Solace - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

elNopalero

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured a cloudy, hazy golden straw color with light foam that rapidly died down. The nose is full of a light banana and clove aroma. Not a big domineering aroma but it makes its presence known and is rounded by a light, slight funk—not in a bad way, more beery/estery. The flavor has a big banana bubblegummy estery goodness to it, much more pronounced than the aroma would lead one to believe. Lightly tart, too. Nice carbonation keeps this light and easy drinking. Effervescence and enjoyable, went great with pizza and salad.

No bottled on stamp but I saw the place on the label where it should have gone. Go figure.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 07:57:01 | More by elNopalero

vfgccp

New York

3.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Opaque orange gold. Fine white head with ok retention and low lace.

S - Unripe banana, banana peel, orange, touch of lemon grass, sweet wheat.

T - Big, raw wheat flavor throughout the profile. Lemon acidity, edge of green banana.

M - Creamy, medium-full body. Nice carbonation.

O - Refreshing with a bolder flavor profile than most summer seasonals. Nice raw wheat character.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 18:47:47 | More by vfgccp

DCon

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought a 6-pack of this from Albertsons Grocery in Los Angeles, CA for $8.99. Grabbed one of the 12 FL OZ baby blue bottles with a sun around the O in Solace and poured into my 0,4l New Belgium Oversized Snifter Glass. No freshness date on the bottle. (Enjoyed before Game 1 of the World Series- STL vs. TX.)

Aroma- Strong grapefruit aroma from the beginning with tons of grain. Has a nice hop aroma but everything well balanced in the aroma. Seems like it is going to be smooth and great tasting Hefeweizen style brew.

Appearance- Pours a .5 finger head that dies very quickly (unusual). Has a deep golden color body that is hazy and nice to look at. At this point, others at the party are wondering what other brews I'm going to be breaking out since these have such good appearance. Leaves good lacing afterwards.

Flavor- Has a good grainy taste to start and then the citrus flavor kicks in huge! Very nice tasting, sweet and has good strength. This Hefe puts some pop into your mouth!

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Low Carbonation, and has good flavor all the way through past enjoyment!

Overall Impression- This Hefe was almost stronger than the ABV's are listed! I didn't mind this though since the citrus flavor was so dominant. Since this is a limited release, I don't think I'm going to be seeing this one anytime soon (until next summer if I go back to Cali).

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 21:19:31 | More by DCon

rowew

Colorado

4.47/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 oz short bottle, ABV is marked but I don't see a date.

Appearance: Orange yellow with a slight haze, average head that fades to a think layer that sticks around.

Smell: Yeast funk, a bit of banana, and just a hint of floral hops. Wheat aroma comes through more as it warms.

Taste: Nice combination of wheat, spicy yeast flavors, and just a little bit of citrus. There is some hop bitterness in there balancing things out.

Overall impression: Great wheat beer, could definitely enjoy several of these. I can't think of another wheat off hand that I'd rather have.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 23:22:50 | More by rowew

BeerManDan

California

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

When poured into a pint glass, the color was an hazy golden yellow with an orange hue. The smell of yeast and mild hops were evident in the aroma. The taste had a pleasant flavor of fruits and spice. Although, even with the pleasant flavor, it was just a little on the weak side, of flavor. But, overal it would be a great summer sipper!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2010 22:20:21 | More by BeerManDan

notchucknorris

California

2.75/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Looks good. Very hazy orange/brown color that seems to glow in the glass. Reminded me of Sanctification a bit looks-wise.

S: Characteristic hef yeast, banana, some sort of melon which I eventually thought was cantaloupe and some honey.

T: And here's where it goes wrong for me. Starts with wheaty/hef taste and then goes to a creamy finish with some orange, honey and spice. The problem is that it's way over-carbonated. The flavors are subtle and it feels like this beer would have a lot to offer if the carbonation didn't blast all the flavor off your tongue. So much potential but not that great in the end.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 15:08:58 | More by notchucknorris

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a golden orange color with less than a finger of head that quickly dissipates leaving lackluster lacing.

Smell - Grains, wheat, slight hops and bready malt. Slight citrus such as lemon zest.

Taste - Honestly an odd taste. Prevalent wheat and lemon/orange zest. A slight metallic flavor also? Kind of an "ehh" beer to me.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied, light carbonation.

