Velvet Merlin - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

JamisonM

Arizona

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: black body, Tan head

S: creamy oatmeal and coffee a very nice roasted note as well

T: Roasted malt and coffee very smooth finish super full beer for only 5.5 % ABV and a very nice sweetness in this beer

M: med mouth med carbonation

D: very drinkable!

Overall: one of the best stouts I have ever had a great beer man!

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2010 01:10:28 | More by JamisonM

grittybrews

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a deep brown-black into a tulip with two fingers of light khaki head (excellent retention). Strong and balanced roasty aroma of cocoa, coffee, toast, and vanilla.

Moderate carbonation and a full, ultra-creamy mouthfeel. Milk chocolate up front followed by toasted biscuit. Slightly bitter espresso on the finish with more hints of cocoa.

Excellent aroma, full-flavored and very smooth. None of the individual flavors bowled me over, but this is one balanced, easy-drinking stout!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 05:34:02 | More by grittybrews

gwguest

Kansas

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle rec'd from romwarrior into a Duvel Tulip

A: Pours a nearly opaque black with dark reddish-brown highlights on the edges when held almost directly in front of the light. A thin beige foam holds for a bit and then fades.

S: Roasted malts with distinct french roast coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes. Grain-y malt character also comes through in the smell. No hop aroma to speak of.

T: A crisp roast leads the way while all of coffee and bittersweet chocolate flavors from the aroma follow along and last through the finish. A very nice medley of roasted flavors without being harsh. A very slight sweetness mingles, but this is a roast show. A quite enjoyable one at that. Hop bitterness and flavor is a bit player.

M: Spot on for an Oatmeal Stout. Smooth and silky; the body helps keep the finish from being too dry, but with just enough carbonation so that it doesn't coat your mouth. It's just short of being creamy. Smooth with a light drying sensation from the roasted barley. I just keep wanting to drink more.

D: Fantastic. While the body is silkier than a dry irish stout, it's not heavy. The roast level is perfect and leaves me wanting more after the beer is in my belly. At 5.5%, it's a nice relatively lightweight beer. It's perfect for a chilly day

O: An outstanding beer that I would buy in bulk to have until springtime. I wouldn't change a thing.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2010 05:35:15 | More by gwguest

Murchmac

California

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Been drinking this beer for years on tap as Merkin, I get the name change, glad the recipe didnt.

This is about the most perfect oatmeal stout you can buy. Worth trading for, worth buying, worth drinking.

Just delicious goodness in a pint glass. Roasty, chocolatey, thick mouthfeel, coffee all blended perfectly.

By Merlin Olsens beard, get this.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 22:56:41 | More by Murchmac

Urbancaver

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a beautiful black with a lot of nice thick creamy head. Smells very chocolatey. A nice solid sweetness that couples with a touch of dryness. Very smooth and rich on the tongue. A wonderful light chocolatey flavor that is very solid. Overall the mouthfeel is just wonderful. A very solid brew

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 00:45:56 | More by Urbancaver

peacebone116

California

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up at the brewery in Paso on 12/26/11; poured into tulip glasses.

A: Quickly fading khaki head that rests upon a deep dark brown body. There is considerable lacing on the legs and visible carbonation along all sides of the glass at the pour.

N: Rich coffee and chocolate.

T/M: Beer follows the nose with a wonderful roasty characteristic. There is a subtle tartness in the middle that compliments the malt's sweetness; this aspect, as it warms becomes complex and somewhat boozy. The body is light to medium, with an oily texture that coats the mouth with a wonderfully even bitterness. Even after three days in the growler, there is enough carbonation.

Overall, this is a wonderful stout. It is complex and tasty despite the fact that it is not imperialized, which seems to be a bit of a neglected concept.

Serving type: growler

12-30-2011 03:42:38 | More by peacebone116

billshmeinke

California

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a standard pint.

Dark brown almost black body. Light beige one finger head that dies down to a layer of foam on top leaving nice lacing behind.

Smells of roast, oak, and a slight hint of char. A touch of brown sugar too.

Taste follows smell. Roasty malt, oak, vanilla, rolled oats and brown sugar. Not very sweet though.

The mouthfeel is quite rich and full bodied. Luscious in fact. A nice balance between slight sweetness and dryness with a slightly roasty/bitter finish.

A really session-able and awesome beer for the alcohol content. It tastes like a much bigger beer than it really is. Not in terms of tasting alcoholic, but in terms of being full of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 05:38:08 | More by billshmeinke

pwoods

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to westcoastbeer for the nice extra.

12oz. stubby brown bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours pitch black, no light. Moderate light tan head on the pour with pretty good retention and decent lacing.

S: A healthy oat aroma with light coffee notes and a distinct mocha/latte aroma. Coffee is dry but not over done. Light chocolate. Some caramel and toffee notes as well. Complex and pleasing.

T/M: Flavor mimics the aroma nicely but with less of the mocha/latte, which is a bit disappointing but everything is still very nice. The oats stand out a bit more and play well with the light chocolate, caramel, and toffee notes. The coffee is still dry but even more rounded and smooth. Body is medium or so, not too heavy, and the carbonation is nice and smooth.

D: Very very drinkable. I could definitely session these all night.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 06:09:52 | More by pwoods

nlmartin

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This came as an extra from a recent trade with romwarrior. Thank you this is a fantastic beer. The beer was served lightly chilled in an imperial pint glass.

Appearance: The body of the beer is black with a hint of ruby highlight when held to the light. The head of the beer is a nice dark tan. Nice head retention and actually stands up to my mustache. Lacing sort of speckles the side of my glass. Looks good in my glass.

Smell: The aroma is of lightly roasted coffee. This combines well with a bit of cocoa. A whiff of nuttyness and a brief flash of smoke.

Taste: A major delivery on the aroma. The lightly roasted coffee flavors are very well paired semi sweet chocolate and caramel. Nice dried out finish on the end of the flavor.

Mouthfeel / Drinkability: The body of the beer is medium and very smooth. Carbonation levels are low but perfect for this beer. In all honesty I could drink this beer all night long. A straight forward beer that will not bore you during a long night.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 13:50:14 | More by nlmartin

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Ultraman9000 for throwing this as an extra in to a box from a recent trade.

Poured in to Duvel tulip.

A - Poured black with one finger of espresso coloured head.

S - Roasted malts, coffee, caramel. Some bitterness and a slight smokiness. A very nice profile for a regular stout.

T - Roasted malts, lots of smoke, coffee, chocolate and a slight overall sweetness.

M - Medium body; lightly carbonated.

D - A very good stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 21:59:15 | More by TheSevenDuffs

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

completely opaque liquid coming forward in front of me. Rich dark brown notes, with a good sized head of maybe an inch in height coming over the top of it. Nice settling left behind a thin layer and a good amount of side glass lace.

The aroma was your typical oatmeal stout, though a touch more bitter then what I was expecting. Nice notes of lactose, chocolate and vinous hops. Some light grain notes as well in the finish. Rich, though not terribly filling. Lots of burnt and roasted malt flavors in here. Not as sweet as the aroma would have led me to believe it would have been, still though very solid in both bitterness and malt profile. Light notes of chocolate floating around, but again nothing terribly too swee

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 13:50:19 | More by mikesgroove

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Comes out of the tap a dark-chocolate brown just a few whiskers above black with a thick tan head. Strong, smoky aroma has rich notes of chocolate, quality coffee and licorice. Mouth-filling, smoky flavor delights the taste buds with molasses, coffee, chocolate and licorice - a liquid feast. Sweet and hop-bitter hints balance each other nicely. Texture has full body and plenty of fizz. Magically delicious. ;)

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2012 03:44:26 | More by Cyberkedi

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wooo this is a great stout! Black body with a thick head. Roasty, chocolately aroma and flavor. Ultra creamy, nay, velvety mouthfeel that just slides down your throat. This brewery is on the rise and for good reason. Every new brew from these guys gets me excited and they deliver a surprisingly large amount of the time.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 19:36:02 | More by TheRealBigC

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into Firestone Walker tulip.

A - Deep black brown with a large tan head.

S - Mmm. Sweet milk chocolate, roasted malt, hints of coffee.

T - Rich, sweet mocha flavor throughout.  Light earthy hops balance out the sweetness. Finish has smoked malt and burnt coffee, which tends to linger.

M - Smooth as velvet, medium bodied,  mild carbonation. Semi dry finish.

