28 (XXVIII) Anniversary Ale
Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles, California, United States 🇺🇸
Strong Ale - American Winter|
Score
8.15
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We come together with our winemaker friends to bring you Firestone XXVIII, a beautiful blend of DDBA, Stickee Monkee, Bravo, Helldorado, Velvet Merkin, Weldwerks Stout Blend, and PaRyebola. The finished blend is deep ruby in color and expresses caramel and bourbon aromas up front with speculoos and dark cherry close behind. The mouthfeel is decadently smooth with caramel cookie-like flavors complemented by rye spirit barrel-derived vanilla and other oaky spice accents. It’s truly a wonderful balance between decadent barleywine with just enough chocolate stout to give depth and move it into its own universe. This is another amazing super-blend, gifted to us by our winemaker friends, showcasing both our barrel aging cellar and the skill and artistry of our close neighbors and friends.
Final Blend:
DDBA – (9%) Imperial Special Bitter
Stickee Monkee – (37%) Central Coast Quad
Bravo – (28%) Imperial Brown Ale
Helldorado – (4%) Blonde Barleywine
Velvet Merkin – (4%) Milk Stout
Weldwerks Stout Blend – (7%) Imperial Stout
PaRyebola – (11%) Imperial Stout
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Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Tap at Harry’s Hofbrau. Smooth and coffee based. Licorice invades the taste in the back half. Bitter ash balances nicely.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
12oz bottle drunk 9/12/25.
Clear, filtered, dark. Small, light tan head.
Lead, caramel, milk chocolate, graham cracker and spicy bourbon. Lots of cherry and minimal lactose or Belgian character, to be honest. Maybe a touch of plaster and pepper. There is some light alcohol on the end, on account of the heavy filtration, I'd bet.
Soft, juicy, rich, malty, sweet and chewy with milk chocolate galore and plentiful spicy bourbon. Soft and succulent. Great balance with strong bourbon and spice. No alcohol in the flavor. Obviously these guys slay at blending, but I'd like to see this less filtered, even if that is a bit of a pipe dream. I get when blending 10 barrels it's hard not to filter your beer. But it can be done.
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 8
Bottle @MBCC 2025, Red Session. Clear, nearly black, beige head. Heavy malty and caramely aroma. A little dried fruit. Heavy boozy flavour, malty, caramely with some dried fruit.
Really ace beer. Great barrel, incredibly smooth.
Hanging outback with The Ghost.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9
Bottle. Dark mahogany-black beer with a tan head. Bourbon and caramel aroma with light spice, light alcohol, and chocolate. Bourbon and chocolate flavor with caramel, dried fruit, alcohol, and coffee. Medium-plus bodied. Bourbon and chocolate linger with caramel and dried fruit.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
MBCC 2025, Copenhagen. Early saturday. Pours dark brown with a small head. Super vinous and slick. Warming alcohol. Dark fruit, vanilla and wood. Tasty. 4.1
24/05/2025 Sample at Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen 2025
MBCC 2025, Red Session. A very dark brown beer with a beige lacing. Aroma of bourbon, whiskey, strong dark malt. Taste of intense vanilla, bourbon, dried fruits, strong malty finish.