Firestone 15 - Anniversary Ale - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

YaKnowBrady

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It's a shame that these Firestone Walker Anniversary beers are so expensive, as I do enjoy the hell out of them.

Bottle purchased at Samz in Burlington, $21.99 a bottle. Bought 3.

Poured into a large snifter. Lighter coloration that previous anniversaries, likely due to the inclusion of lighter beers in the initial blend. Duh. Smells of vanilla, bourbon, and surprisingly, hops. Alcohol comes through in the scent, but to be somewhat expected, due to the high abv.

Taste also follows the similar FW -bal beers, with the vanilla-bourbon flavor, but with a higher alcohol burn than I'm used to with their boxed specialties. Hop flavor adds to the burn, like drinking lemonade after eating a sour patch kid. Somewhat off-putting, unfortunately.

Definitely a pleasant beer in the ever growing ocean that is modern -bal beers, but as a blended American Strong Ale, especially from FW, it is a bit unbalanced and the alcohol burn is too strong. I hope this will mellow out with age, before it falls apart like some of their other blends tend to do. Next time, leave out the DDBA and the Double Jack.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 21:38:27 | More by YaKnowBrady

invadertw

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

06-16-2013 13:41:03 | More by invadertw

cardsfan

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

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djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -8%

06-15-2013 18:12:41 | More by djrn2

cosmonick

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%

06-13-2013 03:47:25 | More by cosmonick

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

06-11-2013 21:19:51 | More by williamjbauer

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -19.5%

06-11-2013 00:23:43 | More by Retail1LO

meatyard

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

06-10-2013 22:27:27 | More by meatyard

ajzy

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -13.8%

06-09-2013 20:53:07 | More by ajzy

LloydXmas

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%

06-09-2013 15:23:50 | More by LloydXmas

scottfrie

California

3.99/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into Block 15 snifter.

A: Pours a deep ruddy brown-maroon color with a finger of light tan head that faded into a bubbly collar. Wispy soapy lace was left down the glass.
S: Boozy notes of raisin, coco powder, Hersey syrup, hop resin, port, and bourbon. Smells awesome.
T: Chocolate fudge, slight vanilla and leather, bakers chocolate, fig, cinnamon, and bourbon come through up front with a hoppy barleywine-like finish. Tastes like a barleywine mixed with fudge brownies.
M: Very low and soft carbonation, full body, smooth overall, with integrated booze and a very solid bitterness.
O: More chocolate, more barleywine-esque, and more bitter than I remember the past blends being. Really really smooth and enjoyable, probably one of my favorites out of all the years so far. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 03:22:36 | More by scottfrie

DeutschesBier

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -13.8%

06-07-2013 14:19:55 | More by DeutschesBier

POTABLE83

New York

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%

06-06-2013 13:02:57 | More by POTABLE83

phishphorce

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -8%

06-04-2013 06:07:37 | More by phishphorce

beernads

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%

06-03-2013 16:54:36 | More by beernads

Anonymous1

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

06-01-2013 04:26:37 | More by Anonymous1

cvm4

Mississippi

4.29/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Since this is such a mix of different beers I wasn't sure what the norm "look" was. Poured an off color amber, may'be murky brown with a light tan head.

S - Vanilla, boozy, oaky, bourbon and semi-sweet chocolate. Dark fruits are faint, but there.

T - A whirlwind of flavors... Sweet malts as a base, oak flavors are very present, dark fruits peak through, bourbon is there but not overpowering. A great mix with each flavor peaking through and fading as it goes through your mouth. As it warms, it can be a little sweet.

M - Medium bodied and carbonation. Very smooth and velvety.

O - It's amazing they can mix all these beers and the end result be drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 00:35:12 | More by cvm4

SHerninko

Pennsylvania

4.71/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

FW is a great brewery. Always seek them out. This special Anniversary edition is on my purchase list (wish list) each year.
Enjoyed on the deck for Memorial Day w/ my bud Lee Shelly.

Poured into a snifter glass and the tan head is just frothing with non-stop tiny bubbles. They explode and new ones appear. Very nice. The mouth is not carbinated though.

What can I say---from appearance, smell, taste---it is ALL GOOD.

This 15th Anniv. has a lot of Barleywine and the base stouts are there, but this tastes like a dark Belgian Quad (closests style to this blend).

It is very enjoyable, recommended. Go get some!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 15:33:11 | More by SHerninko

jbar920

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

05-30-2013 14:27:46 | More by jbar920

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

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2GOOFY

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

05-26-2013 21:41:24 | More by 2GOOFY

JSBILK

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

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1424IpA

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%

05-25-2013 00:08:04 | More by 1424IpA

Bigtwin

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%

05-24-2013 18:29:36 | More by Bigtwin

BAsbill

California

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%

05-22-2013 21:22:05 | More by BAsbill