Coconut Rye Parabola
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Pastry Stout
- ABV:
- 12.2%
- Score:
- 97
- Avg:
- 4.42 | pDev: 5.43%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 30
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Oct 26, 2023
- Added:
- Jan 21, 2018
- Wants:
- 11
- Gots:
- 7
SCORE
97
World-Class
97
World-Class
The legendary immensity of Parabola meets the refinement of rye whiskey in this righteously spicy barrel-aged brew. The story of this beer begins when we racked a select lot of Parabola to premium rye whiskey barrels for extended aging. A year later, we toasted shaved coconut over coals of rum barrel wood, then co-mingled it with the rye-aged Parabola for a period of one month. The inclusion of the caramelized coconut amplifies the natural coconut qualities found in our regular bourbon barrel-aged Parabola, while the influence of the rye whiskey barrels adds a distinct peppery character. The result is a racy reinterpretation of a Firestone Walker classic.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by HattedClassic from Virginia
4.46/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
The beer pours a nice light brown head that is very foamy and looks pretty nice. The beer itself is a very good-looking dark brown that almost looks black and has a nice smooth looking texture to it.
The smell is absolutely delicious. It has a nice rye note that mixes well with the delicious and sweet chocolate. The coconut notes are also upfront but on the edges of the other two notes.
The taste is very good as well. It has a strong rye and coconut note alongside a sweet chocolate. There is a slight pepper finish to it. There is also a sweet caramel note throughout the whole thing.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body but is very smooth with very little carbonation.
Overall, this is a fairly indulgent and sweet beer. I definitely recommend getting some if still available.
Dec 18, 2022The smell is absolutely delicious. It has a nice rye note that mixes well with the delicious and sweet chocolate. The coconut notes are also upfront but on the edges of the other two notes.
The taste is very good as well. It has a strong rye and coconut note alongside a sweet chocolate. There is a slight pepper finish to it. There is also a sweet caramel note throughout the whole thing.
The feel is good. It has a heavy body but is very smooth with very little carbonation.
Overall, this is a fairly indulgent and sweet beer. I definitely recommend getting some if still available.
Rated by Hopheadjeffery from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Tasted in a snifter from draft at Consume on August 22, 2021.
Aug 24, 2021
Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon
4.49/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Apex
Black with a dark brown head with good retention and lacing, this looks solid. The nose has a moderate amount of spicy rye and a little coconut. Dark chocolate, buckwheat honey, toasted coconut with vanilla and and a little coffee. The palate opens with a rich and delicious coconut note, toasted with chocolate, vanilla, calling to mind a macaroon but not as sweet. Dark chocolate bitterness, coffee bite. Rye spiciness on the mid palate, amplifying the heat. Full in body, softly carbonated and with a long, boozy, coconut rich finish. Excellent.
Oct 26, 2020Black with a dark brown head with good retention and lacing, this looks solid. The nose has a moderate amount of spicy rye and a little coconut. Dark chocolate, buckwheat honey, toasted coconut with vanilla and and a little coffee. The palate opens with a rich and delicious coconut note, toasted with chocolate, vanilla, calling to mind a macaroon but not as sweet. Dark chocolate bitterness, coffee bite. Rye spiciness on the mid palate, amplifying the heat. Full in body, softly carbonated and with a long, boozy, coconut rich finish. Excellent.
Reviewed by Sandis from Minnesota
4.68/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.68/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
12oz. bottle poured into a snifter. This beer is wonderfully thick and creamy with nice coconut and chocolate flavor. Would love to score another bottle of this.
Feb 19, 2020
Reviewed by Lucular from Maryland
4.18/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
5 oz pour on tap. Pours pitch black with a thin tan head. Aroma and taste are dominated by sweet dark malts, whiskey, vanilla, dark chocolate, and hints of coffee, toasted coconut, and spicy rye. There was not nearly as much coconut as I expected. Mouthfeel is thick and viscous with some alcohol heat. Overall a solid beer but I wish there were more coconut.
Feb 18, 2020
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
3.56/5 rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Shiny light black with a short khaki foam head.
Astringent metallic malt at first jars the palate a little and makes the woody dry barrel character a little less enjoyable. Coconut, chocolate and vanilla rest in the background, and a hint of green pepper comes up uninvited at times.
Slick yet sticky, the medium-light body brings out a hint of maple on the hot boozy exhale.
Jul 25, 2019Astringent metallic malt at first jars the palate a little and makes the woody dry barrel character a little less enjoyable. Coconut, chocolate and vanilla rest in the background, and a hint of green pepper comes up uninvited at times.
Slick yet sticky, the medium-light body brings out a hint of maple on the hot boozy exhale.
Reviewed by M-Fox24 from New Jersey
4.41/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.41/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: Pour has reddish highlights amidst the pitch black monarchy. Width, length, retention, and lacing are quite substantial
S: Starts as a milky, fudgy, chocolatey, coconut mounds bar: Almond Joy. It’s quite the molten chocolate/coconut mousse upfront with a bit of licorice and spiced peppery disbursement
T: A continuation as the aroma and palate cross paths: sharing notes of the roast-y, nutty, oaky ventures with hints of rye whiskey, caramel, vanilla, and burnt sugar/molasses. An emerging hazelnut comes through on multiple senses, as the coconut subsides yet still a prevalent manifestation. Further development and patience brings light to some rum drenched fruit and smoked biscuit
M: Feel comes with a hefty body, some heat, and moderated bitterness: it’s creamy, silky, and rich yet blends well and doesn’t come across as too cloying or artificial
O: Parabola in and of itself is a more layered, complex platform yet this here is by no means muddled, synthetic, or syrupy but fairly well balanced and rather compulsory
Apr 09, 2019S: Starts as a milky, fudgy, chocolatey, coconut mounds bar: Almond Joy. It’s quite the molten chocolate/coconut mousse upfront with a bit of licorice and spiced peppery disbursement
T: A continuation as the aroma and palate cross paths: sharing notes of the roast-y, nutty, oaky ventures with hints of rye whiskey, caramel, vanilla, and burnt sugar/molasses. An emerging hazelnut comes through on multiple senses, as the coconut subsides yet still a prevalent manifestation. Further development and patience brings light to some rum drenched fruit and smoked biscuit
M: Feel comes with a hefty body, some heat, and moderated bitterness: it’s creamy, silky, and rich yet blends well and doesn’t come across as too cloying or artificial
O: Parabola in and of itself is a more layered, complex platform yet this here is by no means muddled, synthetic, or syrupy but fairly well balanced and rather compulsory
Reviewed by Rristow from Ohio
4.65/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.65/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Tasted from bottle. Pours dark brown with light tan head. