Firestone 21 - Anniversary Ale
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

Firestone 21 - Anniversary AleFirestone 21 - Anniversary Ale
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From:
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
11.8%
Score:
96
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 6.47%
Reviews:
111
Ratings:
335
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Saturday at 08:55 PM
Added:
Aug 22, 2017
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  64
Velvet Merkin (42%)
Parabola (18%)
Stickee Monkee (17%)
Bravo (14%)
Rum Helldorado (9%)

"This year’s Anniversary beer is a magical blend of five components. Chocolatey, mild Velvet Merkin takes the lead setting the stage full of lush malt and barrel driven texture, yet tempered alcohol strength. The rest of the components fall perfectly in line, backing Velvet Merkin up with luscious caramel complexity and a creamy malt symphony. The final component adds a new twist – the rum barrel-soaked and lean Helldorado makes its Anniversary debut, bringing a fresh splash of island-spice to a ridiculously balanced barrel-aged brew. This is one of those times that the whole truly equals more than the sum of its parts. I couldn’t be happier with the result."
-Brewmaster Matt Brynildson
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Ratings by BucannonXC5:
Photo of BucannonXC5
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California

4.21/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Type: 12-oz. bottle
Glass: AleSmith Barrel-Aged Reserve 10-oz. snifter
From: BevMo in Grossmont (La Mesa), Calif.
Price: $12.49
Purchased: Dec. 4, 2017
Consumed: Dec. 31, 2017
Reviewed as: American Strong Ale
Misc.: 2017 edition; No bottled on date

Picked this up on Dec. 4, 2017 along with a BCBS. Try to have their anniversary beer every year and looking back I reviewed 17 (4.31), 18 (4.25) and 20 (4.19), but the best one I had according to my Untappd was 19. Still not sure I like the 12-oz. bottles for all their boozy stuff. I see the point, but the price has gone up dramatically per ounce now compared to the 22-oz. bombers. Looking online, this year’s blend is 42 pct. Velvet Merkin (4.01 for me), 18 pct. Parabola (4.47 for me), 17 pct. Stickee Monkee (4.57 for me), 14 pct. Bravo (4.31 for me) and 9 pct. Helldorado (4.25 for me). From brewmaster Matt Brynildson, “This year’s Anniversary beer is a magical blend of five components. Chocolatey, mild Velvet Merkin takes the lead setting the stage full of lush malt and barrel driven texture, yet tempered alcohol strength. The rest of the components fall perfectly in line, backing Velvet Merkin up with luscious caramel complexity and a creamy malt symphony. The final component adds a new twist - the rum barrel-soaked and lean Helldorado makes its Anniversary debut, bringing a fresh splash of island-spice to a ridiculously balanced barrel-aged brew. This is one of those times that the whole truly equals more than the sum of its parts. I couldn’t be happier with the result.” Let’s go!

Poured a dark brown-to-very dark color with one finger of khaki frothy head. Could see a few bubbles slowly creeping up the sides of the glass. Decent spotty lacing. Very good retention. (Sight - 3.75)

Smelled a nice mix of chocolate and bourbon right away. Specifically got milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, bourbon, oak, vanilla, leather, figs, honey, molasses and even rum. Not sure which of those blends would have rum, but I was getting just a hint of it. Got even better as it warmed. (Smell - 4.50)

Taste was not quite as good as the nose. First thought was this was a tad bit thin. Got milk chocolate, toasted oak, warming bourbon, leather, sweet caramel, toffee, maple syrup, honey, vanilla, figs, oaky rum barrel (more than nose), raisin and molasses. Got a little bit of everything here from the blends from what I could tell. Was not tasting 11.8 pct. ABV. (Taste - 4.00)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, warming finish. (Feel - 4.50)

Just another solid anniversary offering from when of the best barrel-aged breweries out there. Excellent. (Overall - 4.25)

4.21 | 94 | A-
Jan 02, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of Orca
Reviewed by Orca from Washington

4.34/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle into a tulip. Pours a mahogany brown with a thin khaki head.

Aroma is sweet and sticky—molasses, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla. Dark stone fruits (black cherry dominant) and booze.

Taste is similarly complex. Brown sugar, figs, dates, vanilla, toffee. A nice boozy heat on the back end. It’s not all sweetness though—there’s a counterbalance of bitterness that helps keep things on track.

Mouthfeel is chewy and full bodied.

