Firestone Walker Sucaba

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: Barley Wine
Paso Robles, California USA

Serve in Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Bottle. I knew this was going to be a serious beer. Pour murky brown with a tan head. Aroma of bourbon, caramel, dark fruit. Very sweet and there is vanilla in the flavor as well. Well done.

On tap at Firestone Walker event with David Walker at Capones. Pours a deep deep murky crimson brown. Barely any head or lacing. Aromas are very impressive due to the three year aging in heaven hill bourbon barrels. Aromas of vanilla, oak, chocolate malt hints. Taste is so layered and rich with toffee, black cherry, candy sugar, caramel, toasted coconut. Boozey but I wouldnt expect anything else for a 12%+ barley. Aftertaste is bready, sweet malts, and slightly smokey tobacco. Amazing barleywine.

Bottle. Pours a nice dark amber color with a tan head. Aroma is super complex filled with barrel notes, I get lots of coconut and oak, bourbon like notes, vanilla, dark fruits, tobacco, toasted malt and chocolate. Flavor is equally complex and again filled with coconut and wood, I get vanilla, dark fruits, brown sugar, tobacco, toasted malt, chocolate, dark cherry and vinous notes. The body is full with a creamy mouth feel. Overall an amazing Barley Wine, probably the best I have ever had. FW never sizes to amaze me!

I thought I had this back when it was Abacus but I guess the database doesn’t lie...bottle shared at pre-DLD evening. Tasty with big notes of vanilla and coconut. Way too easy drinking for 13 ABV.

Bomber. Dark fruit and cherry mixed with alcohol and spice. A hint of chocolate. Sticky sweet finish with light bitterness. The sweetness gets to be a bit overwhelming.

Vintage bottle bought in July 2011 at the Jug Shop in San Francisco. Pours brown with no to low head Aromas of caramel, roasted barley, vanilla, tobacco???, pepper Mmm. This is good! A lot of vanilla, some bitterness and sweetness,... This is a beer thst starts and ends the same. High sweetness, low bitterness, nice mouthfeel. Wow! Easily the best barley wine ive had!

Pours reddish brown with minimal tan head. Nose is caramel, barley, toffee, alcohol, vanilla. Taste is, well, first of all, absolutely brilliant! Opens up very sweet but with a subtle, and important, bitter backbone. Alcohol clearly present throughout. Slightly smoked barrel tones. Mouthfeel is incredible, very thick and rich. Best barley wine I've had. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Brother Jeff supplied in Peteluma. He didn’t like, too sweet. Is a bit cloying, and pretty warm with alcohol. Molasses and cherry, dark, very malty, and yes, sweet, hint of bubblegum. Close my eyes and this could be a port. Thick, light sourness lingers on palate, very nice.

In short: The archetypical American Barley Wine
How: Bottle, consumed 8 months after purchase, split 4-way
The look: Cloudy bronze body topped by a beige ring of foam
In long: Nose has a moderate barrels presence and leafy hops over rich caramel. Taste starts with a wicked big rich caramelized malt backbone, just enough fruity flavors to increased complexity, vanilla, wood, toasted nuts and toasted cookies, enough resinous leafy hops to almost balance this monster beer. Alcohol is a little apparent but seems rather fitting to warm up this monster body. Huge body that doesn’t feel cloying or too heavy. This is a superior example of the style. The problem with this excellent beer is the hefty price tag, too pricey to make it a regular, and I wish I could make more money at work but so far I have failed to find a way to sleep my way to the top.

Tap at DLD12. Whiskey, prune malt, and hay aroma. Hazy brown color with minimal head. Sweet prune malt and woody bourbon flavor. A nice beer.