Drinkability - I guess if I was drinking this on a hot summer day it might be better, but I'm just not feeling this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 04:38:27 | More by SpdKilz

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wiseman Justin Reporting (Reviews are averaged)
Had this ontap at the firestone brewery on Sunday, July 18, 2010. Paired with Kettle Classics all natural potato chips Spicy Jalapeno.

Appearance: This beer is a belgium/buvarian mix. How are they supposed to look? This beer is very cloudy. Opaque. The most opaque golden colored beer I've seen. No head.
(3.5)

Smell: Light Fruit. The jalepano chips burn my mouth; kinda distracting. Faint belgium smell. (3.5)

Taste: Spicy! ... Wait that's those damn chips! Taste like a very light, summer belgium. It's fresh and can easily be drank in the 90 degree range. Very citrusy (mostly orange) infinetly superior version of Blue Moon. I think this would be a very popular beer not my style though. (4.0)

Mouthfeel: Tingly. It's light and easy for what it does. (4.0)

Drinkability: While I want another Union Jack because they are awesome, this is a drinkable beer on it's own. (4.0)

Pairing Score: C+ Jalapeno Chips not a great match but decent.

Wiseman Nick:
Had this on-tap on the Solace Release Party at the brewery in Paso Robles last night. According to the brewmaster, Matt Brynildson, this is supposed to be a saison-hefeweisen hybrid (http://beernews.org/2010/03/firestone-walker-solace-debuts-april-1st/).

Served in a 16oz. nonic.

Appearance: A short, white, foamy crown sits atop an opaque, honey-orange body. Decent head retention, though no lacing. Looks a lot like a hefeweizen. (4.0)

Smell: Banana, clove, moist vegetation, wheat malt, lemon, and spices. Really smooth. I only got a little bit of barnyard out of this smell though, which sucks since I'm a big saison fan. (3.5)

Taste: Wheat, lemon, hay, creamy banana, white pepper, clove, and moist, leafy hops. While I didn't write down coriander in my notes, I do remember tasting that as well. I'm starting to realize that this is much closer to a hefeweizen than a sasion. (4.0)

Mouthfeel: Full and wheaty, creamy, and moderately carbonated. Light spiciness. Certainly feels like a saison. (4.0)

Drinkability: I preferred the preliminary batch I tried about six weeks ago, which had a lot more funk and sourness than this version. However, Firestone is trying to woo Blue Moon and Shock Top drinkers, and I believe this will do just that. Solace is a very easy-drinking, balanced, wheat ale. I'll happily purchase a six pack or two. (4.5)

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2010 14:21:57 | More by ThreeWiseMen

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A finger of head on a dark straw colored body.
Aroma of honey and grain, light and airy.
Flavor of lemons, apples and honey. Nice and balanced.
Fizzy texture but carbonation remains at a reasonable level. Light to medium body.
An above average ale..

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 22:33:12 | More by Fatehunter

RJLarse

Washington

3.85/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I bought a couple of bottles of Solace in a grocery store while vacationing in Nevada. Poured in to a pint glass.

Pours a pale yellow gold color and is an unfiltered cloudy. Modest white head leave little or no lace on the glass.

Smell is faint and sweet. There are soft fruit notes like peaches and pears, along with some light grain scents.

Taste is very sweet, more like a witbier I think. A little sweet bread flavor up front and then a ton of sweetness, pears and melons maybe a bit of a pineapple flavor when you put it all together.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied but fairly clean.

Overall a very drinkable and flavorful wheat ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 00:57:20 | More by RJLarse

ocelot2500

Arizona

3.4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy golden color with a small white head that leaves a decent amount of lacing on the glass.

Smells of light wheat and citrus notes.

Tastes of wheat notes with some spice on the end. Notes of banana and clove come through. Citrus notes also present with some fruitiness.

Mouthfeel is light and has a smooth amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 02:29:48 | More by ocelot2500

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 5/17/11
*From notes

A BIG thanks goes out to pastradul for including this as an extra in our recent trade. Cheers, Paul!

A: It's cloudy straw yellow, with a splash of graham cracker crumble to it. A good pour creates a two finger head and reasonable lacing.

S: Citrusy hops, a drop of liquid smoke and Bananas Foster.

T: Nila Wafers and hints of charcoal smoke. The banana essence barrels through, and with a touch of drizzled caramel, finsihes this one off.

