Firestone Walker 16 (XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale)
overall
99
style
Formerly brewed at Firestone Walker Brewing (Duvel Moortgat)
Style: Strong Ale - American
Paso Robles, California USA
Style: Strong Ale - American
Paso Robles, California USA
 | bottling |  | on tap |  |  |
RATINGS: 391 WEIGHTED AVG: 4.05/5 SEASONAL: Series EST. CALORIES: 390 ABV: 13%
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
The Aging Cellar – The Components
We blended together 226 oak barrels and 8 different beers creating something truly complex and exceptional.
The following are descriptions of key components with their original code names:
Velvet Merkin (8.7% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Traditional Oatmeal Stout (23% of final blend)
OG= 15P FG=5.5 IBU=32.5 Color= Black / 15% Oats / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-English Barley Wine (22.5% of final blend)
OGP FG=5.4P IBU=45 Color=28 / Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (Brown) sugar
Double Double Barrel Ale (14.2% ABV) - Aged 100% in retired Firestone Union barrels
-Double strength English Pale Ale (20.3% of final blend)
OG=25.0P FG=5.1P IBU=30 Color=16 / A Double version of our flagship created by Ali Razi
Parabola (13% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (10.8% of final blend)
OG=31P FG=8.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding
PNC (13.0% ABV) - Aged in Tequila barrels
-American Strong Buckwheat Stout (8.1% of final blend)
OG = 25P FG = 5.0P IBU = 80 Color = 100 / Brewed with Buckwheat
Helldorado (11.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon Barrels and Brandy barrels
-Blonde Barley Wine (5.4% of final blend)
OG=24.7P FG=4.5P IBU=24 Color = 8 / Brewed with buckwheat honey & 100% El Dorado hops
Bravo (13.4% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-Imperial Brown Ale (5.4% of final blend)
OG=26.5 FG=7.7 IBU=35 Color=32 / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Wookey Jack (8.3% ABV)- 100% Fresh, Dank & Hoppy 100% Stainless Steel
-Black Rye India Pale Ale (4.5% of final blend)
OG= 18P FG = 3.0P IBU = 80 Color =black / Extremely hoppy double dry hopped BIPA
As a finished beer, XVI takes us back to some of the wonderful dark notes (the black keys) that I remember from the original 10 blending. XVI is 42% stout with Velvet Merkin, Parabola and “PNC” working together as three roasty toasty friends that create rich cacao, chocolate and mocha flavors together. “PNC” also introduces tequila barrels into our blend for the first time and brings some interesting south of the boarder spirit notes to the mix – a welcome twist. Helldorado, with flavors of lavender honey liqueur was again a favorite of the winemakers and made the cut adding some flowery notes. DDBA continues to deliver its signature American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances. DDBA was also release on its own in 2012 and is now established as a solid annual brew. Stickee Monkee is fast becoming one of our favorite pieces with its rich maple syrup, spicy cinnamon, and ripe fig flavors which has developed into a bolder cousin of perennial blend component Bravo who carries barrel character and bourbon notes like no other. The additional twist this year is Wookey Jack, Black Rye IPA with its wily citrusy hop notes and spicy rye backbone. The finished blend is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XVI is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half filled brandy snifter or red wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. It takes a while, but as this beer sits and breathes in the glass, more rich dusty chocolate, stone fruit and crème brulee character is reveled as the rich spirit characters fade - so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. I suspect that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our Seventh oak-aged blend! The journey continues and its just as fun and exciting now as it was back in 1996. Thank you so much for spending a little time with us!
The Aging Cellar – The Components
We blended together 226 oak barrels and 8 different beers creating something truly complex and exceptional.
The following are descriptions of key components with their original code names:
Velvet Merkin (8.7% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Traditional Oatmeal Stout (23% of final blend)
OG= 15P FG=5.5 IBU=32.5 Color= Black / 15% Oats / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-English Barley Wine (22.5% of final blend)
OGP FG=5.4P IBU=45 Color=28 / Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (Brown) sugar
Double Double Barrel Ale (14.2% ABV) - Aged 100% in retired Firestone Union barrels
-Double strength English Pale Ale (20.3% of final blend)
OG=25.0P FG=5.1P IBU=30 Color=16 / A Double version of our flagship created by Ali Razi
Parabola (13% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (10.8% of final blend)
OG=31P FG=8.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding
PNC (13.0% ABV) - Aged in Tequila barrels
-American Strong Buckwheat Stout (8.1% of final blend)
OG = 25P FG = 5.0P IBU = 80 Color = 100 / Brewed with Buckwheat
Helldorado (11.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon Barrels and Brandy barrels
-Blonde Barley Wine (5.4% of final blend)
OG=24.7P FG=4.5P IBU=24 Color = 8 / Brewed with buckwheat honey & 100% El Dorado hops
Bravo (13.4% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-Imperial Brown Ale (5.4% of final blend)
OG=26.5 FG=7.7 IBU=35 Color=32 / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Wookey Jack (8.3% ABV)- 100% Fresh, Dank & Hoppy 100% Stainless Steel
-Black Rye India Pale Ale (4.5% of final blend)
OG= 18P FG = 3.0P IBU = 80 Color =black / Extremely hoppy double dry hopped BIPA
As a finished beer, XVI takes us back to some of the wonderful dark notes (the black keys) that I remember from the original 10 blending. XVI is 42% stout with Velvet Merkin, Parabola and “PNC” working together as three roasty toasty friends that create rich cacao, chocolate and mocha flavors together. “PNC” also introduces tequila barrels into our blend for the first time and brings some interesting south of the boarder spirit notes to the mix – a welcome twist. Helldorado, with flavors of lavender honey liqueur was again a favorite of the winemakers and made the cut adding some flowery notes. DDBA continues to deliver its signature American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances. DDBA was also release on its own in 2012 and is now established as a solid annual brew. Stickee Monkee is fast becoming one of our favorite pieces with its rich maple syrup, spicy cinnamon, and ripe fig flavors which has developed into a bolder cousin of perennial blend component Bravo who carries barrel character and bourbon notes like no other. The additional twist this year is Wookey Jack, Black Rye IPA with its wily citrusy hop notes and spicy rye backbone. The finished blend is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XVI is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half filled brandy snifter or red wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. It takes a while, but as this beer sits and breathes in the glass, more rich dusty chocolate, stone fruit and crème brulee character is reveled as the rich spirit characters fade - so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. I suspect that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our Seventh oak-aged blend! The journey continues and its just as fun and exciting now as it was back in 1996. Thank you so much for spending a little time with us!
