Showing posts with label Firestone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Firestone. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Firestone - Double DBA (2012)

DDBA is our flagship beer brewed at double strength.  It is amazingly similar in many respects to our barrel fermented DBA and possesses everything we love about that beer times two.  English caramel malts lend rich toffee character that pairs well with assertive medium toast American oak barrels.

Specs:
  • Reserve Series no. 001
  • Production
    3500 Cases
  • Bottled date
    6/15/12
  • Fermentation
    Selectively fermented in the Firestone Union.
  • Malts
    Premium Two-Row, Maris Otter Pale, Munich, Crystal, Chocolate
  • Hops
    Bittering—Magnum; Late Kettle—Styrian Golding, East Kent Golding; Dry Hops—East Kent Golding
The ABV is 12.0 and the IBU rating is 29
Style - Barrel-Aged Barleywine
Glass to use- Snifter, Pint, Mug, Stein, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 22oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours cloudy dark amber with a tan head.  Good lacing.
Aroma - Malty, sweet, vanilla from the barrel aging. 
Taste - Bourbon, sweet, caramel, toffee, vanilla bean, hints of oak tannins and malty.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation, full body. Smooth finish.
Drinkable - This is a must find brew.  One of my favorite barrel-aged brews.  Very well balanced. Nice warm felling from the alcohol.  It gets better as it warms up to room temperature.  Okay a little confusion of the style of beer, it's called a Double DBA - Barrel-Aged Imperial Special Bitter, but on their website they call the style a barleywine.  Surprising since they have a Barleywine, Sucaba (Abacus).  Heck it taste like a barrel-aged barleywine so that's what I put in the description above. 

This beer pairs very with nutty cheeses such as; Asiago, Colby and Parmesan.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-
BeerAdvocate Rating =91
Ratebeer Rating =99

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Firestone - Double Jack

Double Jack IPA is Firestone-Walkers first ever Imperial IPA. It features a big malty middle to cloak the high alcohol and mouth puckering hop bitterness. Huge tangerine, grapefruit and juicy fruit aroma blossom over the herbal blue basil and malt earthiness of this aggressive beer.  

The ABV is 9.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Double IPA
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Chalice or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery - 22oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a amber color with a white head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Hoppy, flowery, citrus fruit and a hint of banana.
Taste -  Sweet, hoppy, malty, fruity with a small bitter after taste.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation, full body and smooth. 
Drinkable - Very good, refreshing, no harsh bitter after taste (just a hint).  Watch out for the alcohol.  I purchased a case of the 22oz.  Will age several for a number of years.

This beer pairs well with cheese and meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating =100

Monday, April 11, 2011

Firestone - 14th Anniversary 2010

Proprietors Reserve Series 14 is a combination of six separate lots produced over several months and years, then carefully blended into this truly unique and complex brew.  As a finished beer, 14 is a brimming with amazing flavors and textures.  DDBA leads the blend lending American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances.  Newcomer, Sticky Monkey, folds in the taste of brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and ripe figs.  Parabola brings the familiar flavors of bitter dark chocolate and cherry pit. Velvet Merkin carries silky bourbon soaked chocolate cake goodness to the party while a touch of Black Xantus teases coffee and tobacco. Last, but not least, Good Foot brings the hops… hints of citrus zest and tangerine, which adds a pop to the aroma and nice finish to this big, sexy brew. 14 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 this beer will age well.

Following are descriptions of key components with their original code names:
Double Double Barrel Ale (10.9% ABV) - (31%) of final blend
Aged 100% in retired Firestone Union Barrels                                                           
-Double strength English Pale Ale
OG= 24.0P FG=5.8P IBU=30 Color = 16 / A Double version of our flagship created by Ali Razi
Sticky Monkey (12% ABV) - (29%) of final blend
Aged in Bourbon and Brandy Barrels                                                                                     
-English Barley Wine
OG = 24P  FG = 4.5P  IBU = 45  Color = 28 / Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (Brown) suger
Parabola (13% ABV) - (27%) of final blend
Aged in Bourbon Barrels                                                                                                                
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout                                                                                         
OG=30P FG=7.5P  IBU=80  Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding
Velvet Merkin (6% ABV) – (7%) of final blend
100% Aged in Bourbon barrels                                                                                                                   
-Traditional Oatmeal Stout
OG= 15P FG=5.5 IBU=32.5 Color= Black / 15% Oats / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Good Foot (13% ABV) - (3%) of final blend
Aged in Bourbon Barrels                                                                                                                            
-American Barley Wine
OG = 23P FG = 5.5P IBU = 80  Color = 26 / Brewed with copious amounts of American grown hops
Black Xantus(11% ABV) - (3%) of final blend
-Aged in Bourbon Barrels                                                                                                       
-Coffee Infused Imperial Stout
OG= 27P FG = 6.8P  IBU = 55 Color Black / Rich Stout made with Mexican Coffee roasted locally by Joebella Coffee Company

I had this at the Memphis Taproom. The Firestone Walker Brewery owners and reps were in town for their introduction into the Pennsylvania market. 

The ABV is 12.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - American Strong Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Chalice or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery -22oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a tan head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Boozy noise, malty, raisins, vanilla and oak tannins. A lot going on here.
Taste -  Malty, raisins, vanilla, caramel, oaky, boozy and very complex.
Mouth Feel - Low carbonation, full body.  Very similar to the Abacus but smoother. 
Drinkable - A definite sipper, complex and a joy to drink.  I am stashing a bottle in the cellar to age for a few years.

This beer pairs well with pungent cheese and chocolates.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A
Ratebeer Rating =100

Firestone - Abacus 2011

Proprietors Reserve Series Abacus is a barrel aged Barley Wine. Four barrels in total were selected for the blend. The base of this year’s offering was aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels for 3 years! The resulting beer is strong yet extremely elegant and smooth.  Big boozy bourbon and American oak aromas combined with soft chocolate malty undertones. Complex malt flavors framed in oak, with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, coconut and just a touch of dark cherry. This is definitely a sipping beer, best served in a brandy snifter. This ale pairs well with dark chocolate and sturdy cheeses.

I had this at the Memphis Taproom. The Firestone Walker Brewery owners and reps were in town for their introduction into the Pennsylvania market. 

The ABV is 13.0 and the IBU rating is 42
Style - Barrel Aged Barleywine
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Chalice or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery - Draft

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a tan head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Sweet, malty, dark fruits, licorice, caramel and oak tannins. A lot going on here.
Taste -  Malty, raisins, vanilla, toffee, caramel, oaky, boozy and very complex.
Mouth Feel - Good carbonation, full body and sticky.  A bit spicy which is surprising. 
Drinkable - A definite sipper, complex and a joy to drink.  I am stashing a bottle in the cellar to age for a few years.

This beer pairs well with pungent cheese and chocolates.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A
Ratebeer Rating =99