PNC (2021)
Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles, California, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.80
|
|
A Firestone Walker classic returns with the 2021 vintage of PNC - an imperial buckwheat stout aged in bourbon, brandy and tequila barrels. PNC was first made many years ago in commemoration of the American publican. Ever since, it has endured as a cult favorite, made in small batches with limited availability. This latest edition is the first PNC release to undergo extended aging for 24 months, providing maximum smoothness and barrel integration. The result is a bold and deliciously complex beer, with a gothic symphony of flavors that can only come from PNC.
*Note*: the original version was only aged in tequila barrels, whereas this new version was aged in tequila, bourbon, and brandy barrels.
*Note*: the original version was only aged in tequila barrels, whereas this new version was aged in tequila, bourbon, and brandy barrels.
Sign up to add a tick or review
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Poured from the tap. Very dark brown with small beige head. Nice balance of the various barrels, lots of dark fruit and caramel malt. Great.
Tried
from Draft
on 12 Jul 2022
at 20:31
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
On tap at Apex, pours black with a small tan head. Aroma is complex, with loads of tequila, brandy and bourbon barrels upfront, with a deep caramel malt and dark fruit character further back. Flavour is complex as hell, with a wonderful balance of bourbon, brandy and tequila barrel. Loads of caramel, dark dried fruit and molasses. The barrel treatment is stupendous. Complex, elegant and eminently drinkable for what it is. A clear improvement on PNC #1.
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Feb 2022
at 18:50
8.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Bottle. Pours opaque black with small brown head that dissipates quickly leaving decent lacing. Aroma is rich, cocoa, bourbon, figs, dates, molasses. Flavor is medium sweet and light plus bitter, lots of bourbon presence, but well integrated and not overpowering. Bit of tequila and earth on the finish. Medium plus body, creamy mouthfeel.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Feb 2022
at 04:45
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
12 oz bottle ordered from Firestone online on Black Friday for the 25% off! Very similar to what my 2012 notes say for the original except that this has a lot of buckwheat rather than the omnipotent vanilla I got from the original. Nose is lots of bready buckwheat pancakes with background cocoa, vanilla, tequila, and bourbon.. Pitch black with a medium, lightly lacing, cinnamon tan head. Flavor is dark chocolate, moderate sweetness, buckwheat, vanilla, with hints of tequila and bourbon.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Dec 2021
at 23:52
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
Bottle from the brewery. Pours dark brn/blk with a very slight, very transient dark tan head. Aroma is tequila and arguably chocolate. Certainly full bodied. Flavor is brandy, tequila, chocolate, burnt malt and bourbon/vanilla. It's very, very smooth. Heat is not hidden, but hardly obnoxious. Not dry, but not sugary (or not much so). Bitter with oak, heat and burnt malt. An amazing and tasty ale.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Dec 2021
at 01:40