Bravo
Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles, California, United States 🇺🇸
Brown Ale - Imperial Special Out of Production|
Score
7.70
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The first beer brewed for the barrel aging program and has been brewed every year since. Originally named after an experimental variety of hops but now brewed with US grown Fuggles which are earthy and resinous. A lean, simple barley wine brewed to showcase barrel flavors with massive bourbon barrel notes that morph as the beer warms in the glass.
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7.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
This is a weird one as the label says 13.2% in the year 2017. So it should be the newer one but it’s the older one. Whatever. Has a funky Dusty kind of foul aroma. Flavors nice fruity caramel although hints of medicine.
Tried
on 19 Jun 2017
at 01:52
7.3/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Medium Caramel brown with a medium 10 head. Sweet biscuit malt, dark fruits, sweet molasses Caramel, Hot booze. Medium to full slick body. Finish has a sharp and hot alcohol burn. Rather nice but could probably use a little age.
Tried
on 15 Jun 2017
at 17:42
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
I got some good news so I figured I’d celebrate with a Bravo from Firestone Walker. Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale 13.2% Served in a tulip this is a beautiful ruby brown but the tan head vanished too fast for me to get a picture of it. The aroma is sweet molasses and whiskey with some oak plus hints of vanilla. A full mouthfeel and raspy carbonation. The beer is sweet treacle, lots of tannic oak barrel and whiskey. One of the least complex FW Barrel Aged beers I’ve had but smooth and well put together.
Tried
on 12 Jun 2017
at 23:41
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Draught @ MBCC 2017. Pours dark brown with a tan head. Aroma of malt, yeast, caramel, bread, wood, bourbon. Flavor is sweet, rich malty, caramel, dried fruit, wood, bready, oak, vanilla, bourbon. Full body, average carbonation, sweet finish with warming alcohol. 130517
Tried
on 04 Jun 2017
at 08:29
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
12 oz bottle shared, thanks DCLawyer! Clear brown with beige head. Aromas of malt, whiskey, roast, caramel. Tastes of caramel, malt, whiskey. Not their best of the Proprietors series, bring back Sucaba!
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Jun 2017
at 20:56
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
[5/13/17] Draught at Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen 2017. Red session. Deep amber-brown. Caramel, nuts, piney hops, sweet, vanilla, wood, bourbon, cookies.
Tried
on 29 May 2017
at 19:46
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
From a bottle shared at the DC RB gathering Memorial Day weekend 2017. Pours a Clear deep mahogany with an ecru head. Aroma of toffee. Flavors of caramel, oak and vanilla. Smooth, sweet and tasty,
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 May 2017
at 16:48
6.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Caramel and roast. Pours brown woth decent head and lacing. Sweet finish. Syrupy and messy. Not my thing like boy band pop. Bottle.
Tried
from Bottle
on 28 May 2017
at 15:54
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
12oz bottle picked up at Total Wine in Reno
Pours cloudy brown with a small beige head, light lacing. Aroma is dark fruit, caramel, leather and brown sugar. Flavor of toasted malts, caramel, leather, vanilla and woody, whiskey
Tasty
Pours cloudy brown with a small beige head, light lacing. Aroma is dark fruit, caramel, leather and brown sugar. Flavor of toasted malts, caramel, leather, vanilla and woody, whiskey
Tasty
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 May 2017
at 22:36
8.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
5400th review! 12 ounce bottle into tulip glass; 2017 vintage, bottled on 12/7/2016. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep ruby red/light copper/brown color with a 1 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, cream, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, coffee, raisin, cherry, fig, date, and oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roasted malts and bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Very minimal booziness in the aromas as it warms. Taste of huge caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, cream, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, coffee, raisin, cherry, fig, date, and oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate herbal/woody bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, cream, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread, nuttiness, light chocolate/dark fruit, and oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts and bourbon barrel flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness balance; with no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitter/spiciness, lightly increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy/tannic, and lightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is well hidden; a small pleasant warmth with mild barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an incredible barrel aged imperial brown ale! All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on for the huge ABV. Perfectly balanced malt and barrel flavors. Great complexity and nicely rich, without being too heavy for the style. Very similar to an American barelywine, but more roasty like a brown ale. Great barrel presence without being overly boozy, tannic, or drying. A highly enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 May 2017
at 20:47