Firestone Walker 21 (XXI Twenty-First Anniversary Ale)
Since founding our brewery in 1996, we have specialized in the rare art of brewing beer in oak barrels. In the fall of 2006, we released a limited edition oak-aged strong ale called 10 to commemorate our 10th anniversary. The experience was greater than any one of us could have ever imagined. We now present XXI, our 12th release in what has become an annual Anniversary Ale. At 21 years old, our brewery is finally drinking age!
Final Blend
42% of final blend Velvet Merkin (8.5% ABV) Aged in Bourbon barrels
18% of final blend Parabola (13.1% ABV) Aged in New Oak and Bourbon Barrels
17% of final blend Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) Aged in Bourbon and Brandy Barrels
14% of final blend Bravo (13.5% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels
9% of final blend Helldorado (13.5% ABV) Aged in Rum Barrels
Distinguished winemakers who came together for the 2017 blend:
Anthony Yount – Denner Vineyards (Winning Blend),
Jordan Fiorentini & Kyle Gingras – Epoch Estate Wines (Winning Blend)
Final Blend
42% of final blend Velvet Merkin (8.5% ABV) Aged in Bourbon barrels
18% of final blend Parabola (13.1% ABV) Aged in New Oak and Bourbon Barrels
17% of final blend Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) Aged in Bourbon and Brandy Barrels
14% of final blend Bravo (13.5% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels
9% of final blend Helldorado (13.5% ABV) Aged in Rum Barrels
Distinguished winemakers who came together for the 2017 blend:
Anthony Yount – Denner Vineyards (Winning Blend),
Jordan Fiorentini & Kyle Gingras – Epoch Estate Wines (Winning Blend)
4
179 reviews
Paso Robles, United States
Community reviews
355mL bottle from Bucket Boys(?)
11.8%ABV Vintage 2017
Sort of a very dark bronze beer, near opaque, holds a modest tan cap.
Lots of bourbon oaky goodness upfront - vanilla for days, honeycomb, those chewy Dutch waffles, chocolate fudge, latte, dried fruits - it evolves and transmogrifies as it warms...
Body full and rich, not quite the thickness of a Parabola but certainly substantial; oily, slick, chewy, rather smooth actually.
It really is a joy to drink - big fudgey caramel sweetness straight-up bolstered by heavy handed vanilla and toasted brioche; get a substantial slug of Bourbon-y sour mash twang and graininess, dark chocolate and milky coffee amongst lots of sweet spice and dark dried fruits that linger with a gentle warming boozy embrace and bitterness tuned down to Drop B.
There are few breweries in the world who have the ability to craft a blended beer such as this - so much complexity yet finesse, and intensity yet roundness - a remarkable beer in all senses!
Bottle. It poured a black color with a tan head. The aroma was of chocolate, malts and bourbon. The taste was similar to the aroma with more chocolate, malts, bourbon, toffee, vanilla with medium carbonation and a nice chewy aftertaste. Tasty.
Bottle. Pours pitch black with a medium tan head. Aroma of rich dark chocolate, dark malt, bourbon and toffee. Taste of dark chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, toffee and dark malt.
Bottle shared with Pat. Dark black with medium mocha head. Light lacing. Notes are Fudge, rich bourbon, cocoa, sticky toffee pudding, vanilla bean, and light rum. Warming in chest. delicious non adjunct imperial stout.
Bottle. Dark pour, lots of chunky floaties and a surprising amount of head for a beer I’ve been sitting on for two years. Cocoa and bourbon aroma. Wood flavors leap right out with toffee, cocoa and dark fruits. Bourbon strong at the end, but zero burn. Thick and sticky. This is v good.
Bottle. Pours clear ruby mahogany, small beige head, dissipates fairly quickly decent lacing. Aroma is dates, bourbon, toffee, cherry, vinous leather. Flavor is medium plus sweet, medium bitter. Full body.
My California rate # 1000 - Dark brown with off white head - Dark malt with dark fruity aroma with barrel aroma as well - Malt body with a dark fruity barrel flavour with some vanilla notes and some alcohol heat - The dark fruity flavour with wood and alcohol goes into a long lasting finish - This was real good
Bottle bought in TX a couple years ago but split with Zac in Seattle. Pours a dark brown with a tan head. Strong aroma of molasses, brown sugar, dark malt and booze. Big flavor of sweet, dark malt and warming booze with a hint of bitterness to balance the sweet. Nice sipper.
Bottle shared by BelgianBeerGal. Dark brown with creamy head. Vanilla, toffee, a little boozy.
Another year down on this series; get them every year from the brewery in Paso. Low carbonation, murky burgundy color, fine beige bubbles. Aroma of toffee, bourbon... the Stickee Monkee showing through. Parabola more subdued in this years blend. Notes of raisin, cinnamon bread, plum. All around pretty decent - past years have been better IMO with more stout flavor. A bit cloying and sweet. Mouthfeel is thin, long bitter finish.
