Firestone Walker 13
We are extremely honored to present to you our 13th Anniversary barrel aged blend! This is our fourth barrel aged release and each year is another adventure into the flavor
unknown. Our oak aging cellar continues to grow and so do the blending possibilities. We peaked at just over 120 barrels in our program this year, yet only 53 barrels made
this year’s final blend. We have stayed true to our original goal of making straight ahead strong ales and letting them rest in wood barrels to mature and develop flavors slowly
and naturally. We again met with some of the area’s best wine makers and allowed them to guide us to the finished product. Most of the beers that are in this blend are old
friends who we know well. Dark and ominous Parabola along with the rich and complex Bravo Brown were brewed again this year and together became the center piece of
this blend. Other beers like the Rufus and Opal along with Sean Paxton’s Saucerful of Secrets are still tucked away in the cellar in their original first generation form, gaining
character with extended aging. Velvet Merkin has established itself as a real barrel loving beer, although it is only 6%, it carries barrel qualities beautifully. A new beer, that
was created this year by our Cellar Master Ali Razi, is Double Double Barrel Ale and it found its way into this blend as well. In the end, this year brought us seven wine
makers and seven beers to counter balance our lucky thirteenth year of brewing beer on the Central Coast. The brewery is alive and well and oak is as much a part of our
program today as it was back in 1996!
As a finished beer, 13 is more sublime then last year’s blend. It is all about the subtleties and quiet tones. It has deep dark chocolate notes and is accented with dried fruit and
licorice. There are hints of molasses and even a little cherry in the middle complimenting the vanilla and coconut notes brought in by the oak. These barrel qualities are very
well integrated and meld well with the roast malt and caramel undertones. 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. It was a pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our fourth oak-
aged blend!
unknown. Our oak aging cellar continues to grow and so do the blending possibilities. We peaked at just over 120 barrels in our program this year, yet only 53 barrels made
this year’s final blend. We have stayed true to our original goal of making straight ahead strong ales and letting them rest in wood barrels to mature and develop flavors slowly
and naturally. We again met with some of the area’s best wine makers and allowed them to guide us to the finished product. Most of the beers that are in this blend are old
friends who we know well. Dark and ominous Parabola along with the rich and complex Bravo Brown were brewed again this year and together became the center piece of
this blend. Other beers like the Rufus and Opal along with Sean Paxton’s Saucerful of Secrets are still tucked away in the cellar in their original first generation form, gaining
character with extended aging. Velvet Merkin has established itself as a real barrel loving beer, although it is only 6%, it carries barrel qualities beautifully. A new beer, that
was created this year by our Cellar Master Ali Razi, is Double Double Barrel Ale and it found its way into this blend as well. In the end, this year brought us seven wine
makers and seven beers to counter balance our lucky thirteenth year of brewing beer on the Central Coast. The brewery is alive and well and oak is as much a part of our
program today as it was back in 1996!
As a finished beer, 13 is more sublime then last year’s blend. It is all about the subtleties and quiet tones. It has deep dark chocolate notes and is accented with dried fruit and
licorice. There are hints of molasses and even a little cherry in the middle complimenting the vanilla and coconut notes brought in by the oak. These barrel qualities are very
well integrated and meld well with the roast malt and caramel undertones. 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. It was a pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our fourth oak-
aged blend!
4.1
363 reviews
Paso Robles, United States
Community reviews
My 500th Review.
Poured from a 650ml bottle into a Dogfish Head snifter.
The color is a complete dark black with a tiny maroon highlight on the bottom with a finger and half of foamy brownish head and a little lacing left of the glass.
The smell is has a raisin like flavor with a touch here and there of bourbon flavor. Some black road tar comes out in the third and fourth smell. There is some hints black licorice as well a little Jagermeister.
The taste is sweet then expected, some sweet malt flavor comes right out and slides over the tongue with a raisin and currant flavor that is pleasing. The bourbon comes out toward the end of the sip and announces the alcohol flavor but not before hints of toffee and peanut butter are let out.
The body is robust and seems to be massively complex. Since this is a blended beer there seems to be layer upon layer of beer going through your pallet and down your throat. It is a drinkable beer for one with a high ABV. It goes down with little effort and then makes wonder what the next experience will be like. Fantastic.