4
UPDATED: SEP 17, 2023 Bottle. Rubyish black colour with a mediumsized longlasting foamy beige head. Aroma is vanilla, dried fruits, some mild alcohol and toffee tones with mild fructose. Flavour is dried fruits, some alcohol, mild raisins, plum and some toasted malty tones to it.Nice sipper.
4.2
UPDATED: NOV 6, 2022 From bottle in tulip. Pours cola-esque dark brown w/cm of tan head (good sign) that faded over a couple of minutes. Rich malty aroma & taste, not as boozy as I expected, molasses & vanilla prominent. Finish has a bit of spice, enough bitterness to keep it out of liqueur territory
4.2
UPDATED: OCT 5, 2020
Pours an opaque black/brown with a tan head. The smell is whiskey, roasted malt, licorice, molasses and dark fruit. The taste is whiskey, dark malt, coconut, molasses Nading slightly dry and roasty. The body full with fine carbonation. Great stuff.
December 11, 2017
4.3
UPDATED: SEP 20, 2020 Bottle from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago. Of the whole series somehow I’d missed this one. Gotta tick ‘em all and now I have. Dark brown color with a small beige head. Aroma is bourbon, brandy, prunes, figs, dates, port. Medium-plus sweet flavor of dark fruits and caramel, sherry and bourbon/brandy heat. Full body with medium low carbonation. This is now 7-8 years old and quite nice still.
4.2
UPDATED: SEP 13, 2020 a nice flavor of chocolate , roast and other notes but a hot finish. a bit too much bitterness at the end. still tasty though
4
UPDATED: MAR 24, 2019 Bottle at cgarvieuk tasting.
Appearance - deep brown to black and opaque.
Nose - wood spice and booze. Brandy balls. Wood and chocolate.
Taste - wood spice, sultanas. Prunes and wood.
Palate - medium to full bodied with a rich sweet middle and finish. Nice linger and taper on the finish.
Overall - lovely.
4.2
UPDATED: MAR 24, 2019 Bottle at Craig's. Pours jet black with a thin tan head. Aromas of dark chocolate, dark fruits and treacle. Taste is more of the same. Luxurious and smooth finish.
4.3
UPDATED: MAR 23, 2019 Bottle. Darkest brown color with beige head. Aroma is chocolate, vanilla, caramel, nutty. Taste is nutty, caramel, vanilla, very nice walnut character. Very velvety mouthfeel with fine-bubbled carbonation. Awesome, beautifully balanced, full and viscous!
4.2
04.05.2013, 0,65l bottle�sampled @ CBC:
Lett fyldig s�dmerik lukt med preg av m�rk malt, humle, bourbon, m�rkt sukker, vanilje, sjokolade, litt alkohol og gras. Lett s�dmerik og t�rr smak med preg av m�rk malt, humle, tre, bourbon, sjokolade, vanilje, m�rkt sukker, gras, alkohol, kakao. Middels bitterhet som set litt, litt utt�rrande munnf�lelse. Veldig god.
Lett fyldig s�dmerik lukt med preg av m�rk malt, humle, bourbon, m�rkt sukker, vanilje, sjokolade, litt alkohol og gras. Lett s�dmerik og t�rr smak med preg av m�rk malt, humle, tre, bourbon, sjokolade, vanilje, m�rkt sukker, gras, alkohol, kakao. Middels bitterhet som set litt, litt utt�rrande munnf�lelse. Veldig god.
3.7
Enjoyed at The Don’t Blackout Drinking Session with Gus, Naomi, Dan, Ellen, ebone1988, and Aaron. 22 oz bottle. The pour is a nice darker brown/black color with a thicker cap of light khaki colored head and a couple spots of lace as it falls to a thin ring. The aroma is interesting. There is a bit of oxidation up front with a growing sweet malt and a pretty heavy alcohol. Lots of caramel and and darknfruits underneath that. The alcohol is surprising. The oxidation works pretty well. The flavor is just as good. The oxidation is decently heavy up front with a soft dark fruitiness underneath that. A light caramel is growing and this is pretty decent. The mouth feel is lighter medium bodied with a soft carbonation and a lingeringly caramel and oxidized finish this is pretty solid, even at the age. 7 4 7 4 15
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