Firestone Walker 10
Blend of barleywine, imperial stout, imperial brown, and double IPA aged in Old Fitzgerald Barrels.“10”—a limited-edition oak-aged strong ale that commemorates the brewery’s 10th anniversary since its founding in 1996 on California’s Central Coast.
4
238 reviews
Paso Robles, United States
Community reviews
Bottle shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike!
Firestone Walker tasting, including FW 10-14, Abacus, Parabola, Walker’s Reserve, Black Xantus.
Order of preference and notes: 13, 12, 11, 14, 10
Abacus and Parabola still shined. Along with FW 13, these were my three favorites of the lineup, with FW 12 not far behind.
FW 10 appears remarkably similar to the other FW anniversary ales, dark brown with a thin cap. The carbonation seems to have dropped off just a bit in the years since its release.
The aroma still brings a fair amount of booze, with some toffee and roast notes as well.
The flavor was lacking the balance, depth, and complexity I found so wonderful and present in FW 12 and 13. A surprising amount of heat throughout the flavor profile detracted from the overall presentation of the beer.
The finish brought an unpleasant harshness to the back of my throat. Some good flavors still lurk here, but are overshadowed by the heat.
Overall, the weakest of the anniversary series by a long shot. It was a treat to have tried this, and I am very grateful for the opportunity.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 05-27-2011
Shared by Daknole at a recent tasting with the entire vertical. Brown pour with a tan head. This is still holding up pretty well. Aroma of chocolate and caramel malts with a little booze, taste adds some citrus and toffee, overall pretty damn good.
Bottle shared by Aledude at his birthday. Hazy dark brown pour with a thin beige head. Aroma of chocolate, alcohol, caramel, grain and some citrus. Malty and grainy flavor with dark chocolate, alcohol and slight citrus before a bitter finish.
Sample at Kurt’s 49th birthday party. This brew pours dark brownish-black with some ruby around the edges and a medium thin beige head that recedes to an outer ring eventually. Spotty lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, vanilla and oak. Full-bodied and smooth with the Barley Wine portion of the blend being the most prevalent. Flavors of toasted malt, hops, tobacco and caramel. The finish is malty with a somewhat fruity aftertaste. Enjoyable beer that appears to be holding up well.
Huge thanks to CaptainCougar for sharing this!!!! Rich dark brown pour, minimal head. Balanced molasses, chocolate, caramel, and touches of oxidation throughout the nose and flavor of this lovely brew. Orange and almond come into play as well. It’s aged quite elegantly.
22oz bottle pours a hazy, caramel amber with some cloudy, white head. Nose is awesome, leather shoes, oranges, mint, caramel, tobacco leaves. Flavor is similar, toffee, brown sugar, oranges, mint, leather, tobacco. Medium bodied, oxidized finish, orangey on the end. I love when beers get this far.
Bottle shared by CaptainCougar. Thanks! Pours a dark brown color with no head. Aroma shows definite oxidation with notes of toffee and citrus. The taste is bitter citrus hops, caramel, toasted malts. Medium-full bodied.
Wow! This one is definitely a keeper. I’m not a huge fan of DIPA’s, mainly because the alcohol takes over. But this is a beautifully crafted ale. The alcohol only makes its presence known late into the finish.
tan amber, thin tan ring. Nose is stale oatmeal, dusty. Flavor is hot, chocolate, light toast, burnt marshmallow. Stale and oxidized, sticks to palate, but cake elements shooting in and out are appreciated.
Rather nice bourbon and toffee nose with dark fruit notes. Taste is moderately sweet and lightly bitter with caramel, light pine, coconut bourbon and sherry. Solid.
Clear brown pour with a super small head. Caramel and toffee with oxidized malts and lots of dark fruit notes. Not massive oxidation, but enough. Full body with low carbonation and a succulent sweet finish.
@HallingHansen tasting, thanks for sharing. Pours cloudy brown with a small beige head. Aroma is caramel, raisin, plum, oak, vanilla and alcohol. Flavour is is caramel, alcohol, raisin, plum, vanilla and oak.
At HallingHansen Grand Tasting, thanks for sharing. Pours an unclear and dark brown beer with a weak beige head. The aroma is malt, fruit, dried fruit, sweetness, vanilla and wood. The flavor follows the nose with additional alcohol. The palate is sweetness and alcoholwarmth. Overall a really good beer.
Near black with ruby highlights, small off-white head. Malty aroma with a bit of caramel, notable oak and bourbon, and a touch of fruitiness. Sweet malty flavour with a complex oak character, and quite a bit of alcohol
Bottle @ Hallinghansens US Tasting, Odense. Pours murky dark brown with a small off white head. Sweet nose and flavor of oak, caramel, prune and a slight oxidation. Sweet and vinous. A bit of warmth. A sipper!
Bottle. Mud brown body with a tiny offwhite head. Aroma is raisins, dark fruit, alcohol notes, roasted malt, bourbon and vanilla. Flavor is dark fruit, alcohol, raisins, chocolate notes, vanilla, bourbon. Tha alcohol thickles in the mouth. Great beer.
Bottle at hallinghansen grand tasting. It pours dark brown with some floasties. It has a medium off white head. Loads of bourbon notes in the aroma. Sweet toasted caramel, vanilla, booze, light chocolate and tobacco. The flavour is vanilla, toasted caramel, booze, light roast and fainted hops. Nice and smooth. Long sweet dark dried fruity finish. Thanks hallinghansen for sharing!
Thanks to Mike Dash G!!
Appearance: pours a dark brown with no head and no bubbles.
Aroma: Dark fruit: fig, raisin date. Apricot. Not any booze.
Taste. Dark chocolate alcohol cardboard, hazelnut, coconut.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied modest carbonation.
Overall: Nothing like it was 6 years ago, obviously. I would suggest doing your "vertical" now.
Had during a 10-15 vertical on 11/20/11. Slightly cloudy, dark brown. Hardly any head at all. Sweet chocolate coffee smell. Really complex aroma. Tasks slightly sweet and very smooth. You can taste the alcohol come through almost like a bourbon. May be past its prime. But was still incredibly enjoyable.
Pour is a deep dark coppery brown with little gray head. Smell is deep molasses light figs and butter resin. Taste is brown sugar buttered caramel popcorn vanilla great smooth silky mouthfeel. thanks drowland.
651mL thanks to drowland and the Tally beer crew at Proof for sharing this rarity!. The pour is a clear, deep maroon with bubbles. No head formation. Nose is starchy, red fruits, tart berries, umami soy character, quite savory with saving graces of bourbon and maple. Taste is spicy, decent alcohol heat, mild ash and chalkiness. Big kick of alcohol in the mid. Chalk and mint in the finale. Big oxidized/minty quality. Not bad...probably not worth cellaring any longer.
11/11/11. 22oz bottle courtesy daknole. Malty old ale aroma of sorts - sweet, malty, a bit minty, some oxidation aspects, and a touch of barrel character. Sweet malty flavor with caramel, rye bread, toast, vanilla, alcohol, and a bit of barrel. Lingering roasty, bitter aspects as well. Still some booze in there... this must have been intense fresh. Nice.
Bottle: The aroma consists of mild chocolate, rye bread, caramel, and a hint of oak... It pours a dark brown with some orange highlights and a minimal beige head. The finish starts worth moderate chocolate, caramel, and a touch of toffee. The finish has mild bourbon, a touch of coconut, and oak. Medium bodied work mild carbonation.
shared bomber thanks to TheBeerSommelier. pours a murky brown with a slim tan head. roasted nose with light oak, light bourbon and lingering fruits. medium body - sweet throughout with vanilla, bourbon, dark fruits (raisin, dates, grapes) and brown sugar. lots of warmth on the finish with some chocolate, sugar, light coffee and more oak.
Well, well, our paths finally cross. Thanks to jcb890 for the introduction. Served as part of a 10-14 diagonal along with Abacus, Parabola, and the like. Served in a Three Floyds / Intelligentsia mini-snifter.
Pours near black with a very small tan head that went away very quickly without leaving behind any lacing or legs. Forgivable, for sure. The nose is a bit weak, carrying some roast and cofee and is actually quite boozy still. There’s a bit of wood and slight spirit character, though not too much. The flavor has slight roast and some chocolate. Bit of coffee there as well atop the oak. Not very strong and still not all that integrated. This was one of the booziest of the bunch, which was quite odd.
Getting a 4.0 overall, as some of these areas were closer to 3.75, but didn’t quite hit the 4.0 mark. Glad to have tried this, but it does indeed seem to be going downhill fast. The same is true of the 11, which was fantastic just over a year ago, but now isn’t much better than the 10. I’m sure bottle variation plays a bit role here at this point, so make what you want of these thoughts.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 05-25-2011
A dark ugly brown, light watery head... Aroma is outstanding, Kuhnhenn whopper malt, very sweet molasses, dark fruits, very smooth... Taste is very smooth but sadly you tell this is a bit old and oxidized otherwise this could have been epic, light chalk finish, the beginning and middle are very nice though, smooth bourbon with nice caramel... This is good but drink it now or you will be disappointed
22oz Bottle thanks to ditmier for opening this rare treat. Pours out hazy brown topped with a sand head. Aroma was sweet pit fruit, caramel, rich roast malts, toffee, vanilla, and some wood. Taste was more of the rich thick sweetness. Lots of candy, fruit, and the wood notes very nice.
bomber thanks to bleeng. Shared at the January Houston RB Tasting. Pours dark brown with little head. Nose is of toffee and brown sugar. Taste is of chocolate, brown sugar, toffee and roast malt. Mouthfeel is medium and chewy. Heading downhill. Still very good, but past it’s prime, IMO.
14th March 2009
Cloudy dark brown beer. Complex taste profile. Aniseed and licorice alcohol. A little chocolate. Some cherry tones. Sweet malt. Hop and coffee bitterness. Some subtle buttery vanilla oak. Warming afterglow. Tasty beer that was just a tad too bitter.
January Houston Tasting. Thanks to bleeng. Dark brown pour with no head. Musty nose, with oak and a cheesy note. Flavor has lots of whiskey to it. Some carbonation loss. Enjoyable, probably better when it came out though.