from Saturday, April 3, 2010. Sampled at the Firestone Walker Brewery in Paso Robles, CA.

Served in a 5oz. snifter.

Appearance: A tall, brown, foamy, head emerges from a syrupy, pitch black body (looked like chocolate syrup coming out of the tap). Absolutely no light penetrates the thick, oily, body. Head retains nicely, but loses some of its color with time. Light, sudsy lacing. (4.5)

Smell: Huge toffee, chocolate cake/fudge, and bourbon. Wow! Charred oak, dark chocolate, and loads of malt add to the mix. Absolutely massive! The bourbon burn grows stronger as the beer warms, but never to a point where it's offensive. This would pair fantastically with a rich desert or cigar. I love it! (5.0)

Taste: Lots of dark chocolate, accompanied by bourbon, chocolate mousse, vanilla, and roasted malt. The bourbon is really assertive, and the roasted malt produces some solid bitterness, too. Extremely rich and cake-y. (4.5)

Mouthfeel: I struggled scoring this one; if allowable, I'd give it a 4.25. I love the robust, malty body, but the bourbon burn is pretty harsh. Not as syrupy as expected. Very heavy, warm, and dry. (4.25)

Drinkability: Addictive. I ordered three snifters back-to-back-to-back, and would have kept it going if my ride didn't have to leave. The burn is completely tolerable with all of the other flavors and aromas coming out of this beer. What a beauty! Can't wait til it's bottled! (4.5)

Overall Score from Wiseman Nick: A+ (4.58)

///

The following review is written by Wiseman Justin. He (I) sampled it earlier today (04-14-2010) Following review written from notes. It was hard to average these two reviews due to the disparity however I know Wiseman Nick wouldn't give out a 5 on smell haphazardly as such I did not average out the scores for smell.

Served in a snifter.

Appearance: Dark with a tight head. Looks like an exemplar of it's style. Nothing flashy going on. Very light lacing and very little head. 4.0

Smell: I get bourbon and some slight ash/smoke. Slight chocolate. Somewhat boring actually. 3.5

Taste: Taste a lot like a barleywine. The alcohol is very prevalent; chocolate is there along with bourbon and a slight burnt aftertaste. 3.75

Mouthfeel: Slick and slimy. I guess it 'feels' more like a barleywine then it 'tastes' like one. Although this is not necessarily a bad thing at all. 4.0

Drinkability: Not as high as I would hope. There are far more drinkable beers for this style. I will say this; I want the beer Wiseman Nick got. 3.5

Overall Score from Wiseman Justin: B (3.75)

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2010 02:53:55 | More by ThreeWiseMen