Another week of nursing school complete, another weekend of 13 hour shifts to look forward to, and another special beer review:
Randomly found this at a small homebrewing/craft beer boutique a few towns over from me. For those that aren't familiar with Firestone's Anniversary series, they release a beer that's a combination of multiple barrel-aged beers that they make and then bottle it for human consumption. Here's how the breakdown looks for Firestone 16:
Velvet Merkin (8.7% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Traditional Oatmeal Stout (23% of final blend)
OG= 15P FG=5.5 IBU=32.5 Color= Black / 15% Oats / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-English Barley Wine (22.5% of final blend)
OG=27P FG=5.4P IBU=45 Color=28 / Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (Brown) sugar
Double Double Barrel Ale (14.2% ABV) - Aged 100% in retired Firestone Union barrels
-Double strength English Pale Ale (20.3% of final blend)
OG=25.0P FG=5.1P IBU=30 Color=16 / A Double version of our flagship created by Ali Razi
Parabola (13% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (10.8% of final blend)
OG=31P FG=8.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding
PNC (13.0% ABV) - Aged in Tequila barrels
-American Strong Buckwheat Stout (8.1% of final blend)
OG = 25P FG = 5.0P IBU = 80 Color = 100 / Brewed with Buckwheat
Helldorado (11.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon Barrels and Brandy barrels
-Blonde Barley Wine (5.4% of final blend)
OG=24.7P FG=4.5P IBU=24 Color = 8 / Brewed with buckwheat honey & 100% El Dorado hops
Bravo (13.4% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels
-Imperial Brown Ale (5.4% of final blend)
OG=26.5 FG=7.7 IBU=35 Color=32 / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles
Wookey Jack (8.3% ABV)- 100% Fresh, Dank & Hoppy 100% Stainless Steel
-Black Rye India Pale Ale (4.5% of final blend)
OG= 18P FG = 3.0P IBU = 80 Color =black / Extremely hoppy double dry hopped BIPA
This beer pours pitch black with a fizzy head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is vanilla, caramel, toffee, bourbon, coconut, tobacco, bourbon, and brandy. Right at the front of the mouth you're hit with an explosive vanilla flavor. By the time it hits the middle of the mouth flavors of chocolate, coconut, toffee and bourbon start to take over. Didn't really notice much brandy. The tequila from the PNC is pretty noticeable on the aftertaste when this beer is cold, but fades away as it warms. I personally prefer this beer around room temperature (not a big tequila fan...at all). Very drinkable for 13%, and not too boozy with a year under its belt. Overall I probably spent to much on this beer, but I can say that this is without a doubt one of the most complex beers I've ever had. Probably gonna pick up another bottle of this if it crosses my path, and I'm DEFINITELY gonna buy Firestone 17 when it comes out in a few weeks. Splendid. 10/10