M: A bit too fluffy and bubbly, it feels much lighter then I'd want for a Wheat. Considering this is a summer seasonal, I can understand why it drinks as it does; you don't want anything too cloying on a 99 degree day.

O: Though I'm not a fan of the style, Firestone's Solace is a nice little beer. The ability to showcase more then the banana profile really made this one worth returning to sip after sip. Yet another drinkable brew from Firestone-Walker.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 17:09:19 | More by Rhettroactive

vkv822

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle : tulip snifter

Lightly hazy, golden orange with a foamy white head.

Aroma and taste is mostly fruity banana and wheat.

Medium body, smooth, prickly carbonation.

An easy drinking, well made beer. Definitely well suited for warm weather.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 08:26:13 | More by vkv822

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.1/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Look - golden/hay color. Not a lot of foam at all, good carbonation though.

Smell - a little on the worty side. Maybe a little floral essence, some spices.

Taste - spicy (not hot) in taste too, but all around very balanced.

Mouthfeel - Slightly creamy, but still light in feel.

Drinkability - A very unimposing beer. Not really a good conversation starter, but good enough in and of itself. Easy to come back to.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2010 04:19:33 | More by Nerudamann

BucannonXC5

California

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. About a finger of head. Color was straw orange. Light gray lacing that went away very quickly. No film on the sides.

Initial smell was alcohol, then came the banana and cloves. Circus Peanuts, grass, wheat, bread, bubblegum, and some light lemon citrus notes.

Tasted pretty close to the smell. Got wheat, cloves and banana up front. Also grass, bread and light Circus Peanuts (not as much as the smell).

Light-to-medium body. Sticky texture. Above average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. Refreshing.

I’ve had the Solace many times before, but this was the first time I rated it. It was just like I remembered it, decent, but not good. It is good for a June/July day, though.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 05:42:44 | More by BucannonXC5

TheSixthRing

California

4.45/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Pours a cloudy golden orange with a white 2 finger head, good retention, leaving behind a thick, semi-sticky lacing.

Smell - Lots of heavy yeast. Notes of banana and wheat.

Taste - A light bubblegum yeast and banana upfront, a touch of spice. Aftertaste rings with a hint of citrus, and a mellow pineapple zing. Complex and delicious!

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body. Silky smooth and a touch creamy. Carbonation is lively and leaves a nice tingle.

Overall - This beer is simply fantastic. I'm really impressed. Drinks closer to a hefeweizen, but I can definitely taste the saison influence, particularly in the finish. Only available in the summer months? Boo! We want year-round release!

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 22:02:39 | More by TheSixthRing

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Hazy light gold/dark straw. Head is bright-white and drops to a wispy nothingness in short order. Lively carbonation.

Smell: Wheaty. Grass, touches of banana and clove. Sweet. Corn and apples. Was this hit with a Belgian yeast strain. Reminds me of a traditional hefeweizen. Loaded with fruity sweetness. Very bright. Some bubblegum and pale malts. Mildly earthy.

Taste: Lemon and earthy fruit. Dirt, grass, and the distinct bite of wheat. Yeast drops some big ripe banana with a faint clove spiciness. Sweet and pale. Lingering sweetness. Bubblegum on the back. Yeasty without being overbearing. Very clean. Some mild funk layered in the back, but it's mostly hay. Slightly toasted.

Mouthfeel: Relatively light with a decent carbonation. Incredibly clean and bright. Easy drinking and highly quaffable.

Overall: Hello summertime in a bottle. If this doesn't make your list of hot summer beer, nothing will.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 22:11:46 | More by Goblinmunkey7

JackieTH

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks mom for retrieving this one from the Left Coast. Fizzy pour that kicks up a big although very transient bubbly head leaving zero lace or trace of foam. Body is slightly hazy, honey colored. Smell is lemongrass, chalky, hint of bananas. Taste is nice. Faintly lemony, hint of bananas, light sweetness, refreshing and wet. Body is medium light and crisply carbonated, works well with the taste. Overall I could drink a half gallon of this very thirst quenching beer, even better if it wasn't January in Minnesota but rather July.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 03:52:54 | More by JackieTH

Murrhey

Montana

3.2/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a weizen glass. Reviewed live.

A- Two finger width white head. Nice carbonation and medium retention. Pale gold-orange color with nice clarity. Fluffy lacing.

S- Wheat, light malts and subtle hops. Sugar, bubblegum, cloves and other sweet smells.