Pours dark copper with a small off-white head.
Nose shows caramel, nutty notes, hazelnut, chocolate pralines, golden syrup and booze.
Flavours include more golden syrup, booze, caramel and toffee, raisins.
Flaska från systembolaget via något år på vinden.
Doftar choklad och fudge.
Smakar kakao, läder, rom, bourbon och torkad frukt.
Len munkänsla.
Flaska Systembolaget. Brunsvart vätska. Doft av choklad, bourbon, vanilj och rostad malt. Likande i smak. Kolasås, chokladkaka och fat. Något lätt kropp men djup i smaken.
Flaska från Tycho James. Svart med ljusbrunt skum. Kola, bourbon och choklad i smak och doft.
A good looking pour, a solid mahogany color, wispy beige head. Nose is heavy toffee, caramel, oak, smoke, dark fruit, and a whisper of booze. Big taste, heavy malts, medium carb....woodiness galore, caramel, notes of fudge and earth... Warmth brought out some coffee and tobacco. An enjoyable beer from FW.
Poured a dark olive brown, thick tan head. Great complex aroma of toffee, nut, anise, sweet whiskey. Big sweet toffee and dark fruit lead the flavour, the barrel notes have mellowed and rounded, caramel, rich malt. Full feel but carried well by carbonation, late pleasing warmth. A joy to sip.
bottle scura quasi piattaossidata marsala lieve cacao note dolciastre filo melassa poi un discreto amaro
Bottle @ RateBeer 100 for 100 event. Brown light beige head.
Whiskey aroma w marzipan, grapes, light spices. Sweet and boozy with no bottom end. Plainish bready malt, some chocolate. But mainly boozy barrel. Not a huge finish apart from oak. Don't know whether this is just too much barrel for me or whether the arse has dropped out of it.
Tasting as part of RateBeer 100 for 100 Good Beer Week 2019 event... loved it!
Tasted at the RateBeer 100 for 100 event in Melbourne. Complex aroma of dried fruit, oak, burnt toffee. A beer for special occasions. Low carbonation that really suits the flavour profile
Draught @ MBCC 2018, Red Session
Pours dark brown with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of malt, caramel, dried fruits, vanilla, oak and alcohol. Taste is heavy sweet and medium bitter with a long warm, malty, dried fruity, oak and vanilla finish. Body is full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.
Bottle Quinn’s 1m birthday, Feb 18. Pours deep brown, light brown / beige head. Vanilla, bourbon, oak, milk chocolate, brandy, dark fruits, sweet malts. Amazingly smooth and well balanced.
Flaska. Mahognybrun öl med beige skum. Doft och smak av bourbon, torkad frukt, kola, fattoner samt lättare kokostoner.
Bottle. Pours dark brown with a small beige head left spotty lacing. Aroma of caramel, bourbon, oak, chocolate and dark fruit. Flavor was quite sweet with caramel, vanilla, dark fruit, bourbon, oak, chocolate and raisins. A well balanced american strong ale.
Bottle shared with Mortlach and Daniele at Luppolo Station I. Rome. Dark caramel pour with a small foam. Nose: toffee, mou, dried fruit, oxidation. Mouth: strong warmer, alcohol, sweet like hell, caramel.
Bottle shared @Luppolo Station (Rome). Bruna/nera, densa, profonda, schiuma beige leggera. Al naso note di caramello, crema catalana, cioccolato, leggera ossidazione. In bocca è dolce all'attacco con leggero amaro finale. Corpo pieno, carbonazione medio-bassa. Non bilanciatissima, ma ok.
Great beer. Strong malty and caramel notes. Hints of raisin with an oaky sweetness. Not too boozy. Oily smooth with a calming color.
Color is black, almost no foam. Aroma is sweet, in bourbon style: alcohol and dried fruits. I don't get why similar beers have so huge rate. Very compicated to drunk 150-200 mililiters of this beer. its really hard.
Bottle. Sweet caramel malt aroma with notes of dark fruit, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, rum and oak. Pours deep caramel brown with a thin, but retentive tan head that also has good lacing. Starts with sweet caramel, dark fruit and toffee malt flavors as well as having a rich, full body and smooth, boozy mouthfeel. Finishes smooth with vanilla, bourbon, rum and oak flavors with a bit of warming booze. Excellent beer for a cold winter night.
Draught @ MBCC'18 [ Red Session ]. - Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen 2018, Øksnehallen, Halmtorvet 11, 1700 København V, Danmark.
[ As Firestone Walker 21 (XXI Twenty-One Anniversary Ale) ].
Clear dark red brown colour with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, roasted, chocolate, dark malt, candy, bourbon - alcohol, dried dark fruit. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, candy, bourbon, dark malt, sweet malt, dried dark fruit, chocolate. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft, finish feel is warming and light alcoholic. [20180512]
7-4-8-4-15