Firestone Walker 12
The Barrels
The individual lots were aged in oak barrels, most of which were hand selected from premium Kentucky spirits producers by Tom
Griffin, who is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about bourbon barrels and beer. Each barrel lends its own unique influence to
the final blend. Tom continues to hand deliver some real treats to us, including some 20+ year old Rip Van Winkle Barrels!
Barrels freshly dumped from the distilleries and hand delivered by Tom Griffin:
Rip Van Winkle Bourbon
Old Fitzgerald Bourbon / Old Fitzgerald Wheat Whiskey
Heaven Hill Bourbon / Heaven Hill Brandy / Heaven Hill Rye
Barrels purchased directly from American Coopers toasted to Firestone Walker’s specifications:
New American Oak produced by World Cooperage / medium and medium plus toast
Retired Firestone Union Oak produced by World Cooperage, and Barrel Associates (water bent staves)
The Aging Cellar – The Components
Following are descriptions of key components with their original code names:
Final Blend %
Parabola ྭ% ABV) - Aged in New American oak, bourbon and rye barrels ࿌%)
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (brewed02-09-06 and 01-18-08)
OG=28P FG=7.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding
Opal ྫ% ABV) – Aged in rye barrels ྼ%)
-Wheat Wine (brewed 2-25-08)
OG=22.4P FG=6.2P IBU=45 Color=17 / Brewed with torrified and malted wheat, lightly hopped with Saaz
Rufus ྫ% ABV) – Aged in rye and bourbon barrels ྲ%)
-Continental Imperial Amber Ale (brewed 8-17-07)
OG=22.5 FG=4.5 IBU=40 Color=15 / Brewed with Belgian Dark Candi Syrup / Hopped with Styrian Goldings and Saaz
Saucerful of Secrets ƙ% ABV) – Aged in Brandy Barrels ƙ%)
-Belgian Strong Ale (brewed 10-30-07)
OG=23.4 FG=6.1 IBU 25 Color=39 / Brewed with Belgian Dark Candi sugar and everything else but the kitchen sink
Union Jack IPA Ɨ% ABV) - Aged in stainless steel Ƒ%)
-American Style IPA (brewed 10-28-08)
OG=17 FG=3.5 IBU=75 Color=12 / Brewed with massive amounts of hops and a very kind attitude
The Finished Piece-
As a finished beer, XII is in some ways more aggressive than any previous blend, but it maintains a great deal of depth and complexity. Everyone seems to get
something different when they taste this beer- mocha, tobacco, toasted almonds, olallieberries... I leave the interpretation to you. It is best enjoyed in a half filled
brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. If left in a cool dark place, I suspect that this beer will age well.
Only time will tell. If you find something you like- please contact us and let us know your thoughts.
I truly hope you enjoy our third oak-aged blend. This crazy beer journey continues!
The individual lots were aged in oak barrels, most of which were hand selected from premium Kentucky spirits producers by Tom
Griffin, who is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about bourbon barrels and beer. Each barrel lends its own unique influence to
the final blend. Tom continues to hand deliver some real treats to us, including some 20+ year old Rip Van Winkle Barrels!
Barrels freshly dumped from the distilleries and hand delivered by Tom Griffin:
Rip Van Winkle Bourbon
Old Fitzgerald Bourbon / Old Fitzgerald Wheat Whiskey
Heaven Hill Bourbon / Heaven Hill Brandy / Heaven Hill Rye
Barrels purchased directly from American Coopers toasted to Firestone Walker’s specifications:
New American Oak produced by World Cooperage / medium and medium plus toast
Retired Firestone Union Oak produced by World Cooperage, and Barrel Associates (water bent staves)
The Aging Cellar – The Components
Following are descriptions of key components with their original code names:
Final Blend %
Parabola ྭ% ABV) - Aged in New American oak, bourbon and rye barrels ࿌%)
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (brewed02-09-06 and 01-18-08)
OG=28P FG=7.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding
Opal ྫ% ABV) – Aged in rye barrels ྼ%)
-Wheat Wine (brewed 2-25-08)
OG=22.4P FG=6.2P IBU=45 Color=17 / Brewed with torrified and malted wheat, lightly hopped with Saaz
Rufus ྫ% ABV) – Aged in rye and bourbon barrels ྲ%)
-Continental Imperial Amber Ale (brewed 8-17-07)
OG=22.5 FG=4.5 IBU=40 Color=15 / Brewed with Belgian Dark Candi Syrup / Hopped with Styrian Goldings and Saaz
Saucerful of Secrets ƙ% ABV) – Aged in Brandy Barrels ƙ%)
-Belgian Strong Ale (brewed 10-30-07)
OG=23.4 FG=6.1 IBU 25 Color=39 / Brewed with Belgian Dark Candi sugar and everything else but the kitchen sink
Union Jack IPA Ɨ% ABV) - Aged in stainless steel Ƒ%)
-American Style IPA (brewed 10-28-08)
OG=17 FG=3.5 IBU=75 Color=12 / Brewed with massive amounts of hops and a very kind attitude
The Finished Piece-
As a finished beer, XII is in some ways more aggressive than any previous blend, but it maintains a great deal of depth and complexity. Everyone seems to get
something different when they taste this beer- mocha, tobacco, toasted almonds, olallieberries... I leave the interpretation to you. It is best enjoyed in a half filled
brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. If left in a cool dark place, I suspect that this beer will age well.
