Firestone Walker Sucaba

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

Serve in Snifter

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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..

UPDATED: APR 4, 2011 Incredible barleywine with beautiful dark chocolate, cognac, pitted fruit and unpitted fruit skins, tobacco, leather, subtle bourbon (well integrated) cardamom, clove, and surprisingly dryish in the remarkably lengthy finish. Impeccable balance from sniff to aftertaste. Simply one of the most amazingly sophisticated barleywines I’ve ever tasted. In another six months when the heat has subsided, this will be a true masterpiece. Edit: After only a few days resting, the heat has almost totally vanished, the carbonation is softer, and the flavors are already more married. Kudos, Firestone!

Pours amber coffee brown with a quickly dissipating head. Moderate aromas of sweet malt and toffee. Full nectar with good carbonation. I like how this beer has a high complex value while remaining classy. It’s not overdone. Most barleywines of this magnitude are much too sweet and unbalanced. This brew reaches a new pinnacle. This beer has gone where no beer has gone before. Much more English in style exhibiting flavors of toffee, butterscotch, coconut, and a hint of cherry. Big on Bourbon. Love this brew. I feel a TRUMP card comin’ on. Bamn!

Exceptional Beer, big coconut and caramel nose and flavors. So balanced for as big a beer this is. A Total Experience! Good to the last drop and worth every penny.

Room was a little dark when poured so color was tough to judge. But there was very little head, and what was there disapated quickly. The nose is incredible, I could live in there. At first it’s overwhelming, but you can quickly go through the layers of complexity. Taste is similar, complex, wonderful. Like drinking a bourbon, wine, and beer all at the same time. The finish lasts for what felt like hours. The only negative is accessibility.

UPDATED: MAY 26, 2012 2011 vintage. Bottle @ home, courtesy of foppa78 into my new Cigar City snifter, courtesy of markwise. Thanks guys! Very deep brown/ruby appearance with a tiny tan head that dissipates in no time. Really a nice, smooth, tobacco, fig, plum, caramel-toffee malty, somewhat sweet aroma that’s exquisite. Tobacco, date, plum, fig, dark fruity, moderate toffee, lighter caramel, fairly malty, bourbon, somewhat woody flavor. Dark fruity, cherry, plum, toffee aftertaste. No hint of the 13% booze- are you kidding me??? In a way, it kind of reminds me of HOTD Matt in its complexity. Simply unbelievable.

2012 vintage. Bottle @ home. Last time around I was blown away by this baby, so I’m really looking forward to trying it again. Dark reddish brown appearance with a brown head without much lasting power. There’s initially some notes of booze in the nose which isn’t all that unpleasant. Besides that, rich toffee, thick caramel malts, vanilla, oak, mild to moderate bourbon, and dark fruits (fig, plum) are also noticeable in the aroma. Creamy, nutty, rich caramel/chocolate malty flavor initially that is like tasting a liquid turtle chocolate candy. More vanilla, oak, and bourbon towards the back of the mouth and despite the overall sweetness of the beer, it’s balanced incredibly well. There’s also notes of tobacco, fig, and vanilla with a warming, dessert-like finish. Simply unbelievable. Easily one of the five best beers I’ve ever had.

22 oz. bottle from Grape & Gourmet (purchased in April 2011). Pours a cola-like brown with a thin layer of quickly fading bubbles. Incredible aroma of bourbon, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, coconut cake, dark fruit, and probably some other aromas I have missed. Incredibly smooth flavor showcasing the bourbon, vanilla, and coconut and with layers of chocolate and smoke underneath. Every bit of the 13% alcohol is felt in the warmth yet this is a surprisingly thinner offering than you would expect from a beer with this complexity and depth. As it warms the background flavors find their way to the front just a bit more. This is an outstanding offering from an outstanding brewery.

Abacus bottle shared by motortoddhead. Deep red-brown with fading head. Awesome aroma of earthy, must oak, dark cherries, sweet caramel, toasted malt, syrup, and mild booze. Flavor is sweet cherry, plum, brown sugar, syrup, oaky goodness and finishing with light bourbon and more malt goodness. Some mild alcohol residual. Lingering cherry, vanllia. Thick and sticky. Amazing!

Dark brown-publish color with thin white head. Aroma of chocolate malt, biscuits, maple syrup and bourbon. Taste is...hello flavor country, we’ve got a whole lot of complexity going on here: Vanilla, raisins, toasted malt, molasses, bourbon. The finish has another layer of oakiness followed by a tart sweetness. Surprisingly light body for a barleywine. More please.

This beer was amazing Love the fact the several people were willing to trade for it tons of bourbon(go big or go home) Fruits and bourbon malt and bourbon bourbon and bourbon would love to try a cask Ba barleywine this would be the best love this amazing Barleywine.