20 (XX) Anniversary Ale
Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles, California, United States 🇺🇸
Strong Ale - American Series Out of Production|
Score
8.18
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As a finished blend, XX is a beautifully textured and complex brew, with layers that unfold as the beer opens up. At first there is a burst of brandy soaked cherries, then chocolate cake combined with distinct boozy new American oak notes. The flavor develops full of molasses rich brown sugar and fruitcake with a touch of caramel and cinnamon spice. Overall the beer is silky smooth, incredibly balanced and finishes with a touch of kirsch filled truffle – a perfect blend of everything we love about our vintage barrel program! This beer is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XX is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half filled brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. As the beer sits and breathes in the glass the true complexity of this blend is revealed, so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool, dark place. I suspect, like our other Anniversary offerings, that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come.
Final blend:
Parabola 40%
Stickee Monkee 20%
Velvet Merkin 17.5%
Bravo 12.5%
Helldorado 10%
Final blend:
Parabola 40%
Stickee Monkee 20%
Velvet Merkin 17.5%
Bravo 12.5%
Helldorado 10%
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8.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle: Poured a dep burgundy color ale with a large brown head with OK retention and some light lacing. Aroma of light roasted malt and black chocolate notes with some pretty intense woody notes and vanilla and bourbon notes also clearly distinguishable. Taste is a complex and immensely enjoyable mix of woody notes with some vanilla and bourbon, some black chocolate notes with light residual sugar notes and light alcohol warming notes. Body is pretty full with good carbonation with some alcohol notes apparent. Another great anniversary beer from this fine brewery.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Nov 2018
at 21:14
9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
Bomber bottle poured, picked up fresh, and held onto until a random Tuesday arrived. A rediculously smooth blend here. Dark brown appearance, bourbon constant, tons of oak character. Dark fruit that's not seeet or boozy. Tons going on with this. An exceptional sipper, though it doesn't have to be. It drinks easy for it's potency. Late lingering bourbon, oak, raisin, and just a touch of chocolate. A nice cross between. Barley wine and imperial stout. All these anniversary brews are great, but this might be one of my favorites yet.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Jun 2018
at 04:03
8.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
On tap. Pours a dark brown with almost no head. Aromas of brown sugar, molasses, coconut, thick woody bourbon and sweet malts. Flavors of rich bourbon, sticky toffee, oak, nougat and lots of sweet malts. Dry finish. Excellent.
Tried
from Draft
on 28 Apr 2018
at 18:14
9.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
0,65l bottle at home shared by Sander, big thanks. black color, small tan head. smells bourbon, nutty, frosted cake, light whisky, marzipan, some coconut, lovely smell. full body, light carbonation, slick mouthfeel. tastes of pines, coconut, licorice, some sweetness, light mint, wood, bourbon. finishes very balanced with notes of coconut, light mint and bourbon notes. very very very nice one, so smoooth. lovely balance. definitly a favorite of mine. 9, 4, 10, 5, 19
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Mar 2018
at 13:14
8.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Score: 8 / 4 / 9 / 5 / 17
650 ml bottle shared by Sander, many thanks!
Dark brown body, with a small, creamy, dark beige head.
Aroma of whisky barrel, dark chocolate, tobacco, soy sauce,
Tastes of chocolate, vanilla, caramel, marzipan, maple, vanilla, coffee, dark fruits, some alcohol.
Full, creamy mouthfeel, with a moderate carbonation.
Finishes warm, moderate roasty, moderate sweet, with chocolate, barrel, caramel, moderate coffee, some dark fruits, slight soy sauce,
Amazing! Incredibly complex, there is so much going on, while it's so round at the same time. Lovely balance of sweet and roasty notes. One of my favourite beers by this great brewer so far.
650 ml bottle shared by Sander, many thanks!
Dark brown body, with a small, creamy, dark beige head.
Aroma of whisky barrel, dark chocolate, tobacco, soy sauce,
Tastes of chocolate, vanilla, caramel, marzipan, maple, vanilla, coffee, dark fruits, some alcohol.
Full, creamy mouthfeel, with a moderate carbonation.
Finishes warm, moderate roasty, moderate sweet, with chocolate, barrel, caramel, moderate coffee, some dark fruits, slight soy sauce,
Amazing! Incredibly complex, there is so much going on, while it's so round at the same time. Lovely balance of sweet and roasty notes. One of my favourite beers by this great brewer so far.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Mar 2018
at 21:47
9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
Bottle, 650 ml, from Barrelworks. Shared with Miro, JFK10000, Max. My 5000th Untappd checkin. Pours dark brown with medium tan head. Coffee, caramel, toffee, nuts, sweet, some dark fruit, somewhat oily, super drinkable for ABV, warming. Medium bodied. Expected a bit more thickness, bit more barleywineish than expected. I've liked XVIII more, but this is excellent as well.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Feb 2018
at 11:39
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Poured from 22oz bottle black brown with a tan head nice lacing in the snifter. Aroma is dark fruit toffee brown sugar caramel and mild alcohol. Taste is sweet balanced brown sugar toffee caramel barrel treatment dark fruit. Taste cheanges as the glass warms. Wow I could drink this everyday.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Jan 2018
at 16:50