Velvet Merlin - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

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BA SCORE
91
exceptional
-
1,053 Ratings

rAvg: 4.06
pDev: 10.59%
Reviews: 437
Hads: 616

Ratings Help

Brewed by:
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

California, United States

Style | ABV
Oatmeal Stout | 5.50% ABV

Availability: Fall. bottle (362), on-tap (63), cask (6), growler (3), nitro-tap (3).

Notes:
Original name was "Velvet Merkin", but name was changed when it began to be bottled in 2010.

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Reviews

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Reviews by Jagen:

Jagen

Illinois

3.58/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes taken 11/7/12. Nitro-tap at The Map Room in Chicago. 12 oz pour into an orval glass

A - 1 Finger light, white-brown head. Very black beer. Looks just about how a stout should look

S - Subtle oatmeal notes. Very weak smell. I like the smell but it is very weak...smells very sweet and inviting/

T - It tastes really delicious. Milk-chocolate. Late oatmeal taste. I don't taste any Bourbon at all. It tastes really good but isn't bold enough for the style.

M - Nitro-goodness. Kind of light. Smooth and silky. Surprisingly light for the style...maybe light due to the nitrotap? Enjoyed the feel, though.

O - A really tasty beer. I wonder if this was mid-advertised and is actually the 5% non-bourbon aged version? I would have liked this to be much more bold and the flavors to be much more prominent. I enjoyed it but it tasted like a watered-down version of what I expected. It was advertised as 'Velvet Merlin', 8.7%, bourbon aged...I think it was just the normal 5%-er that they bottle

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-14-2012 03:20:30 | More by Jagen

More User Reviews:

watermelonman

California

3.68/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pouring to a thick near black, head is minimal and lace is merely a few lines.

The smell is good overall but a does of phenols is getting in the way, a touch too strong to meld in with the better flavors. Malts are more roasted than I like in an oatmeal stout, yet this beer comes up a little thin when compared to the non oatmeal variety. I think it is a line sitter than cannot quite decide what it wants to be. Still, a tasty effort overall, definitely smooth and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 05:39:30 | More by watermelonman

Dirksen

California

4.25/5 rDev +4.7%

05-24-2013 19:19:33 | More by Dirksen

superspak

Michigan

4/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got in a trade with swingracex. 12 ounce bottle into pint glass, bottled on 2/21/2013. Pours fairly crystal clear almost opaque dark brown color with a 1 finger fairly dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, oats, toast, brown bread, light coffee, floral, and roasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of roasted malt notes with oats and light hops. Taste of milk chocolate, cocoa, oats, roasted malt, toast, brown bread, light coffee, floral, and roasted earthiness. Slight earthy roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, oats, roasted malt, light coffee, toast, and light earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance of roasted/bready malt flavors with oats and light hops; with nice robustness and zero cloying flavors after the finish; moderately dry on the finish as well. Medium carbonation and body; with a moderately creamy, smooth, and crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice oatmeal stout. All around nice flavor balance and robustness; and extremely smooth and crisp to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:04:57 | More by superspak

visionaries

California

4.75/5 rDev +17%

05-23-2013 15:20:38 | More by visionaries

firecrack0r

California

4.25/5 rDev +4.7%

05-22-2013 23:07:33 | More by firecrack0r

lighthabit

Oregon

3.7/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

never really cared for this one before, always had a hint of dull, dry, bitter, but tonight i opened one that's been sitting in the fridge for a while, and the hint above is not there, it's picked up a hint of chocolate/licorice, and it's creamy, much nicer feel than before. tonight was straight from the bottle, but in the past, poured in a glass. color is typical dark. one i'll revist . . .

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 06:29:17 | More by lighthabit