2014-07-08. Very dark brown body small head. 3+ Aroma is pleasant, dark malt, sweet sugary touches. Flavour is rich, dark malt core, light fruit notes. Smooth medium bodied palate, soft carbonation. Pretty nice. Bottle, Tasting at cgarvieuk’s, Edinburgh
Bottle, RBAG 2014 prelim, vertical tasting 13 through 17. Certainly the darkest of the bunch. Plummy vinous aroma and flavour, dark toffee, light toasted coconut.
5 year vertical! Dark brown pour (they all are except 15). Aroma is burnt sugar, toffee, and some sticky sweetness. Taste is a bit oxidized, very mellow compared to the other versions, a little bit of vinous, mellow finish, with light carbonation. Really Good but 14 was the best of the bunch I think this one may be headed down hill but it’s still holding up well.
Bottle to plastic taster at the RBAG14 warmup ... FW Anniversay Vertical
Salt, caramel, malt. Dark brown, no head. Best one so far. First one so far. Citrus, caramel, nuts, anise. A bit mellow.
Bottle - Vintage 2009 - Raisin, prune and toffee. Dark opaque with almost not head. Raisin, toffee and some booze. Nice with a long creamy finish.
Bottle, thanks Craig. NEar black with tan head. Aroma is slightly oxidised, licorice, sherry. Taste is similar, sherry, licorice, bourbon, coconut
Bottle at Craig’s. Pours black, nose is toffee, vanilla, caramel, taste is rich, toffee, vanilla, dry, sweet, fruity, coconut.
Vegas bottle finally enjoyed on the next -to-last night at 910. Dark pour like a stout with a tan head that dissipates. Big strong aroma of brown sugar, farm fruit and a little toffee. Thick syrupy mouthfeel. Lots of coffee in the taste. The booze has burned down a good bit but it’s still there. Very nice.
Bottle. Dark cola with no head. Aroma is maple syrup, roast and bourbon barrel. Taste is really woody from the barrels. Maple, chocolate, butter, coconut, soy and roast. Very deep. Delicious.
The real deal. Bottle purchased at Blue Palms. Happy for me and unhappy for my credit card. Dark brown pour with a slight head big bourbon and chocolate nose. Big bourbon flavor in the taste, warm but not overpowering. Really nice.
A- Pours a deep black hue with a one finger mahogany head.
S- Sweet malt, brown sugar, hints of oak.
T- Fig, hints of raisin, brown sugar ... an underlying quadrupel tone.
M- Medium carbonation and viscosity.
D- This was an excellent beer and the first of the run that has actually lived up to the hype for me.
22oz bottle on multiple occasions. Pours dark brown to black in color with a medium sized tan head. The aroma and flavor have sweet port notes, caramel, oak, chocolate, licorice, tart cherries and raisin. Medium body, decent carbonation. These are always fun to try.
Bottle generously shared by Dave. Aroma is chocolate, toffee, oak and bourbon. Pours roasty dark with some brown to tan head and film. Taste is wonderful with chocolate, roast malt, toffee, caramel, bourbon and oak. Finishes with just a hint of oxidation with a familiar wet cardboard taste. With the sweetness of the beer it comes across more like red Twizzlers. Stellar brew and it held up til now. I’d drink it while you can.
Pours a nice oiled leather brown with little foam formation. Rich smells of cocoa, vanilla, nougat, toasted sugars, hints of oak nad caramel. A nice grouping that together seems like a turtle candy. Flavor is sweet and toasty with gobs of vanilla toffee and hints of almonds and pralines. A nice, tight netting of caramel corn flavor on the edge with a bit of alcohol warmth. Medium bodied with sparkly carb and a good off dry finish. Nice beer. I wouldn’t really seek it out again, but it is a nice beer.
Serving type: bottle
08-28-2012
Pours black, minimal tan head.
Smell sweet smokey and fruity
Taste sweet, oaky vanilla, chewy oatmeal, sweet but balanced.
Medium body
Clearly fading but still good, no real barrel presence, good.
Pours a very dark cola brown color with a large, well-retaining root beer-like head. Rich chocolate liqueur with a bit of tobacco undertones one the nose. Some competing coconut after the beer settles. Mildly thick and slightly coating moutfheel. A little sticky on the lips. Chocolate, coconut, vanilla, and tobacco flavors, in that order. As my friend with whom I’m sharing this beer put it, it does not disappoint.
