smellysell
Go Vols!!!
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2007
- Messages
- 9,881
I’ve really been trying to get away from the hunt for super hyped beers lately because it was getting to be a bit out of hand, but after tasting Opal, Parabola, and the rest of the Firestone Walker beers at GABF I’ve been on a single-minded mission to procure a bottle of this. In typical CP fashion, not only did I end up getting one bottle, but I got a bottle each from 3 different badass BOTLs (I use the term “badass” loosely in Jonas' and Grapes' case, Cali Mike is good though 
). I really can’t express how much I appreciate it guys!
Style – American Strong Ale
ABV – 12%
Brewed In – Paso Robles, CA
Availability – Brewed Once
Score – 8.6/10
Appearance
Poured jet black into my snifter. Light tan head that had pretty minimal retention and left almost no lacing.
Smell
The bourbon is very dominating, and for the most part overwhelms everything else. There are also some faint aromas of raisins and chocolate malts that you can detect under the bourbon though.
Taste
This is truly a beer suited to my personal tastes! The flavor is huge and in your face with tons of dark/roasty flavors. The bourbon is definitely there, but not even close to being over the top. It’s quite amazing to me how much reading Matt’s write-up above helps to give me an understanding of where all the different flavors are coming from. The plum flavors from the Saucerful of Secrets are plentiful, as is the Rye flaver form the Rufus. The oak barrels also provide some nice oak and vanilla. This is definitely one of the most complex beers I’ve had, though I think a little time in the cellar will definitely help meld some of the flavors.
Feel
There is significant warming form the bourbon which I’m sure would be a bad thing for some people. I personally love it, especially as chilly as it is here at the moment. There is a very light carbonation which is very appropriate for the style, and the body is extraordinarily thick and smooth.
Overall
While it is still a little rough around the edges at this point, this is truly a beer after my own heart. The HUGE flavors coupled with the amazing complexity is what I always hope for when I crack a big beer like this. While a lot of the massively hyped beers fail to live up to the hype, this one definitely isn’t one of them. The score would have been significantly higher based on taste alone, but the appearance and aromas scores brought it down quite a bit. I can’t wait to see how the other two are down the road! Thanks to denverdog, Mas_Puros, and grapes for hooking me up with these!
). I really can’t express how much I appreciate it guys!
Style – American Strong Ale
ABV – 12%
Brewed In – Paso Robles, CA
Availability – Brewed Once
Score – 8.6/10
Appearance
Poured jet black into my snifter. Light tan head that had pretty minimal retention and left almost no lacing.
Smell
The bourbon is very dominating, and for the most part overwhelms everything else. There are also some faint aromas of raisins and chocolate malts that you can detect under the bourbon though.
Taste
This is truly a beer suited to my personal tastes! The flavor is huge and in your face with tons of dark/roasty flavors. The bourbon is definitely there, but not even close to being over the top. It’s quite amazing to me how much reading Matt’s write-up above helps to give me an understanding of where all the different flavors are coming from. The plum flavors from the Saucerful of Secrets are plentiful, as is the Rye flaver form the Rufus. The oak barrels also provide some nice oak and vanilla. This is definitely one of the most complex beers I’ve had, though I think a little time in the cellar will definitely help meld some of the flavors.
Feel
There is significant warming form the bourbon which I’m sure would be a bad thing for some people. I personally love it, especially as chilly as it is here at the moment. There is a very light carbonation which is very appropriate for the style, and the body is extraordinarily thick and smooth.
Overall
While it is still a little rough around the edges at this point, this is truly a beer after my own heart. The HUGE flavors coupled with the amazing complexity is what I always hope for when I crack a big beer like this. While a lot of the massively hyped beers fail to live up to the hype, this one definitely isn’t one of them. The score would have been significantly higher based on taste alone, but the appearance and aromas scores brought it down quite a bit. I can’t wait to see how the other two are down the road! Thanks to denverdog, Mas_Puros, and grapes for hooking me up with these!