Only time will tell. If you find something you like- please contact us and let us know your thoughts.
I truly hope you enjoy our third oak-aged blend. This crazy beer journey continues!
4.1
301 reviews
Paso Robles, United States
Community reviews
22 oz bomber shared by Bobby at a tasting. The pour is a darker copper, brown with a smaller tan head. The aroma is deep rich caramel and nutty malt, good amount of booze whiskey / bourbon, some vanilla barrel notes, and more of the sweet malt. Really big nose, rich full, well integrated. The taste is the nose, with equal parts caramel sweet malt, whiskey alcohol booze and the general vanilla oak barrel. The palate is medium to heavy bodied, low carbonation, dry booze sweet finish. Nice one, thanks for sharing Bobby.
Pours an opaque, flat, very dark brown. The mocha-tan head doesn’t grow beyond a finger high. It attenuates into a panacea-patterned patch of bubbles that sits atop the deep-sea-dark liquid. The oak age has imparted a very appealing, sweet aroma of vanilla and coconut. Some coffee notes underneath. The nose is very smooth. Slick and just faintly thick mouthfeel. Slides through the palate without sticking or coating. Ample alcohol warmth, but not off-putting. A lot of tobacco right at the beginning. A quick blast of alcohol overlapping the tobacco in the beginning. Vanilla, then dark chocolate, then coffee, then tobacco. Not much of the coconut in the flavor that comes through in the aroma. An extraordinarily complex beer with distinct, yet seamlessly adjoined stages done in true FW fashion.
Bottle. Pours a deep reddish black, very little carbonation. Flavor is soft malt, banana bread, yeasty esters. Some heat on the back end from the alcohol. Lingering stickiness. Very smooth, seems to have aged well.
22 oz. bottle, pours a deep dark brown with a small beige head. Aroma is super complex, with loads of dark dried fruits, brandy-like liqueur, bourbon and booze - no hint I oxidation. Flavour is extremely rich and complex, with notes brandy upfront, caramel, and deep dark fruits. Extremely deep and sophisticated. The body is sticky and liqueur-like. ABV is hidden really well. The age has done this wonders. Elegant and complex. Awesome stuff.
Bottled. Aged well since this beers release back in 2008 I think. I never rated it upon tasting the first of the two bottles I picked up from the brewery. I had no idea this beast would develop into what it has become... Poured a dark mahogany with an oily appearance; some yeast sediment suspended near the bottom. A light amount of carbonation is still present. After warming in my snifter the aroma is incredible...old leather, charred oak, brandy, molasses, a slight hint of cedar and tobacco. The flavor has mellowed and blended something fierce; amazingly smooth transitions between the sweet brown sugar and raisin notes up front and the smoky oak, bourbon and chocolate tones behind it. Just outstandingly smooth...no harsh character in the profile at all. Palate is perfect; thick and oily and it coats the mouth like butter. The alcohol heat has subsided with aging and has made this a real treat to be savored. With the extra years on it, this is one of my favorite barrel aged blends so far. Its a shame I didn’t buy more...
Wow! Bottle generously shared at Clusterfork. Pours a deep brown with little carbonation left. Aroma is toffee, butterscotch, some mild tobacco. Chocolate more in the taste with a good mouthfeel and some wine tanin. The carb level is low but this beer is still holding up. I’d heard bad things since the first time I tried it 3 years ago. Nice beer and hope it holds up a little longer.
Bottle thanks to Dave. Pours a dark brown with medium tan head that diminishes rather quickly. The aroma is roasted malt, chocolate, oak, and vanilla. Thin mouthfeel with sweet roasted malt, chocolate, and oak. Very smooth hiding the alcohol well, a very impressive American strong ale from Firestone.
