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Firestone Walker 15 (XV)

 (RETIRED)
Score
100100
OVERALLStyle
Serve in Snifter, Tulip

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution

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RATINGS: 317   WEIGHTED AVG: 4.04   SEASONAL: Special   EST. CALORIES: 375   ABV: 12.5%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
As a finished beer, XV is alive with amazing complexity and yet it is quite possibly the most integrated and seamless blend yet. Looking at a blend of 8 beers on paper at first looks chaotic and potentially disjointed; however, a closer look reveals and interesting theme: 76% Barley Wine style beers, 19% Stout and 5% Imperial IPA. XV introduces our new blonde barley wine Helldorado with flavors of lavender honey liqueur. The well established DDBA delivers its signature American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances. 2010 vintage Sticky Monkey folds in brown sugar, maple, cinnamon, ginger and ripe figs. Parabola brings the familiar flavors of roasted dark coco, and chocolate covered cherries. Velvet Merkin carries silky milk chocolate, toasted coconut and creamy textures. Good Foot and Bravo add assertive barley wine warmth and lush barrel derived vanilla bean notes. The game changer this year is the addition of Double Jack to the blend. At just 5% its massive dry hop character brings citrus zest, tangerine and mango aromas making this a completely new beer. The beer is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XV is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half-filled brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. As the beer sits and breathes in the glass, a richer, orange zested, chocolate dusted, vanilla custard character is reveled, 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 Sixth oak-aged blend! Our journey continues and it’s just as fun and exciting now as it was back in 1996.


jrob21's rating

4.1
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 16/20
jrob21 (2033) - Atlanta, Georgia, USA - MAY 2, 2012
22 after the marathon. A nice celebratory drink. Did not pick up much of the double jack but got a lot of the others added here. This is barley wine dominant with a hint of coco and stout character deeper in the palate. At first you get a pretty boozy, oaky, vanilla, and plum flavor. The aroma is very fruity with the plum and fig. Once all that barrel aging and fruit fades you are left with a mouth coating cocoa texture and roasty malt flavors. The finish is long, sweet, and lip smacking good. Incredibly complex and I bet for every 10 ratings you get 100 different descriptors for what one can experience in this beer.


most recent ratings

4.4
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20
Ughsmash (6723) - Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA - JUN 17, 2013
Bomber. Poured medium-deep brown with a short dusting of smoked toffee head. The aroma picked up sweet vanilla, bourbon, maple, and caramel with accents of oak and toasted marshmallows.. nice peppery warmth and a touch of grapefruit rounded it out. The flavor found sweet and tasty bourbon throughout, with vanilla beans, milk chocolate, molasses, and a little maple at the core.. more maple, bourbon, vanilla, and chocolates on the long, belly-warming finish. Heavier-bodied with low carbonation on the palate.. moderate roast to it.. very well-balanced, and way smoother than it should’ve been.

4.1
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 15/20
Aniela (1851) - Skövde, SWEDEN - JUN 9, 2013
Bottle. Clear dark amber beer with a small offwhite head. Dried frits, malty, citrus, spicy and oaky aroma. Caramell, dried fruits and brown sugar flavour.

3.6
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
gEUS (594) - Linden, BELGIUM - MAY 17, 2013
Bottle at DL Vertical Tasting in the cellars of Chez Moeder Lambic Saint-Gilles. Thanks to BelgBeerGeek! Pours clear dark brown with small head. Aroma of caramel, flowery honey notes; vanilla and some plum/date fruitiness. Nice. Medium body, quite balanced, medium carbonation. Taste is honey, vanilla wood burn.

4.5
   AROMA 10/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 10/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 17/20
Emeister84 (466) - Charlottesville, Virginia, USA - APR 13, 2013
Aromas of cocoa, toffee, vanilla, caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, some smoke, citrus fruits, fig, and subtle maple. Dark brown with a fully fading, light tan head. Deep, dark, fruity, nutty, and smoothed by hints of vanilla throughout. Medium-full bodied with low carbonation, perceptible strength without being boozy, very smooth, and finishes with a complex concoction of flavors clinging to the tongue. Absolutely awesome!

3.7
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
jmgreenuk (1375) - The Hague, NETHERLANDS - APR 12, 2013
Bottle at the John=Jim Den Haag tasting, Den Haag. Poured a dark brown.colour with a thin tan head. The aroma is hugely rich and bitter. The flavour is big bitter with loads of liqourice and dark chocolate. A superb beer for sure.

3.9
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
dEnk (2681) - Den Haag, NETHERLANDS - APR 12, 2013
Bottle @ jim is jon tasting. Aroma is bourbon, wood, big caramel, some molasses. Flavour is huge caramel, big bourbon, vanilla and wood, touch of liquorice. A tad too sweet for me but still a great beer.

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
kermis (2605) - The Hague, NETHERLANDS - APR 12, 2013
Bottle shared thanks to Deanso. Pours clear brown with no real head. Aroma of caramel, dark fruit, raisins, malt, prunes. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter, very well balanced, with more bitterness coming out in the finish. Full bodied with soft carbonation. Lovely.

3.9
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
deanso (3291) - the Hague, NETHERLANDS - APR 12, 2013
66cl bottle as a birthday present thanks to JMGreenUK. Thin tan head. Clear deep burgundy pour. An awesome brew!

4.1
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
Vaiz (2708) - Den Haag, NETHERLANDS - APR 12, 2013
Bottle @ ABC Beers Jim=John tasting. Clear dark brown pour, no head. Aroma is ripe fruits, floral hops, aged malts, alcohol, leather, licorice and bourbon. Flavor is alcoholic, fruity, sweet and bitter in a nice balance and very full bodied. Great brew.

3.9
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
GMCC2181 (1431) - Newark, Delaware, USA - APR 2, 2013
Bottle via SL... Ruby red in color, small head. Poured in to a snifter, drank on the warmer side.... 60 F. Aroma is a booze hound....malty, sweet caramel, raisons and some dark fruit. Taste is boozy but not an alcohol burn. Fruity, sweetness, caramel malts..... for 12.5 percent this is drinkable. Medium body... Overall: Good stuff


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