Firestone 14 - Anniversary Ale - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

Reaper16

Alabama

4.22/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

served on-tap @ The Foundry, Kansas City, MO, into a snifter

Pours a silky looking sepia brown with some dark reddish highlights. You certainly can't see through it, but it's also a lighter shade of brown that I expected (given the amount of imperial stout in the blend; the barleywines win out in terms of appearance). Over one finger of lightish khaki head sits on top. Little head retention, but that's OK. Pretty nice looking glass of beer.

The first attack of the nose is all barrels and booze. The french oak is unmistakable, and the beer is (unfortunately) not at all shy about showing its ABV%. Vanilla from the oak, and some other kind of sweetness that is hard to place... something like an Almond Joy candy bar? A small bit of chocolate malt character, some nuttiness for sure, and a small amount of coconut. Some caramel comes into play, too. Nothing really original coming from the nose, but it smells like a consistent beer (and not the Frankenstein's Monster hodgepodge that blended beers can be).

That coconut I was picking up on in the nose is certainly present on the tongue. Almond Joy for sure: milk chocolate, nuttiness, plenty of toasted coconut sweetness. Vanilla too -- those oak barrels are up front and heavy -- along with some astringency. A small, small touch of leafy hops are discernible. As the beer warms, the alcohol muscles itself into the room. I had to ask my bartender if she knew what barrels were used, because I was picking up a major spirit character. The combination of coconut and toasted sweet flavors and the bit of brown sugar that opened up, along with the alcohol, makes me taste a bit of rum. If you like run or coconut-chocolate bars then this is the beer for you.

The mouthfeel is fine. It isn't very thick, actually, but it is pleasantly smooth and silky across the tongue. Good stuff, overall. I am not the biggest coconut fan, but I can recognize how good this beer is. It's best trait is that it is remarkable smooth and balanced for its style, and that it tastes like a coherent, cohesive beer. It doesn't taste like a blend of many, many beers. It tastes like a singular vision. The blenders at Firestone Walker are to be commended for this.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2011 05:42:20 | More by Reaper16

GonzoHomebrewer

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Opened for the third period of the B's game tonight

A Pours pitch black with a very thin mocha head, has some legs to it but also looked thin upon pour.

S- This is where the beer shines the most for me. An incredibly deep, complex blend of vanilla, dark fruits, toffee, oak, char, dark roasted coffee and caramel. really could smell this all day as it has mellowed to an icredibly well rounded barrel aged beer on the nose.

T- A more subdued version of the nose with a mild presence of alcohol heat; The brandy/dark fruit component seems to linger really long; to the point where it is reminiscent of belgian quad. Overall still very good, but the nose had promise for more.

M- creamy, yet I wouldn't really call it full, thick or luscious, which is what I wouldve preferred.

O- I was surprised at how much alcohol heat was still on this, this was pretty warming still. Good beer, could probably be aged a little longer to see if that heat goes away, but I feel as though the taste may mellow to a point that the mellowing of the flavors would negate any gain in mellowing of alcohol heat. Good beer, I'd drink my bottles now if I had any more.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 02:16:56 | More by GonzoHomebrewer

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +2%

05-21-2013 20:17:44 | More by InspectorBob

2GOOFY

California

4.5/5  rDev +2%

05-19-2013 20:23:41 | More by 2GOOFY

bbadger

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%

05-19-2013 15:48:46 | More by bbadger

Zbeetleman

California

5/5  rDev +13.4%

05-15-2013 02:29:56 | More by Zbeetleman

Absolut

California

4.75/5  rDev +7.7%

05-14-2013 17:52:08 | More by Absolut

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%

05-11-2013 02:41:36 | More by sleuthdog

jkane101

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +2%

05-10-2013 01:23:05 | More by jkane101

blknikon

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +7.7%

05-08-2013 19:13:22 | More by blknikon

BMart

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -9.3%

05-08-2013 19:01:29 | More by BMart

dfhhead25

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -9.3%

05-07-2013 03:34:22 | More by dfhhead25

zachattack555

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +2%

04-28-2013 20:21:58 | More by zachattack555

shand

Florida

4.26/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Mmmmm, a barrel-aged blend of a bunch of beers I've never had. Firestone 14 pours a deep brown with a very small head. The aroma is sweet with a ton of bourbon, with layers of complexity that I can tell are there, but can't quite coax out. The complexity comes through more on the tongue by far, with layers on layers of flavor. Vanilla, dark fruit, chocolate, coffee, oak, caramel, toffee, roasted malt, all the flavors you want from a big barrel aged beer are here. Each sip reveals a different facet of the blend. The mouthfeel is a little lighter than I would have expected, but it's very smooth. Overall, Firestone 14 is an excellent barrel aged blend. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 00:31:58 | More by shand

drgonzo2k2

California

5/5  rDev +13.4%

04-21-2013 14:17:17 | More by drgonzo2k2

spycow

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +2%

04-15-2013 01:28:36 | More by spycow

mikeyv35

New York

4.13/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Date: 09/26/2011
Type: 22oz. Foiled Bomber
Vintage: 2011
Glass: Free The Hops Snifter courtesy of Zach (beeruser)

Pours a deep brown mahogany in color w/ light black highlights w/ a skim coat white head that leaves little to no lacing. Aromas of bourbon, oak, cola, and caramel. The taste was of caramel/toffee/raisins up front, followed by bourbon and woodiness. Medium bodied and lush. I could not drink alot of this brew as it is very warming. This brew is best shared w/ friends.

Overall, not mind blowing, but very good.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 23:55:44 | More by mikeyv35

artoolemomo

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +2%

04-11-2013 02:09:25 | More by artoolemomo

SanFranJake

California

4.5/5  rDev +2%

04-07-2013 05:02:37 | More by SanFranJake

fredmugs

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%

04-01-2013 17:56:01 | More by fredmugs

claytong

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +2%

03-30-2013 15:24:45 | More by claytong

BAsbill

California

4.5/5  rDev +2%

03-30-2013 04:24:33 | More by BAsbill

robwestcott

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +2%

03-24-2013 01:13:57 | More by robwestcott

Sparky44

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%

03-23-2013 20:24:35 | More by Sparky44

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Tried this at a Parabola release in Seattle a couple years ago and have been sitting on a couple of these for a while. Probably should have reviewed it sooner, but with my buying habits any beer that can wait, usually does for a while...

Appearance. Pours a deep brown with a thin, light tan head.

Smell. Sticky toffee, light bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and a bit of coffee. There's a touch of dark fruit and some nice smooth booze as well. Smells sweet and decadent.

Taste. Sweet toffee again, raisins, very woody bourbon, chocolate and vanilla. There's a good amount of booze here but it's fairly smooth.

Mouthfeel. Full bodied, low+ carbonation, warming for sure.

Overall. A very nice, big sweet sipper. I'll be enjoying this one for the whole evening I'm sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 02:48:14 | More by Rutager