Sometimes it takes a great winemaker to create an amazing beer. The folks at Firestone Walker Brewing Co. figured this out many years ago when working on their 10th-anniversary beer.
The brewery, in Paso Robles, the heart of the Central California wine-making region, has fermented and aged its beers in oak barrels since its founding in 1996. When it came time to create the anniversary beer in 2006, they called on neighboring winemakers for help in blending barrels.
Fast forward 12 years, and we have the release of Firestone Walker’s XXII Anniversary Ale, another marvelous blend of barrel-aged beers created by local winemakers. Firestone Walker’s head brewer, Matt Brynildson, has continually sought input from his neighbors because their fine-tuned palates can taste subtle nuances. This is reflected in the beers.
Each anniversary blend begins with the brewing of various styles of beers that are then aged in spent spirits barrels. These include a 13.7 percent alcohol-by-volume imperial stout (Parabola) and a 13.6 percent imperial brown ale (Bravo) aged in bourbon barrels. Helldorado, a blond barleywine at 14.5 percent alcohol by volume, is aged in rum and gin barrels. The beers sit in oak barrels for up to two years, slowly taking on the flavors of the wood and the spirits the barrels once housed.
Every August, Firestone Walker gathers a group of winemakers and presents them with beers pulled straight from the barrels. The goal is to blend these varying styles and flavors into one unique beer. The task is a friendly competition; after a blind tasting and a vote, the winner becomes the anniversary blend.
The XXII Anniversary Ale is a blend of four beers aged in three different spirits barrels. At 12.7 percent alcohol- by-volume, it is boozy, viscous and decadent, with the various woods and spirits shining through. The blend is 44 percent Stickee Monkee, a Belgian- style quad-aged in bourbon barrels; 22 percent of the Parabola; 22 percent of the Bravo; 7 percent of the Helldorado from rum barrels; and 5 percent of the Helldorado from gin barrels.
The result is nothing short of amazing. The flavors not only blend, they build on one another to create a complex beer. For instance, although it is only 5 percent of the final blend, the Helldorado aged in gin barrels adds a gentle hint of spice and a floral note to the finish of each sip.
Since this beer is so robust, it is best poured into a wide-mouthed glass such as a brandy snifter to allow the aromas to breathe. Let the beer warm up to get the incredible coconut, whiskey and burnt-sugar scents. There are saturated fruit notes up front — think rum-soaked raisins and plums — mixed with a touch of dark chocolate, molasses and caramelized sugar. The sweetness gives way to woody bourbon notes, and finally, that zing of the gin barrel. Sip it slow and it may even remind you of a warm brandy or cognac.
Firestone Walker’s anniversary ales are highly sought after, and for good reason. In my opinion, they’re some of the best barrel-aged strong beers in the U.S. These beers can age for decades, and at $12.99 per 12-ounce bottle, they’re a steal for the quality.
Tim Golden, a certified cicerone, shares his obsession with all things craft beer on the third week of each month. He is part owner of Village Bottle Shoppe in Kakaako.
