Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin (100% Barrel Aged Velvet Merlin)

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

Serve in English pint

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Sampled on Tap at 1702, Tucson; March 2010
Arrives from the tap an opaque, dark color that shows a touch of clear red / brown hues when held up to the light. The head is quite wispy and seems a bit dark. At first the aroma has a thin vanilla note to it as well as a roast grain aromatic. Actually the aroma is really hard for me to smell, but as it warms I get hints of buttery oak and a hint of almost fruity tartness.

There is a hint of sweetness in the flavor (or is that vanillin) up front, but this dries out quite significantly as this rolls across the tongue. Vanillin lingers along with notes of dark chocolate, roasted grain and a hint of barrel-derived spiciness on the palate. The mouthfeel is pretty creamy feeling, but it still remains light as this is definitely a beer to quaff a couple pints of. The roast character dominates the flavor profile, but it is well balanced and keeps from being harsh, astringent, or acidic (which I find as common "flaws" in roasted beers). This is really well balanced in the flavor; roast, sweeter malt character, vanillin and bittering notes all work together quite harmoniously. The barrel is quite mellow actually, vanillin is here, as is an oak derived spiciness and a tannic quality in the finish, but I could almost be convinced that this was not barrel aged.

This is an awesome quaffing / session brew; it is full flavored, delicious and complex, too bad that this aroma comes off as being so muted (is it the glass, my nose, I don’t know but I think it is actually just the beer).

Draft. Dark pour. Big, big, big vanilla bourbon flavors. Sweet dark caramel. Fantastically smooth. Deep. Rich. Clean. Syrupy but not overly thick. Excellent!

Tap at brewery. Black pour with a thin scatter of tan foam. Aroma is bourbon, oak, minor vanilla, some alcohol heat, and underlying roast. Taste is heavy bourbon with vanilla and an almost sweet cola flavor followed by roast, chocolate, and hop/alcohol bitterness on the finish. Mouthfeel is a bit light but appropriate. The barrel character is semi-hot and dominates the base beer but it works. Great barrel aged beer in the sub-10% abv range.

Aroma of vanilla and bourbon, smells great. Black oil looking, a nice looking beer. Tastes Of vanilla and bourbon, but it’s very well done. I really like this beer! It should be a little difficult to drink, BUT it’s very easy to drink. A great beer

Draft. Clear rudy dark brown, tin light tan head. Chocolate, sweetness, vanilla, bourbon, and milk chocolate. A very nice dessert beer, on the sweet side. Close to imperial status.

Black pour thin off white head orange hue ...... Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, light oak and caramel malts .... Taste is dry, oaky, caramel malts. vanilla. Earthy, thin roasted light chocolate and tasty. ... Lots of dry oak. A sessionable very well done medium bodied oatmeal stout. Mouthfeel is slick and oily ... Abv hidden well

On tap at Daily Pint. Pours a brown color with white foam head. Sweet light caramel taste with some chocolate notes hidden somewhere and slight bitters. Has a chalky mouthfeel. Solid but was expecting a bit more.

Dark brown pour with a small tan head. The aroma reminds me of chocolate milk with a little bit of vanilla added to it. Minimal roast and coffee notes, just an overwhelming chocolate/vanilla blend. Great barrel and bourbon flavor with even more of the chocolate and vanilla going on. Moderate roast and a hint of coffee. Nicely sweet from some toffee malt flavors. So damn good.

Tap @ Bruery Provisions. Smells like barrel aged stout, not over powering. Taste is phenomenal. Some earthiness, some licorice, some malt, some alcohol, some barrel - incredibly balanced. Pours opaque, nearly jet black with tan head. Long lasting palate that just lingers and lingers...

UPDATED: APR 6, 2012 Draft at Spuytin with Andrew. Pours a deep black body with thin brown lacing. Aroma is sweet chocolate and and very light coffee. Mouthfeel is thin and a bit watery with notes of coffee, coconut, bourbon and chocolate.

Tap at Browerij Lane. Boozy sweet nose. Vanilla , bourbon booze , more bourbon. Dry delicious dessert like. Awesome