Firestone Walker 11 (XI Quercus Alba)

Formerly brewed at Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Paso Robles, California USA

22, capped and foiled. Fairly clear but super dark amberish brown. Light gray rim. Very mild caramel and biscuit nose. Medium creamy body. Butterscotchy and caramel layered on the mid-palate. Mild finish. Virtually a non-entity when drunk after the 10.

Bottles from miketd and Weisguy. Thanks!
Pours a nice black pour with light tan head. Smell is vanilla, bourbon, oak and malty sweetness. Nice. Taste is smooth, rich and bourbony with lots of brandy fruity, nutty flavors as well. Alcohol is somewhat hidden at first but comes out more as it warms. Warming in the chest as it goes down and nice overall, but became quite hard to drink after a while.

I have been saving this for a special occasion. But I noticed today Marcus drank his so I figured that qualified as a good reason. Split with my beer loving brother, this poured a very rich ruby red with a small tan head that was gone in seconds. The nose was of ripe fruit, almost like a red wine. Aromas of oak and bourbon are there, along with a hint of chocolate. Very creamy mouthfeel. Flavor of sweet malts, with vanilla and bourbon again. Long rich sweet finish with a hint of alcohol. We drank this at room temperature (65 degrees here in Eureka) which seemed just perfect. This is not one you would want to serve too cold. Fantastic ale.

This dark brown ale poured with a miniscule tan head that immediately disappeared. There is a strong caramel malt aroma. The flavor is delicious and very complex, including chocolate, treacle, plum, bourbon and oak. This is sipping beer.

A great of example of what beer can be. An incredible experience rom the pour to the finish. Bold and sweet, alcohol is very present, but not overpowering. Reminiscent of a port with taste of grapeskin. Mouthfeel is thick and rich. Finish is smooth and warming.

Bottle shared with tupalev, blankboy, HogTownHarry & jerc - HogTownHarry’s bottle. Deep ruby-brown with a small off-white head. Aroma - wow! Dark malt, chocolate, dark fruit, wood, bourbon - fantastic! Flavour is sweet, malty, smoky and woody, with notes of vanilla, maple and bourbon. Just a titch too sweet, perhaps, but that’s a minor complaint - this is a freakin’ awesome beer!

Bottle (22oz). Shared by me with blankboy, GregClow, jerc and tupalev, via trade with the ever-generous Irishboy - thanks Richard!. Clear, deep ruby-brown pour with an average biege head. Sweet aroma of roast malt, alcohol, strong herbal, near-tea-like hops, and light syrup [I don’t know either - these notes are 3 weeks old!]. Taste of alcohol, ripe sweet tree fruit, yeasty malt and, in fhe finish, light bourbon. Thick, syrupy body, toasty, with a medium-bitter alcohol/hop finish. A solid, easy-drinking, hugely enjoyable roasty beer, and a close second for beer of the night for me.

22 oz bottle consumed on 5/25/08. Pours brown black with a beige ring of a head. A blend of complex malt aromas: raisins, brown sugar, yeast, bourbon, dark fruits, roasted malts, and doughy malts. Malty flavors that are really well balanced with the barrel. Roasted, charred, and dark fruit malts. Brown sugar and vanilla with dry charred malts in the finish. The notes are subtle, really well balanced, and tasty.