O - Excellent oatmeal stout. A flavorful blend of milk chocolate and coffee. A true delight.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 03:10:22 | More by mooseo

ely2000k

California

4.55/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Nearly black in color when you pour it into a pint glass. Not too much head or lacing. Looks very appetizing however. Smell of oatmeal chocolate, vague raisin bread perhaps, and a wee bit of molasses? Great smell. The taste is slightly underwhelming at first but as the beer warms, the complexity begins to come out more, and it's almost like the perfect combo between a cream stout and chocolate stout. And the best part of the beer is the mouthfeel. It lives up to the name, feels very velvet, goes down smooth and full, leaving you satisfied. Overall this is a beer I will absolutely come back to again each year around winter.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2011 05:35:00 | More by ely2000k

Xul

California

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Pours dark brown with ruby highlights around the edges, capped by one and a half fingers of foamy, mocha-colored head. Retention is moderate as it settles down to around a half finger and slowly recedes from there.

S: Strong aroma of oats up front with a touch of cereal, along with big coffee notes, cocoa, and moderate roastiness. Hint of vanilla in the background, very well integrated.

T: Opens up with oats and roasted malts, followed by big cocoa on the mid-palate. Coffee comes in right after the cocoa and leaves a light bitterness through the finish, although cocoa returns on the aftertaste for some balancing sweetness.

M: Medium bodied width light to moderate carbonation, could be a touch creamier but very smooth for a reasonably light beer.

D: This would be incredibly easy to drink all night.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2010 03:41:56 | More by Xul

Dlish

California

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A-nothing amazing little bit of head, but dies quickly i guess normal for a stout

S- Prob the biggest let down of this beer, is it smell or lack of it. I get a bit of coffee and dark malts, maybe a hint of oak.

T- Now this is really good. Very up front cream, a very smooth malt profile. Coffee and bit of chocolates. Also get like a whole grain oat flavor. probably from the oatmeal

M- Great the creaminess works well with carbonation.

D- This is great, I love the low alcohol percent and the great flavors. I will be buying this 6 pack a lot this winter.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2010 03:32:23 | More by Dlish

bfields4

Colorado

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Black body with a light brown hue around the edges. Nice mocha head laces the glass.

Aroma is very much oaty with a bit of espresso bit of roasty. Nice.

Flavor profile is similar to the aroma. Nice roasty oat flavor with an espresso finish. Nice dry chocolate/hop bitterness rounds the beer out nicely.

Velvet is right, the mouthfeel is very smooth. Nice creamy body with just a good bit of carbonation. This beer doesn't have big in your face interesting flavors, but the flavors it does have it absolutely nails.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 03:41:02 | More by bfields4

gbontrag

Colorado

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

what a great, well-made beer. Partially aged in bourbon barrels, but this doesn't define the beer. So, it really still reviews as an oatmeal stout. The bourbon barrel adds some depth to the nose, and blends seamlessly in the flavor. There's some barrel char and sweetness in the finish. Maybe a little buttery, but this is all perfectly wedded to the yeast.

Velvet Merlin presents a black body with tan foam, and walnut wood highlights when back lit. The finish is so delicious, and long: Caramel and char take turns on the palate with ripe apple core in the retronasal. That's only part of the story. The mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and like a stout-flavored chapstick on the lips. It's well carbonated, and the carbonation holds in this thick ass beer. This beer has back!

15% of the grist is oats! Sucking crawdad heads gives you the real mud bug experience; drinking Velvet Merlin is the real oatmeal stout experience. The oats are palpable in this velvet beer, and they're not polite. They are oily, thick, slightly astringent and grainy, and omnipresent here. Bring it on! This is one of those beers that make me say, hell yah, from recipe to regal pour.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 22:40:26 | More by gbontrag

Beertracker

Oklahoma

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

FW's Velvet Merkin pours up with an incredible effervescence which creates a cascading tannish-brown colored head above the deep mahogany-jet black body. The head retention is phenomenal with lots of wonderful lacing that clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is very complex for a "smaller" beer with notes of cocoa roasted almonds, bread pudding, hot chocolate, cordial cherries, marzipan, mocha, rumcake, toasted coconut & warm vanilla wafers. Really great stuff! There's maybe just a touch of spiciness from a late hop addition? The flavor starts off with a fresh coffee character sustained by a lovely roastiness followed by a touch of nuttiness (almond/hazelnut) complimented by some caramel sweetness which is superbly balanced by a moderate bitterness which creates an off-dry, bittersweet & somewhat fruity (blackberry, cherry) finish. The overall flavor isn't quite as complex as the aroma, but still very good for its strength. The body is medium-light with a mouthfeel that's as smooth as a baby's bottomwy. I'm admittingly not a huge 'stoutfan' but this is one terrific oatmeal stout and definitely worth seeking out for any stout lover!

