Winter Wookey
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
Ranked #45 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #5,389 - Avg:
- 4.09 | pDev: 11.74%
- Reviews:
- 10
- Ratings:
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating
- Wants
- 3
- Gots
- 4
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Notes:
Our newest blended strong ale, Winter Wookey, comes just in time for the California winter this year. A blend of Wookey Jack and un-oaked Double DBA, Winter Wookey brings dark chocolate covered dried cherry, candied apple, orange zest and toffee flavors together in a complex, warming blend. Deceivingly drinkable for its size, Winter Wookey balances a big, malty body with a complementary spectrum of hop aroma and bitterness.
Reviews: 10
| Ratings: 105
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Reviews by StonedTrippin:
4.18/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
an awesome blend here from firestone, these guys are the king of this. unoaked dba meets wookey jack. the black pepper spice from the rye malt comes through in the nose of the flat looking honey textured caramel colored beer. i get the esb malt base too, and then a whole bunch of hops that seem piney and bitter in the nose. the flavor is really complex with the darker malt of wookey and that english sweet malt of dba, i think they go together extremely well. the hops and the sweetness fight a little in the finish, but i think the battle is congruent and not distracting. pine is robust here, but it doesnt last long, as for me at least, the sweet malt ultimately wins out. the alcohol is scarily not really there. i feel it absolutely, but even as the beer warms i dont taste much hotness. i like the feel, it doesnt need any more than its mild carbonation, and its thick body is nice in cold weather. this is a slow sipper for certain, but i think a nice mix of two really different beers. well done.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
an awesome blend here from firestone, these guys are the king of this. unoaked dba meets wookey jack. the black pepper spice from the rye malt comes through in the nose of the flat looking honey textured caramel colored beer. i get the esb malt base too, and then a whole bunch of hops that seem piney and bitter in the nose. the flavor is really complex with the darker malt of wookey and that english sweet malt of dba, i think they go together extremely well. the hops and the sweetness fight a little in the finish, but i think the battle is congruent and not distracting. pine is robust here, but it doesnt last long, as for me at least, the sweet malt ultimately wins out. the alcohol is scarily not really there. i feel it absolutely, but even as the beer warms i dont taste much hotness. i like the feel, it doesnt need any more than its mild carbonation, and its thick body is nice in cold weather. this is a slow sipper for certain, but i think a nice mix of two really different beers. well done.
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More User Reviews:
3.94/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at 16 tons the other day.
The beer pours a fairly dark brown color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is a bit subdued, but there is some noticeable dry citrus, butterscotch and light vanilla evident. The flavor profile is a bit more pronounced, and the base beer, wooky jack is more noticeable. While the beer is a bit sweeter than the regular wookie, the finish is still fairly dry and bitter. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, and the finish is long and lightly bitter. The 10% abv. is very well integrated into the flavor profile, and frankly, I was surprised to learn that it was that high.
This beer grew on more and more as it warmed in my glass, but even so, I think I prefer the regular wookey jack to this beer. Glad I got to try it, but I probably don't need to try this again any time soon.
825 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at 16 tons the other day.
The beer pours a fairly dark brown color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is a bit subdued, but there is some noticeable dry citrus, butterscotch and light vanilla evident. The flavor profile is a bit more pronounced, and the base beer, wooky jack is more noticeable. While the beer is a bit sweeter than the regular wookie, the finish is still fairly dry and bitter. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, and the finish is long and lightly bitter. The 10% abv. is very well integrated into the flavor profile, and frankly, I was surprised to learn that it was that high.
This beer grew on more and more as it warmed in my glass, but even so, I think I prefer the regular wookey jack to this beer. Glad I got to try it, but I probably don't need to try this again any time soon.
825 characters
4.21/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap at Hops and Pie, crazy complex beer that I liked better than its components. Apparently this is Double DBA mixed with Wookey Jack. It's dark brown almost black. The aroma is sweet wood, citrus, fruit, many varied aromas. The flavor is barrel, sugar, booze, hops, citrus, so crazy how many things dance across the palate, very enjoyable beer.
