Firestone Walker Parabola

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Paso Robles, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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2010 bottle from a trade with BOLTZ7555 a while back. Black pour with dark brown edges. A thin mocha head develops on top that fleets off to the sides. Bourbon is certainly noticeable in the aroma but there’s plenty else going on with strong notes of licorice and molasses along with vanilla and dark chocolate. It does smell somewhat alcoholic but not in a bad way. Smooth mocha flavor with not nearly as much bourbon as the aroma suggests. But it’s still there. This is roasty and chewy in the mouth with other noted flavors of charred wood, dark chocolate, and caramel. The alcohol surfaces in the finish with some prickly bitterness. It’s a sipper for sure but a pretty good one. Although something just isn’t quite there to make this all that memorable for me.

I really enjoyed this. Aroma is sweet, creamy, roasted malts, chocolate, hint of creamy coffee, wood and some light bourbon. Flavor is much the same. Not too complex overall just really tasty. Smooth, not over barrel aged. Great vanilla, wood and bourbon aspect. Finished smooth sweet, a touch hot at the end.

Bottle. Pours deep black/red, presumably clear, almost no head and thus no lacing. Aroma is wonderful - roasted malts with strong chocolate notes, warming alcohol. Almost a cognac aroma. Taste is heavily chocolate, with coffee, fruit and woody notes in the back. Alcohol is prominent in the taste, particularly in a warming finish. All in all this is more like a stout-liquor than a beer. Wonderful finisher in moderation as the description notes. This one was a unique bottle to me, and I really enjoyed it.

Black with small brown head. Slick and conentrated aroma of luxurious caramell and chocolate pralines alongside a prominent yet well integrated bourbon barrel character. Flavor is similar and very smooth, nicely balanced and highly drinkable for such high ABV. Big thanks to Todeon for this beauty.

Up front, not the best review because I had it among several beers a couple hours ago. That said, aroma was delicious, sweet malty chocolate. Taste was also very chocolate. Had this with speedway stout and beer geek weasel something or other. This was the third best in my opinion, but certainly one of the best stouts I have had.

Recently did a vertical tasting of 10, 11 and 12. But have had 12 numerous times on tap and out of a bottle recently. Consider 12 to be the best. A beautiful aroma of chocolate, fudge, bourbon and some oak. Taste is just pure awesomeness with more bourbon, chocolate, and some roasted malts. One of my favorite imperial stouts.

Rich aroma. Coffee, bourbon darker flavors richly blend together. A great beer.

Long story short, I wish I didn’t share it. It was very smooth and had a great after taste.

A - pours deep dark brown with no head. S - bourbon and oak up front. notes of coffee, vanilla, smoke. Hints of sweeter fruits. M - nice strong bodied beer with nice rich oak aged imperial stout. Lighter than the big boys. Flatter and lightly hoppy end. T - bourbon, oak, vanilla, molasses, toffee, on the nose and palate. Nice rich barrel stout that fades to a grassy bitter end with lingering quiet toffee and brown sugar malt. O - very good imperial stout. If it was richer through out it would be great. 8

Shared by someone at the Monte’s Krown tasting yesterday. Pours a jet black with a tan head. Liquorish in the nose. Roasty flavor, with chocolate. Very deep and complex. Low carbonation. Very decent.

UPDATED: MAY 20, 2012 Black pour, low head, sweet aroma of malt, fruit, roasted grain, chocolate. Taste is intense, of chocolate, bourbon, alcohol, vanilla. Very complex, deep and interesting. Thick. Sweet but not overly so. Finishes with linger notes of the flavor, alcohol burn, and moderate bitterness. This is a huge, flavorful beer. Almost too much, but not too much if you know what awaits you. Nice. Definite cellar material.