Firestone Walker 16

Firestone Walker 16

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Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Paso Robles, CA, United States

Style:  Strong Ale

13% Alcohol by Volume

36 International Bittering Units

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The Vision Behind Our Barrel Aging and Blending Program Is Still the Same! The Goal: To create complexity centering on oak, in a multitude of forms, by brewing high gravity beers in complementary styles, aging them in different barrel formats and then blending them together to achieve harmonious new flavors. The Puzzle: To blend these various components (or lots) to create a synergistic whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. This is done with the help of a few of our neighboring Paso Robles winemakers who are practicing experts in the art of blending. The Inspiration: Firestone Walker’s oak brewing tradition and our connection with winemaking. Of course until the advent of stainless steel, brewing was intimately linked to wood barrels and vessels. Brewing has a deeply rooted history in the alchemy of blending. The Barrels The individual lots were aged in oak barrels, many of which were hand selected from premium Kentucky spirits producers by Tom Griffin, who is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about bourbon barrels and beer. Each barrel lends its own unique influence to the final blend. The Aging Cellar – The Components We blended together 226 oak barrels and 8 different beers creating something truly complex and exceptional. The following are descriptions of key components with their original code names: Velvet Merkin (8.7% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels -Traditional Oatmeal Stout (23% of final blend) OG= 15P FG=5.5 IBU=32.5 Color= Black / 15% Oats / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles Stickee Monkee (12.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels -English Barley Wine (22.5% of final blend) OG=27P FG=5.4P IBU=45 Color=28 / Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (Brown) sugar Double Double Barrel Ale (14.2% ABV) - Aged 100% in retired Firestone Union barrels -Double strength English Pale Ale (20.3% of final blend) OG=25.0P FG=5.1P IBU=30 Color=16 / A Double version of our flagship created by Ali Razi Parabola (13% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon barrels -Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout (10.8% of final blend) OG=31P FG=8.5P IBU=80 Color=Black / Hopped with Simcoe, Bravo, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding PNC (13.0% ABV) - Aged in Tequila barrels -American Strong Buckwheat Stout (8.1% of final blend) OG = 25P FG = 5.0P IBU = 80 Color = 100 / Brewed with Buckwheat Helldorado (11.5% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon Barrels and Brandy barrels -Blonde Barley Wine (5.4% of final blend) OG=24.7P FG=4.5P IBU=24 Color = 8 / Brewed with buckwheat honey & 100% El Dorado hops Bravo (13.4% ABV) - Aged in Bourbon and Brandy barrels -Imperial Brown Ale (5.4% of final blend) OG=26.5 FG=7.7 IBU=35 Color=32 / Hopped with 100% US grown Fuggles Wookey Jack (8.3% ABV)- 100% Fresh, Dank & Hoppy 100% Stainless Steel -Black Rye India Pale Ale (4.5% of final blend) OG= 18P FG = 3.0P IBU = 80 Color =black / Extremely hoppy double dry hopped BIPA The Finished Piece As a finished beer, XVI takes us back to some of the wonderful dark notes (the black keys) that I remember from the original 10 blending. XVI is 42% stout with Velvet Merkin, Parabola and “PNC” working together as three roasty toasty friends that create rich cacao, chocolate and mocha flavors together. “PNC” also introduces tequila barrels into our blend for the first time and brings some interesting south of the boarder spirit notes to the mix – a welcome twist. Helldorado, with flavors of lavender honey liqueur was again a favorite of the winemakers and made the cut adding some flowery notes. DDBA continues to deliver its signature American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances. DDBA was also release on its own in 2012 and is now established as a solid annual brew. Stickee Monkee is fast becoming one of our favorite pieces with its rich maple syrup, spicy cinnamon, and ripe fig flavors which has developed into a bolder cousin of perennial blend component Bravo who carries barrel character and bourbon notes like no other. The additional twist this year is Wookey Jack, Black Rye IPA with its wily citrusy hop notes and spicy rye backbone. The finished blend is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XVI is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half filled brandy snifter or red wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. It takes a while, but as this beer sits and breathes in the glass, more rich dusty chocolate, stone fruit and crème brulee character is reveled as the rich spirit characters fade - so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. I suspect that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our Seventh oak-aged blend! The journey continues and its just as fun and exciting now as it was back in 1996. Thank you so much for spending a little time with us!