CHEERS! Beertracker

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2012 19:43:22 | More by Beertracker

Maurod4d

4.58/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer was one of the reasons I became a stout drinker. Last evening yet again I came to know just why I love this beer. It taste toward the front is a sharp espresso coffee taste and finishes with hints of chocolate malt and cream. One of the best ways to enjoy beer on a winters evening is with a stout like this in your hand.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2012 17:01:33 | More by Maurod4d

yemenmocha

Arizona

4.6/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Enjoyed on draft in San Francisco at 21st Amendment brewpub as guest tap.

Draft version more robust flavors and nose was more assertive. Otherwise very similar to bottled version.

Pours a very dark brown to almost black color. Nose is rich with roasted malts and wet robusta coffee grounds. On the palate the roasty flavors take center stage, with a bit of sweetness that is present as well. Some gentle woody components are noted, but subtle. The roasty character carries nicely into the finish. Medium bodied and very, very drinkable. Nice session stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2010 04:58:01 | More by yemenmocha

Klsfgiants15

California

4.6/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Poured this beautiful beer into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

Appearance: You know it's a good bear when you hold it up to a light fixture, but can see anything. This beer is as black as my heart is sinful. But like my heart, it is redeemed. I think the brewmasters of Firestone Walker themselves atoned for this beer. I'm noticing a nice carbonation in this beer, but the head is not posing a problem to me getting this beer to my mouth as fast as possible.

Smell: I keep smelling it over and over. And it seems like a different smell overpowers my senses each time. The three recurring smells are chocolate, coffee, and oatmeal.

Taste: The beer continues to taste better as it warms. But the thing is, I loved the taste straight after the pour. So each time I take a sip I get more and more enthused with this beer. The smells and tastes are similar. But I'm tasting a good presence of malts along with the coffee, oatmeal, and chocolate.

I highly recommend this beer. I hope that Firestone starts to make this delicious drink year-round.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 07:43:57 | More by Klsfgiants15

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

4.65/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks go out to leschkie for bringing me this long want! Poured into stemless chardonnay glass.

A- Pours a liquid dark chocolate brown with an inch of creamy, light beige head. Foam settles quickly leaving just a ring.

S- Smooth, warm, balanced roasted malt blends incredibly well with milk chocolate and some lighter cereal grains. Very reminiscent of a chocolate donut paired with a cocoa dusted mocha. Great aroma here...

T/M- Incredible. So smooth and well rounded. The malt provides a grainy Cheerios taste which leads into a soft chocolate roast. Finishes with a slight bitterness to remind you this is a beer and not a chocolate mousse latte. Nuts, roast, chocolate, caramel, oats, grain... Its all there! Body is medium with a nice level of carbonation to keep this slick with a kick of carbonation bubbles on the finish.

O- Well, it's official- this is now an always ISO... Hell, if anyone reads this and wants to send a 6 pack my way, please let me know and I'll provide goodies from my neck of the woods. As it warmed, it did get a touch of medicine, but overall this beer is a top notch oatmeal stout!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 15:10:32 | More by TheGordianKnot

TaySuth

California

4.65/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark brown with a minimal head and moderate lacing.

Smell: Amazing smell with hints of chocolate, oatmeal, coffee, and caramel. Absolutely excellent.

Taste: Great balance between the chocolate, oatmeal, coffee, and caramel flavors. Good amount of bitterness. Delicious.

Mouthfeel: Just the right amount of carbonation. Solid body without feeling too thick. Smooth finish.

Overall: Very pleased with this beer. Great balance, smooth finish, and a delicious taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 02:18:17 | More by TaySuth