Firestone Walker’s beloved Parabola, the crown jewel of their Proprietor’s Classic Sequence, is again for 2023, and it boasts a formidable origin story positive to excite bourbon followers and beer drinkers alike. Persevering with a development of utilizing older bourbon barrels to age its iconic stout, Firestone turned to Buffalo Hint to craft this 12 months’s launch and secured 8-year-old Blanton’s barrels and 12-year-old Weller barrels. I can nearly hear the exhilarated gasps now from the bourbon hounds. And the price-gouging retailer homeowners.
However that’s not all, people. Parabola is joined once more this 12 months by a small batch spinoff dubbed Paraboloid, out there solely on the brewery’s three areas and on-line. We missed the primary launch of this one final 12 months, which was aged in 14-year-old Outdated Fitzgerald bourbon barrels and exceedingly uncommon 18-year-old Sazerac rye barrels. The 2023 launch is not any much less unique, having been aged for over 18 months in 20-year-old Elijah Craig barrels.
I hesitate to drink barrel-aged beers out of a Glencairn, however I feel these each demand a little bit pomp. And small servings. Ideas comply with.
Firestone Walker Parabola 2023 – As with all earlier iterations, this newest Parabola providing pours darkish and thick with a skinny tan head that adheres to the within of the glass. The aroma is, at first, huge and boozy with darkish, toasty malts and notes of black licorice, cinnamon muffins, and cocktail cherries. Because it opens, the alcohol subsides considerably, making means for the arrival of milk chocolate, desiccated coconut, and milky espresso. The palate is characteristically creamy with a balanced sweetness that’s saved in verify by the slightest malty chunk. It’s fairly chocolatey, as effectively, with indulgent notes of Belgian chocolate and gianduja. I even detect a touch of wheated bourbon sweetness within the chewy darkish caramel notes that construct because it warms within the glass. The end is silky and lengthy with extra chocolate sauce, vanilla bean, and a mildly tart chilly espresso observe. Not fairly as advanced or daring in taste because the 2022 launch, however exceptionally balanced and equally pleasing. 13.5% abv. A / $11 per 12 oz. bottle
Firestone Walker Paraboloid 2023 – Paraboloid is one thing of a departure from the unique. It pours the identical deep, motor oil hue with a gentle coffee-colored head that additionally leaves fairly a little bit of lacing on the glass. However that’s about the place it ends. The nostril is thick with unique high-cacao darkish chocolate that’s nearly fruity at first nosing, with hints of currants and darkish cherry. The oak additionally presents with extra depth — not shocking given the age of the cask — providing an unusually dry profile with refined notes of smoke and char. On the palate, darkish malts and thick, sticky chocolate fudge carry the day with a little bit of cut up vanilla bean, darkish roast espresso, and walnut sprinkled all through. It’s a giant, exuberant beer, however nonetheless not as creamy and even as boozy on the palate as the usual launch, with extra of that traditional darkish stout character shining by. The conclusion showcases mildly bitter malts and fading notes of chicory, chocolate, and black licorice. A superb stout that’s a bit exterior the Parabola mould and value exploring if you happen to’re fortunate sufficient to snag a bottle. 13% abv. A- / $11 per 12 oz. bottle
Firestone Walker Paraboloid 2023
$11
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