August 25, 2013 - bottle from Eric to celebrate my 13th wedding anniversary. Dark brown pour with limited tan head and lacing. A gentle swirl really gets a nice head going though and stains the glass. Aroma was chocolate, wood, vanilla, cherry, licorice and bourbon. Taste starts with the vanilla, cherry and more of a cocoa powder than chocolate. The wood and bourbon then kick in before the finish that was dark chocolate, wood, dry alcohol, licorice and slightly bitter. The finish was a little rough and was really the only part that took away from a great beer.
Super awesome strong ale thanks to a friend of GTs at a beer tasting very strong caramel
Bottle, poured viscous black with tiny tan head. Aromas of heavy and smooth wood, fudge, leather, vanilla and chocolate bar. Flavor was most of the same with a deep complexity of wood and rich cocoa flavors working back and forth. The liquor notes became more evident as it warmed, I liked 12 the best out of the anniversary’s but this is a close second. Top notch Russian Impy.
22 oz. bottle, pours a deep dark mahogany with a small beige head. Aroma is extremely rich and complex, with notes of brandy and sherry-like liqueurs, toffee, dark fruits and a bit of alcohol. Flavour brings out notes of sherry, loads of dark fruits (figs especially), and a touch of toffee. Highly complex, with a big warming effect. All the notes mesh together beautifully, finishing on notes of liqueur and dark fruits. Less sweet than the 12th Anniversary, with perhaps a slightly better integration of flavours.
Bomber at a bottle sharing. Pours almost black with a decent tan head. Aroma of malt, caramel, bourbon, and vanilla. Taste is caramel malt, bourbon, vanilla, coffee, and chocolate. Nice and warming. Very good.
Pours a dark brown with little tan head. Aroma is raisins, toffee, vanilla, and some wet cardboard. A bit oxidized at first but for a 3 year old bear not bad. That fades and its a very rich complex lightly bourbony and toasty barleywine. Nice.
Bottle shared at Richard’s Graduation Party (Western Springs, IL). Thanks, guys! Drank in an 11-16 Vertical. Pours a bigger blackish brown pour, near opaque-ish body, with some nice glowing brownish edges. A frothy loose tannish head atop dies to a mellow frothy tannish head dies to a loose ring, laces small. Aromas are a mellow roastiness, faint coffee and toast. Caramel and vanilla, gentle oak, touch of carmelization. Some whiskey, spirit, and gentle fruity dark elements. Initial is fuller bodied, some marshemellow, vanilla, and roast. Some toastiness, caramel, and toffee. Touches of vanilla, roast, and coffee. Middle is some fudge, cocoa, vanilla and gentle toasty marshmellow. Firmer freshness, some oak, spirit. Cocoa, toffee, and toasty marshmellow. Finish is dry, a bit tannic, some heat and lingering cocoa, fudge, and marshmellow. Pretty nice for it’s age. Nose a bit dead, but solid.
Bottle courtesy of Andy at his place. Pours a deep brown body with thin off white lacing. Aroma is chocolate fudge brownie. Mouthfeel is rich with just straight fudge brownie. Very nice.
Slightly oxidized, rich and sweetly, caramelly rich molasses, brown sugar.
Solid black with a small beige head. Aroma is liquorice, chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, hint of coffee, molasses. Oily mouthfeel, bittersweet on the palate, nicely balanced. Taste is salty liquorice, dark chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, wood, hint of leather and coffee.
Tasted in 2009 (backlog). Dark brown with an average off-white head. Aroma is malt, brown sugar, and dark fruits. Taste is of booze, malt and fruit.
At STL bbbb, thanks for the taste! Pour is clear brown with a medium light brown head. Aroma and flavor loaded with caramel malt, brown sugar, light barrel notes, and a smooth vanilla finish. This is very nice with no hints of oxidation at all yet. Drinking very nicely.
Shared bottle with Timfoolery. The 14th Ann is one of the best beers I’ve ever had so I think I was little to hyped up for this one. Still a great beer will all bourbon and malty goodness, but maybe just a little past its prime.