Firestone Walker Sucaba

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

Serve in Snifter

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From a tap,dark red,vanilla,tobacco,hint of of dark cherry,a little boozey taste.I like it.

On tap at Cloverleaf. What a BW. Pours a dark murky brown color with a caramel colored head. Has an aroma of bourbon, dark fruit, caramel, and perhaps some earthiness. Has a sweet dark fruit taste with notes of caramel and chocolate. A nice hop layer. Creamy mouthfeel. Excellent.

Another FW bottle courtesy of Richie. Pours deep, deep copper, darker than most barleywines, with a thin tan head that recedes slowly to small collar and some sticky legs on the sides. Aroma is spectacular, everything I’d want in a BB barleywine. There is the deep, sweet caramel malts, toffee, vanilla and hints of hops, though this seems closer to an English BW than American. The bourbon is perfectly balanced in the nose, sweet vanilla, light wood notes and bourbon. Wow. The taste is almost as good with smooth bourbon and vanilla up front, meshing perfectly with the sugary malts, toffee and caramel underneath. Nice alcohol burn in the finish, just tingling the tongue. The mouthfeel is super smooth and medium bodied with lots of barrel character and soft carbonation. This is a fantastic BA barleywine, one of the best I’ve had in a long time. FW certainly knows their way around barrel aging. World class.

Beatiful boxed bomber from Capone’s. Pours into my Stone RIS snifter turbid mahogany/chestnut, with 1-finger clingy off-white head. Nose is heavy bourbon, oak, figgy fruit, cherry, blackberry, port. Gorgeous nose here. The flavor is on the sweet side initially, with a huge bourbon and oaky element, and tons of fruity notes of the blackberry and port wine variety, brown sugar, backup hops. as it warms, the sweetness goes away somewhat, and the oaky bourbon mixed with the port and blackberry emerges, plus backup hops and caramel notes, and some finishing rauchy and cognacy notes. Amazingly complex and with very well hidden alcohol, this is a beer for the ages, one of the finest beers I have ever quaffed, and a truly earth-shattering experience. As usual with these big beers, I need to remind lightweights and barleywine haters to leave this beer to those who can appreciate and understand it, while you go back to your parent’s basement for a sixer of the new Miller Light with the corkscrew bottles..

on tap at Capone’s served in a tulip pour was dark mahogany with one finger of tan head that dissipated rather quickly but did leave a nice ring of lacing around the glass. nose was bourbon,oak vanilla and malts. taste was bourbon,oak,chocolate,coconut,coffee,malts and a beautiful hint of cherries in the Finnish. wow what a brew definitely one of the better barley wines I have ever had. hats off to Firestone on this brew

On tap at Capone’s. Poured a dark brown color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of vanilla, bourbon, dark fruits, wood, and caramel. Tastes of bourbon, vanilla, dark fruits, wood, caramel, and some nuttiness.

Draft at Monk’s Cafe. Pours a deep dark copper/chestnut color with dark ruby/mahogany edges and a one finger frothy off-white head that quickly settles into a thin lasting ring. Sporadic small spots of lacing left behind. Amazing complex nose with a blend of earthy oak, luscious vanilla, sweet boozy bourbon, dark fruit and earthy/leathery malt. The barrel character is very prominent with lots of toasted oak without smelling burnt. Sweet bourbon and lots of vanilla and marshmallow mellowing things out. As it warms the malts become more prominent with hints of leather, toffee, hazelnut and caramel. Slightly vinous with hints of cherry, grape and plum. Smells amazing and the bourbon is well integrated in the nose without overpowering the other elements. Medium bodied with the perfect balance of earthy barrel character, boozy bourbon, sweet malt and alcohol heat. Very similar to the aroma with a prominent barrel presence up front. Earthy oak that is slightly toasted with sweet bourbon flavor that is prominent but not overly hot. Although the bourbon flavor is strong, it’s not overpowering and the other flavors are able to stand out. There are also notes of vanilla and toasted coconut from the barrel, mellowing things out. Slightly hot with some nice burning warmth in the finish but the ABV is pretty well masked at 13%. Underneath there is a nice blend of earthy/leathery and sweet malt flavor. Slightly earthy barleywine flavor with hints of sweet caramel toffee, rye and faint cocoa. Vinous with dark fruit flavor, especially dark cherry as well as some grape, plum, raisin and fig. More heat toward the end of the swallow but this beer is excellently balanced, delicious and dangerously drinkable. One of the best barrel aged beers I’ve ever had. Amazing!

22 oz bottle. 2011 release. Pours a cola brown with a very small light tan head that leaves small spots of lacing around the glass. The aroma is wonderful. Caramel, toasted coconut, light oxidation, vanilla, brandy (not sure if any of this was brandy barrel aged, but I get it in the aroma), some light cherry notes, a decent amount of bourbon, some light alcohol, a light leather note, and a bit of oak. The barrels certainly come through in the aroma. The initial taste is sweet with caramel, brown sugar, coconut, and vanilla. Then a little brandy and a light oxidation comes through as well. Bourbon and a bit of leather on the finish with a light bitterness. A light alcohol heat, but much less than you would expect for a 13% beer. Medium-heavy body. Very smooth mouthfeel. Manages to be sweet without being syrupy. Low carbonation works very well for the beer. Overall, a great beer. Probably the best barley wine I have had so far. The barrels certainly dominate the nose and taste, which I quite enjoy. I found myself not wanting to finish my glass just so I could continue to enjoy the aroma for a few extra minutes.

Lightly hazy, brown burgundy color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of vanilla, wine, light bourbon, dark fruits, caramel, and light alcohol. Taste of dark fruits, caramel malts, nuts, vanilla, wood, smoke, wine, and light alcohol in the finish.

Hands down the best BW I’ve had. At least a dozen complex flavors and aromas going on here. Dominated by raisin, chocolate, vanilla and bourbon. Epic. Chewy thick.