Molé Merkin (2018) - Brandy Barrel Aged
Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles, California, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Pastry / Flavoured Special Out of Production|
Score
7.45
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Brandy Barrels
In 2018, our Barrel Program Manager Eric Ponce was tinkering with a variant of Velvet Merkin involving Brandy barrels and spices – soon to be named Molé Merkin. Eric selected some higher proof Velvet Merkin Barrels from our warehouse.
Drawing upon his own Mexican heritage and family mole recipes inherited from his grandmothers to create a blend of Puya chile peppers, cocoa nibs, and cinnamon. The cinnamon adds a hint of sweet spice, the cocoa nibs bring a luscious balance to the medium lingering heat of the peppers, and the brandy barrel adds its own element and a little more kick.
In 2018, our Barrel Program Manager Eric Ponce was tinkering with a variant of Velvet Merkin involving Brandy barrels and spices – soon to be named Molé Merkin. Eric selected some higher proof Velvet Merkin Barrels from our warehouse.
Drawing upon his own Mexican heritage and family mole recipes inherited from his grandmothers to create a blend of Puya chile peppers, cocoa nibs, and cinnamon. The cinnamon adds a hint of sweet spice, the cocoa nibs bring a luscious balance to the medium lingering heat of the peppers, and the brandy barrel adds its own element and a little more kick.
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6.8/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
11oz pour at Andy's Pizza NoMA in 2025. 7 years old. Let's fucking go. Lots of carb in a rootbeer brown body. Lacy beige head. Nose has a ton of spice, mostly baking. Nutmeg and cinnamon and clove over a malty body. Toast. Carob. Licorice and anise on the nose. Flavor starts inky with licorice and anise and stays. Huge jagermeister notes. Coffee. Dried fruit. That anise thing must be age. Otherwise the Chile and mole and spice is gone. Wanted mole and got Underberg. Not bad, just not what I wanted.
Tried
from Draft
on 23 Aug 2025
at 01:54
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
35,5 cl bottle (7,8%) @ home Vintage 2019. Aroma has licorice and soy sauce. Also alcohol and strong malty tones. Flavour has chili, cocoa, some licorice and warming brandy-like alcohol. A good slow sipper.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Aug 2021
at 15:41
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Lots of cinnamon, cacao and a little chile here but I don't feel the proper stout potency -- it doesn't have that next level Matrix vibe. Black pour without much head or lacing. Kind of a disappointment for Firestone. Just lacks body. Tap at World of Beer.
Tried
from Draft
on 12 Nov 2020
at 02:31
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 7.5
Draught @ MBCC 2019 - Yellow Session
Pours dark brown with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate and cinnamon. Taste is medium sweet and light bitter with a long roasted, chocolate and cinnamon finish. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.
Pours dark brown with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of roasted malt, chocolate and cinnamon. Taste is medium sweet and light bitter with a long roasted, chocolate and cinnamon finish. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.
Tried
on 13 Jul 2020
at 17:05
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12 oz bottle received as a Christmas gift from my wife. The pour is opaque black brown with a well formed one inch khaki head. The aroma is malty, nutty, caramel soft roast, as well as cinnamon spice and vegetal chili. The taste is warming malt up front, very much the caramel toffee, turning to roast and toast and the closing with cinnamon and vegetable chili notes and introducing a dark chocolate powder. The palate is medium to heavier bodied, soft carbonation and a lingering malt sweet cinnamon finish. This was most certainly as advertised.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Mar 2020
at 21:28
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at Belmont Station Bier Cafe, pours black with a small tan head. Aroma is full of Mexican spices — chili, cocoa and cinnamon — along with gentle bourbon and light roast. Flavour is rich and succulent, with a great mix of cinnamon and chocolate, followed by subtle bourbon. Really nice addition of the adjuncts. Excellent.
Tried
from Draft
on 20 Feb 2020
at 07:43