348 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap at Hops and Pie, crazy complex beer that I liked better than its components. Apparently this is Double DBA mixed with Wookey Jack. It's dark brown almost black. The aroma is sweet wood, citrus, fruit, many varied aromas. The flavor is barrel, sugar, booze, hops, citrus, so crazy how many things dance across the palate, very enjoyable beer.
348 characters
3.97/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap at The Tap and Growler in Eugene
A very dark brown with a dense off white head with excellent retention and gorgeous lacing. The nose is great. Spicy hops - pine, weed, dankly so. Mint, cinnamon, a touch of allspice. The palate opens medium full in body with a beautiful, creamy carbonation. Moderately sweet, moderately hoppy, there's a blend of rye spiciness, hoppy darkness and medium light bitterness. Mint and herbal spices are present along with weed, pine and spices. Long finish with plenty of rye that really accentuates the spiciness and the earthiness and the hoppiness. Solid stuff with a magnificent mouthfeel.
631 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On tap at The Tap and Growler in Eugene
A very dark brown with a dense off white head with excellent retention and gorgeous lacing. The nose is great. Spicy hops - pine, weed, dankly so. Mint, cinnamon, a touch of allspice. The palate opens medium full in body with a beautiful, creamy carbonation. Moderately sweet, moderately hoppy, there's a blend of rye spiciness, hoppy darkness and medium light bitterness. Mint and herbal spices are present along with weed, pine and spices. Long finish with plenty of rye that really accentuates the spiciness and the earthiness and the hoppiness. Solid stuff with a magnificent mouthfeel.
631 characters
4.21/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Served chilled on tap at Freshcraft in Denver.
Winter Wookey is a stronger version of the Wookey Jack, which is fantastic.
Served in a snifter, it has a dark brown color and thick tan head.
Aroma is boozy and hoppy with great fruitiness.
Flavor is intense and bitter but really well done.
292 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Served chilled on tap at Freshcraft in Denver.
Winter Wookey is a stronger version of the Wookey Jack, which is fantastic.
Served in a snifter, it has a dark brown color and thick tan head.
Aroma is boozy and hoppy with great fruitiness.
Flavor is intense and bitter but really well done.
292 characters
4.25/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Why am I sampling the Winter Wookey when I haven't even tasted the standard version? And it isn't even winter? Chalk it up to curiosity. On to the beer:
Here's a dark brown beer topped with a half-inch of head and a few spots of lace sticking around the glass. It has a lively aroma, first noted with clean pine, then comes pineapple juice, and a touch of roasted malt. That's nice.
Winter Wookey reminds me some of Double Bastard Ale, an ale that is robust, fruity, and easy to drink despite a double figure alcohol content. This is fun to taste! Very fruity with a sharop tropical accent. There's passionfruit, pineapple, grape, and a light roast which work well together. The alcohol content is hidden well too, and it's full bodied and somewhat smooth.
That'll do Firestone. That'll do.
794 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Why am I sampling the Winter Wookey when I haven't even tasted the standard version? And it isn't even winter? Chalk it up to curiosity. On to the beer:
Here's a dark brown beer topped with a half-inch of head and a few spots of lace sticking around the glass. It has a lively aroma, first noted with clean pine, then comes pineapple juice, and a touch of roasted malt. That's nice.
Winter Wookey reminds me some of Double Bastard Ale, an ale that is robust, fruity, and easy to drink despite a double figure alcohol content. This is fun to taste! Very fruity with a sharop tropical accent. There's passionfruit, pineapple, grape, and a light roast which work well together. The alcohol content is hidden well too, and it's full bodied and somewhat smooth.
That'll do Firestone. That'll do.
794 characters
3.74/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
On tap for the Feral One release party at Firestone Walker Barrelworks in Buellton, CA.
Pours an almost opaque super dark orange-brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, cocoa, pine, and herbal hop aromas. Taste is much the same with brown sugar and herbal hop flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with an interesting set of aromas and flavors from the blend of beers used in this one.
679 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
On tap for the Feral One release party at Firestone Walker Barrelworks in Buellton, CA.
Pours an almost opaque super dark orange-brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of roasted malt, cocoa, pine, and herbal hop aromas. Taste is much the same with brown sugar and herbal hop flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with an interesting set of aromas and flavors from the blend of beers used in this one.
679 characters
Winter Wookey from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
105 ratings
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