T- Crisp and bold sort of flavor. Wheaty and sweet. Wonderfully refreshing. Not particularly flavorful however.

M- Light bodied, heavy carbonation and wet finish.

O- Very drinkable but ultimately plain wheat beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 07:52:33 | More by Murrhey

WeisGuy

New York

2.65/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

a - deep golden color, one-finger white head, little retention or lacing, pretty hazy

s - banana peel, clove and wheat dominate the nose, some lemon citrus, no alcohol noticeable

t - like the nose, banana and clove flavors up front and on the midpalate, finish is fairly sweet with muddy spice and fruit flavors, very light hoppiness

m - medium-bodied, lower side of carbonation, somewhat sweet on the finish, no alcohol warming

d - not very complex or interesting, I'm just not into the beer and don't particularly want to finish the bottle

A bit disappointed in this offering, as I'm a fan of most other FW beers. The whole beer just seems muddy and confused.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2010 22:20:44 | More by WeisGuy

Spikester

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours cloudy orange gold with a two finger white head. Few lacings. Head recedes to a tiny ring.
Aroma is rising bread dough. Taste is somewhat puzzling though. First thing I thought there was some macro-type corniness which transitioned to a Belgian type yeast. Has all the goodness of a wheat beer with the take no prisoners yeast flavor. I like it though it probably won't be have a regular place in my cooler.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 06:12:40 | More by Spikester

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy, hazy, golden-yellow in color with a thick, fluffy, white head.

S: Toasted wheat, banana, spice, bread.

T: Fruity, bready, sweet, toasted wheat and malt. Tasty stuff.

M: Smooth, sweet, crisp. Good body and good flavor.

O: A very good wheat beer that I would gladly drink again. And hopefully will be able to again on draft.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 21:37:01 | More by Gatch

CharlesRiver

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz brown stubby bottle, capped. Label states that this is a Limited Release. Pours our a pale-golden yellow with tons of tiny bubbles. Very small head that doesn't last at all.

Smell is wheat, lemon notes and also some clove and banana. Almost leaning towards the smell of a Belgian beer. Taste is sweeter than I expected but in a good way. Malty banana start this beer out and it ends with a nice spicy bitterness. Nice little yeast bite that adds some complexity.

I am drinking this in the mid to upper 40's and it really brings out some great flavors. Still clean and easy drinking but tons of layers of flavors. Very easy drinking beer that I would love to have one tap.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 00:29:36 | More by CharlesRiver

philbertk

Washington

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

3 oz. Tast @ Portland, Oregon Spring Beer & Wine Fest April 3rd, 2010. 6.0% ABV. 15 IBU's. Foamy cloudy darkish lemon gold color. Wheat ester front. Odd citrus wheat fruit ester body. Clean banana Hefe slightly too sweet fruity end. (3.0 / 5.0)

Firestone Walker Brewing Company solace--Craftily Unfiltered Ale--Limited Release 2010--12 oz. Bottle. 6.00% ABV. 15 IBU's. (3.75 / 5.0) Wheat Ale--Foamy mild lace white head. Clear bright orange gold color hazes creamy orange with rich sediment. Light floral wheat ester citrus clove hop hint front. Tangy dry sweet creamy malty wheat mild fruit delicate spice smooth refreshing body. Dry citrus end. Sampled. 8/19/2010. 6- Pack--$9.49.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 06:15:21 | More by philbertk

JBogan

Nevada

3.28/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Firestone has long been one of my favorite breweries so I was looking forward to trying their newest offering.

Solace poured a hazy light orange with a small head which left almost no lacing in my Firestone glass. Not a bad looking beer but nothing exceptional either.

The aroma was of honey, wheat and a bit of lemon.

The taste followed the smell closely. The lemon seemed a bit more noticeable, and there was a hint of earthiness as the beer warmed. No sign of alcohol to be found. I must say however that the overall taste was very faint, almost to the point of being weak. It really needed a boost, perhaps a more tart presence would have been nice. I gave this a 3.0 (Average) in this department, but had to convince myself to even give it that much.

The mouthfeel was decent. Very light and smooth, and with moderate carbonation. It's just about right for the warmer months coming up.

As mentioned, I enjoy nearly everything Firestone puts out, but this beer misses the mark IMO and I'd say it just might be my least favorite of anything they've released. Maybe it will grow on me with time, but for now I'll be reaching for their other beers first.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 02:30:05 | More by JBogan