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Firestone Walker 12 4.02 183

Firestone Walker 12

 (RETIRED)
Percentile
100
overall

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
1834.06/5.04.02/5.0Special12%98.4Snifter, Trappist glass
Commercial Description:
The Barrels The individual lots were aged in oak barrels, most of which were hand selected from premium Kentucky spirits producers by Tom Griffin, who is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about bourbon barrels and beer. Each barrel lends its own unique influence to the final blend. Tom continues to hand deliver some real treats to us, including some 20+ year old Rip Van Winkle Barrels! Barrels freshly dumped from the distilleries and hand delivered by Tom Griffin: Rip Van Winkle Bourbon Old Fitzgerald Bourbon / Old Fitzgerald Wheat Whiskey Heaven Hill Bourbon / Heaven Hill Brandy / Heaven Hill Rye Barrels purchased directly from American Coopers toasted to Firestone Walker’s specifications: New American Oak produced by World Cooperage / medium and medium plus toast Retired Firestone Union Oak produced by World Cooperage, and Barrel Associates (water bent staves) The Aging Cellar – The Components Following are descriptions of key components with their original code names: Final Blend % Parabola ྭ% ABV) - Aged in New American oak, bourbon and rye barrels ࿌%) -Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (brewed02-09-06 and 01-18-08) OG=28P FG=7.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding Opal ྫ% ABV) – Aged in rye barrels ྼ%) -Wheat Wine (brewed 2-25-08) OG=22.4P FG=6.2P IBU=45 Color=17 / Brewed with torrified and malted wheat, lightly hopped with Saaz Rufus ྫ% ABV) – Aged in rye and bourbon barrels ྲ%) -Continental Imperial Amber Ale (brewed 8-17-07) OG=22.5 FG=4.5 IBU=40 Color=15 / Brewed with Belgian Dark Candi Syrup / Hopped with Styrian Goldings and Saaz Saucerful of Secrets ƙ% ABV) – Aged in Brandy Barrels ƙ%) -Belgian Strong Ale (brewed 10-30-07) OG=23.4 FG=6.1 IBU 25 Color=39 / Brewed with Belgian Dark Candi sugar and everything else but the kitchen sink Union Jack IPA Ɨ% ABV) - Aged in stainless steel Ƒ%) -American Style IPA (brewed 10-28-08) OG=17 FG=3.5 IBU=75 Color=12 / Brewed with massive amounts of hops and a very kind attitude The Finished Piece- As a finished beer, XII is in some ways more aggressive than any previous blend, but it maintains a great deal of depth and complexity. Everyone seems to get something different when they taste this beer- mocha, tobacco, toasted almonds, olallieberries... I leave the interpretation to you. It is best enjoyed in a half filled brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. If left in a cool dark place, I suspect that this beer will age well. Only time will tell. If you find something you like- please contact us and let us know your thoughts. I truly hope you enjoy our third oak-aged blend. This crazy beer journey continues!
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 SuperDave70 (1157), Beautiful Sunny Mesa, Arizona, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Mar 13, 2009  
Bottle shared at hellbilly’s hellraiser 3 gathering. Tasted side by side with 10 and 11. Deep red brown color pour with a small foamy head. Bourbon is immediately noticeable in the aroma, along with chocolate and caramel, vanilla, and a bit of ripe fruit. Flavor is much the same, but this one was still a bit hot compared to the others. My second favorite of the 3. Would do well with a bit of age.


 GoddessOfThunder (877), Orlando, Florida, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/105/516/20
Mar 12, 2009  
Thanks to Cheeseman. Malts, whiskey and vanilla in the nose with a flavor of chocolate, more whiskey and a little oak. Very good flavor without an overpowering alcohol kick, just enough. Great beer.


 War4soccer (115), , Nevada, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/104/518/20
Mar 7, 2009  
bottle.. really a nice beer.. different flavour each time i believe..malt,brandy mollases stay togethor..nice solid beer


 bb (2930), Martinez, California, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/517/20
Mar 2, 2009  
Bottle. Dark mahogony beer with a small tan head. Bourbon, malt, and vanilla aroma. Malt, caramel, and chocolate flavor with brandy and some oakiness. Fuller bodied. Alcohol noticeable - just a bit too much. Rich malt, brandy, and mollases lingers with some hops. Nice complexity.


 MartinT (5068), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
Mar 2, 2009  
My Bottom Line:
This boozy American Strong Ale propels chocolate malts and berries onto oaken dryness and soaring bourbon fumes, creating an exuberant collage of barrel-aged concoctions which commands you to sit down, shut up and sip slowly. Goodness gracious, this is powerful.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A ring of foam circles the dark brown.
-This is the kind of bottle I’d like to split with 12 other people. And not necessarily because I want to be generous.
-Vanilla-like bourbon notes are prevalent.
-Roasted malts provide earthiness on top of the aforementioned chocolate.
-This blend is very well made, but I’m afraid I’m not a lover of stronger alcohols, especially when the flavor profile seems to be driven by this alcohol and/or its aging vessel.

Bottle at Ebenezer’s. Many thanks Chris!!


 jarspag (600), Los Angeles, California, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Feb 27, 2009  
Bottle w/ Justin & Mike in Mammoth. This follows steadily in line w/ 10 & 11. A big, robust, oaky, vanilla wrapped burner of a brew. Chocolate and dark fruits in the middle. Damn good, but I would put this a touch above 11 and a tad behind 10. It’s tasting a little ’green’ at this point ... (and a bit pricey)


 BOLTZ7555 (1099), Phoenix, Arizona, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/517/20
Feb 25, 2009  
Bottle courtesy of SuperDave70 @ Hellbilly’s Hellraiser 3.0...THANKS DAVE!!! Mahogany pour with hints of crimson and garnet and an iced caramel macchiato for a head. Much hotter than the 10 or 11; age definitely did a body good. Chocolate, vanilla, and dark fruit mixed with raw alcohol. Give this more time before cracking open a bottle.


 MaltOMeal (653), Land of Sugar, Texas, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Feb 24, 2009  
bomber thanks to thickfreakness. Shared at February Houston Tasting. Pours a dark brown with a tan head which dissipated. Maybe this needed to warm more because the nose was not as strong as I would have expected. Aroma is of oak and roast malt, but subdued. Taste is of oak, vanilla and dark fruit. Mouthfeel is medium with some alcohol noticeable. Will have to age mine a while longer and see how it is then.



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