Overall a tasty supper of a dessert beer and a worthy addition to the FW anniversary series.
Saturday at 08:55 PM
Photo of Roy_Hobbs
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Amber on the pour but much darker in the glass. Small amount of short-lived head. Somewhat unremarkable, unlike the aroma, which I'm totally digging. Despite the fact that Helldorado only makes up 9% of the blend, this smells like a Barley Wine, but with the oatmeal stout (Velvet Merken - 42%) and other malts from the Parabola (stout - 18%) and Stickee Monkee (Quad - 17%) clearly there behind the initial sweetness. The only thing I'm not picking up is any Bravo (Imperial Brown Ale - 14%). Regardless, even after 6+ years of storage, this beer smells great.

Taste is also wonderfully unique. Roasted malts (which I'll attribute to the Parabola) right up front, then some very clear Quad malts. I don't get the Barley Wine sweetness that I got on the nose, but there are hints of it on the finish. Very pleasant alcohol warming.

Overall, really enjoying this.
Jan 20, 2024
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4.49/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Draft at Bar Gernika. Black pour, small ring of brown head. Inviting aroma, boozy, vanilla, whiskey barrel. Taste is sweet, vanilla, chocolate, alcohol heat. Super smooth, rich. This is excellent.
Nov 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.28 by brewerburgundy from West Virginia

Oct 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.46 by zotzot from Vermont

Aug 31, 2023
 
Rated: 4.64 by dansmcd from Australia

Apr 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.08 by EMH73 from New York

Dec 25, 2022
Photo of farrago
Reviewed by farrago from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a finger's worth of deep tan to light brown foam, full mix of bubble sizes dot the surface. The liquid falls just short of full black, brown edges, clear enough to see some bubbles within. Nose of vanilla bean, German chocolate cake, molasses, figs and dates, maraschino cherry, no alcoholic burn, comes across as if a few years of bottle age has mellowed it. Medium-bodied, the carbonation is steady and manages to relieve some of the beer's natural density. More smoky than sweet here, some barrel char like notes, cocoa powder, dark chocolate. Light grilled nuttiness. Tends to leave a dry impression on the palate. Fresher cherry to plum fruit. Almost mentholated finish. Quite a smooth drinker and as with the nose handles the relatively high ABV very well. (Bottled 10/20/2017)
Dec 14, 2021
 
Rated: 4.33 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Dec 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.45 by rjp217 from Massachusetts

Sep 07, 2021
 
Rated: 3.98 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Jul 11, 2021
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.46/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle poured into a teku

A- pours deep brown in color with a one-finger foamy khaki head that has great retention before settling into a thin film on top

S- complex aroma, staring with chocolate and oaky bourbon up front. Beyond that, undertones of Stickee Monkey is found, with aromas of figs, raisins and Belgian candi sugar. Brown nutty malts, caramel, toffee, tobacco, brown sugar and brownie batter pop through. There's a hint of fruitiness and rum that you barely pick up on the close

T- rich, sweet and malty up front, with notes of caramel, toffee, brown sugar and chocolate cream. Mid-palate brings out a bright fruity note that I'm guessing comes from the Rum BA Heldorado. Dark fruit notes of raisin and fig, along with some nutty malts on the finish. Lingers of oaky bourbon, caramel and nutty malt

M- medium body with low carbonation leads to a creamy and silky mouthfeel, that continues into a velvety, slightly warming finish

O- another fantastic blend, this series doesn't disappoint
Jul 11, 2021
 
Rated: 4.4 by BKotch from Texas

Mar 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by broadway848 from New York

Dec 04, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by Beernoobie from California

Oct 09, 2020
Photo of BerryKumquat
Reviewed by BerryKumquat from California

3.76/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
L: Odd amber black color.
S: Strong syrup notes.
T: A bit of malt and syrup but nothing else.
F: Nothing?
O: A quirky beer that is over hyped and under delivered.
Aug 09, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by Tx-Brewer from Texas

May 23, 2020
Photo of TreyIsWilson
Reviewed by TreyIsWilson from Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours a dark brown with a thin tan head. Nice amount of soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is coconut, caramel, dark fruits and bourbon.

T - The taste is caramel, dark chocolate, figs, raisins, vanilla, coconut, oak and bourbon.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a soft dry finish.

O - This is big, rich and decadent. Extremely drinkable at 11.8%.
May 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by dsshuck from Delaware

Apr 21, 2020
Firestone 21 - Anniversary Ale from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 335 ratings