This bottled brew from rbsg #44 poured a small sized head of light brown colored bubbles that were mostly diminishing and left behind a no visible carbonation opaque and a fair lacing. The aroma was dark malt and bourbon. The mouth feel was very tingly at the start and at the finish. The strong flavor contained notes of roasted malt and . Delicious and one I would certainly like to have again.
Bottle, part of a vertical (thanks, daknole). Pours dark brown with no head. Aroma of bourbon and caramel. Taste of malty biscuit with bitter coffee finish. Some oxidation (not surprising given the age), but the quality still shines through.
Pours brown and turns black as it pools with a small thin head that dissipates quickly. Nose is vanilla, toasted almonds, light coffee. Not as strong as other anniversary beers. Taste is sweet but transitions into a nice bitter finish. The bitter is more in tact then the other anniversary beer. The mouthfeel is crisp and sticky, the body is heavy and the finish is long.
alright! happy to try this- . pours a black thick oil .. mild foam .. . deep tar, burnt wood, dark caramel, touch of sherry, and burnt sugar .. . still quite thick, this could go another 5+ years .. . go away john terry, no one likes you!
Bottle @ Armin’s bachelor party. Thanks Armin! Pours a dark brown appearance with a very small tan head. Quite nice, rich dark chocolate, toffee, light whiskey, caramel, molasses, fig, tobacco aroma. Somewhat fruity, fig, plum dark chocolate, rich caramel, chocolate flavor that’s thick and has just a touch of booze on the finish. No noticeable signs of oxidation and a real treat to drink.
Sampled on 9/2/2012 during an FW 11-15 vertical. This American Strong Ale pours a dark brown color from a 22oz bottle. Small to no head. The aroma is caramel. wood, boozy and sweet. A full bodied American Strong Ale. The malts are fruity and sweet. The hops are herbal and earthy. Nice balance. Lots of wood, sweet and bourbon. A little more bourbon and wood than the 11. Nicely balanced. Nice sipping beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and sweet. Aftertaste is slightly sweet. An interesting tasting. The group consensus was that the was not a whole lot of difference between the 11, 12 and 14, but that the 13 was thin and tasted so different from the others we wondered if they changed the recipe.
(22oz bottle) clear deep ruddy brown pour, offwhite bubbles. Nose is very complex, whiskey, graham cracker, vanilla, taste is roasty caramel malt, light caramel, whiskey, barrel, marshmallow, nice err but perhaps past it’s prime by a slight bit.
August 29, 2012 bottle from footbalm. Black pour with nice head, some sediment and lacing. Aroma was oak, bourbon, molasses, tobacco and chocolate. Taste starts with some nice chocolate, moves into the oak, then the bourbon blends in and finally a touch of alcohol and smoky tobacco. Very thick and smooth, this aged very nicely kind of like my wife. A great way to celebrate our 12th anniversary even if it was a few days late. Thanks to Eric for hooking me up big time with this one!
Deep black-brown body, thin khaki skim, spotty lacing. Nose is decadent roasted and chocolate malts. Dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, oak, bourbon. Flavor is similar with a rich warming quality on the tongue. Tremendously complex and layered flavors (not surprising with the barrels/beers in the blend. Full bodied. Slightly boozy. The whole series of these beers is a treat and you have to appreciate the effort put into blending this product.
Bottle shared by bmanning. Thanks Ben!
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.
The beer is dark brown, with a thin, beige head that leaves some decent lacing behind.
The aroma brings, roasted malt, toffee, alcohol, oak, and light chocolate.
Nice flavor here. This is my second favorite of the FW anniversary series. Well balanced and forward. The beer packs a punch, but does it gracefully.
The feel is much smoother than FW 10 or 11, but still brings some heat, most notably in the finish.
Delicious beer. Highly recommended.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 05-27-2011
Bottle. Thanks Ben. Pours a dark brown color with a light tan collared head. Very stout like aroma, dark fruit, molasses, and roast. Medium/heavy mouthfeel. Very smooth with notes of caramel, toffee, and roast. Lingering bitterness in the end. Solid.
Pours a dark brown with a tan head. Aroma has vanilla, bourbon, toffee qnd some dark fruit. Flavor has some caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and bourbon with a little bitterness. Another great FW anniversary ale.
Been saving a bottle, perhaps for this specific tasting at Adam’s. I guess a thanks to myself in order! Pours a maple syrupy cordovan tone with no discernible head; whatever head there was, it certainly had faded quickly into nothingness in my glass. Smells of brandy alcohols, aged oak, backstrap molasses, burnt rubber and hops. Tastes of molasses straightaway, followed by oak, cinnamon, persimmon, and milk chocolate. Ends bittersweet and thin.
Shared by RadarSocks at my cabin in NH. Enjoyed at room temp in a Hill Farmstead glass.
A - Poured dark brown. No head at all. Black in the glass with some red hues.
S - Wow. I can smell the bourbon from 2 feet away. Always a good sign. This is a very hot and boozy beer. Tons of bourbon and whisky on the nose. Lots of smokey oak and some hints of vanilla.
T - Fantastic. BIG huge dark fruits up front. Lots of figs, some black cherries and some dried prunes. In the middle, dominant oak and some cocoa as well. It’s this weird Oak/Coffee/Chocolate mix that really blends well in the middle. The finish is hard to point out. Charred and smoky notes from the barrels, vanilla from the barrels and this semi-sweet barley wine esque finish.
M - 10% carbonation, heavy body. It coats your tongue but no tingling that I was expecting. Very much a mouth filler and heavy and boozy and hot and oh so delicious.
O - I enjoyed this beer tremendously. It’s for sure a sipper and one that I was expecting to have fallen off by now. Still drinking great. Enjoyable.
651mL at Woodshop 7 as part of the complete FW vertical FW10-FW15. Clear maroon pour, deep. No head. Nose is tomato paste, savory soy and truffle, brown sugar, bourbon, sweet carrot, candied beets. Brown liquor. Taste is rich ganache, hazelnut, toasted nuts, candied pecans. Bitterness to balance. Very rich and excellent. A nice surprise. No cloying body. Taste really opens up to amazing roasted candied bitter nuts. Palate is spicy, oily, bitter. A very nice surprise. Has held up well.
Aroma is caramel, oak, vanilla, toffee almost no hops presence at this point.
Appearance is deep brown with no head and minimal lacing. Taste matches the aroma with almost no burn and comes off pretty sweet.
Overall I was really happy to share this one but those in the crowd who’d tried it before siad this one isn’t aging as well.
Bottle - celebratory of Devils winning ECF. Pours dark walnut brown with tan head. Nose/taste of walnuts, dark toffee, charred caramel, molasses, vanilla, oak, dark fruits and raisin. Complex. Slight alcohol in finish. Medium body.
@HallingHansen tasting, thanks for sharing. Pours brown with a small beige head. Aroma is roasted malt, raisin, plum, chocolate, oak, vanilla and alcohol. Flavour is roasted malt, raisin, chocolate, oak, vanilla and alcohol.
bomber. Pours dark brown with a small tan head. Nice nose of whiskey/bourbon, some sugary sweetness. Taste is very well developed of barrel aged barleywines, lots of sugary sweetnesss, some stickiness, and lots of alcohol presence. Very easy to drink.
At HallingHansen Grand Tasting, thanks for sharing. Pours a clear and dark brown beer with a weak head. The aroma is malt, dried fruit, sweetness, vanilla, fruit and wood. The flavor follows the nose with additional alcoholwarmth. The palate is sweetness and alcoholwarmth. Overall a really good beer.
Bomber. Poured medium chocolatey-brown with a short-lived, but easily-resuscitated smoked beige head. There was a lot going on in the aroma.. redder vinous notes and charred oak led, with sweet bourbon and dark molasses not far behind.. black pepper and a hit of smoked peat deep down.. warm, but not unreasonably so.. really nice. The flavor found a base of milk chocolates and molasses with accents of sweet vanilla, bourbon, and tangy oak.. chocolates and cocoa come back on toward the back, and ride delicious rye whiskey through the long, belly-warming finish. Heavier-bodied with low carbonation on the palate.. oily and coating in a good way.. the boozage was well-masked.. excellent brew!
(Bottle) Pours dark brown to black with almost no head. The aroma is oaky up front with butter, wood, vanilla, light coconut and light dill. Chocolate and mild caramel. Undertones of cinnamon, brown sugar, molasses, dark cherries and dark fruits like raisins and prunes. Soft, mild and creamy on the nose. The flavour is light to medium sweet and light to medium bitter. Oaky and chocolaty. Undertones of brown sugar, dark fruits and hints of cinnamon. The mouthfeel is super silky, round and light oily with a light carbonation. Some tannins and alcohol on the finish. Medium to full bodied.
Bottle. Dark brown body with a small head. Aroma is roast, tobacco, dark fruit, bourbon. Flavor is chocolate, roast, tobacco, booze.