Heavy Souls (2024)
(Batch of Heavy Souls)
Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles, California, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: FrauGruber BrewingStout - Pastry / Flavoured - Imperial Special Out of Production
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Score
7.65
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Another club exclusive, we teamed up with our friends from Germany at Frau Gruber to create this delicate beast of a pastry stout unlike any other. Brewed with pecans, hazelnuts, and vanilla beans, Heavy Souls takes you on a sensory adventure that defies expectations. With each sip, this beer transports you to a realm of nostalgic delights reminiscent of indulgent praline pie, decadent s’mores, and the luscious sweetness of candied figs.
Heavy Souls sat in 12-year Elijah Craig Bourbon barrels to elevate its complexity even further, maturing gracefully over 12 months. Indulge in Heavy Souls—a stout that embodies the artistry of collaboration and the decadence of barrel-aging, delivering a rich tapestry of flavors that linger long after the final dram.
Heavy Souls sat in 12-year Elijah Craig Bourbon barrels to elevate its complexity even further, maturing gracefully over 12 months. Indulge in Heavy Souls—a stout that embodies the artistry of collaboration and the decadence of barrel-aging, delivering a rich tapestry of flavors that linger long after the final dram.
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8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 9
Overall 8.5
12 ounce bottle from Tavour. Jet black pour is topped by a creamy tan cap. Aroma of sweet roasted malt, vanilla, toffee, cocoa and oak. First sip is sweet and tangy. Quickly followed by tasty notes of candied pecans, milk chocolate, caramel, oak, bourbon, chocolate fudge. Thick and viscous mouthfeel. Rich and decadent. Try it! Meanwhile, I’ll have another sip…
Tried
from Bottle
from Tavour
on 12 May 2026
at 04:15
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
2024 bottle drunk 3/5/26.
This smells much more balanced than the darker ray I just had, while still offering up a ton of rich, sumptuous vanilla and a bit of nut paste richness. Caramel and fudge with little/no roast, but still enough acidicy from gentle barrel character. No alcohol, no excessive sugar. Could be a bit more barrel, but it's there and well-done.
Rich and malty with a lot of caramel character in place of the usual fudge/chocolate/roast. Bourbon is, as the nose, a bit timid, but it doesn't leave you scratching your head. Just wish there was a bit more spice/wood/tannin to help balance the rich malts. Still, barrel aside, this is a rich and rewarding beer with lovely, tasteful adjunct and no alcohol noted.
This smells much more balanced than the darker ray I just had, while still offering up a ton of rich, sumptuous vanilla and a bit of nut paste richness. Caramel and fudge with little/no roast, but still enough acidicy from gentle barrel character. No alcohol, no excessive sugar. Could be a bit more barrel, but it's there and well-done.
Rich and malty with a lot of caramel character in place of the usual fudge/chocolate/roast. Bourbon is, as the nose, a bit timid, but it doesn't leave you scratching your head. Just wish there was a bit more spice/wood/tannin to help balance the rich malts. Still, barrel aside, this is a rich and rewarding beer with lovely, tasteful adjunct and no alcohol noted.
Tried
from Bottle
from Tavour
on 06 Mar 2026
at 01:07
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Thanks fonefan! Black colour, small head. Aroma is chocolate, syrup, some toffee, mild fudgeish tones with mild berries. Flavour is chocolate, syrup, some alcohol, mild fudge and some mild berries to it.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Feb 2026
at 18:09
6.1/10
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Appearance 5
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 5
Overall 6
Sample, thanks fonefan! Viscous black, minimal head. Somewhat custardy and bourbony vanilla aroma with some chocolate and toffee. Very sweet with full body and viscous mouthfeel. Maple syrup, chocolate alcohol and vanilla. Warming sticky finish. Not quite pastry style, but over sweet and sticky.
Tried
on 04 Feb 2026
at 21:27
8.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 9
Overall 9
Bottle 12fl.oz. @ home - fonefan & Brugmansia House. 🏠🇩🇰 💻👀 🧑🎄🌲 ❄☃️ ☁️☂️ [ As Firestone Walker / Frau Gruber Heavy Souls - 2024 ]. ABV: 12.5%. [20251230]. 8/4/9/4-/18.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Dec 2025
at 21:30
9.2/10
Tried
on 13 Oct 2024
at 12:07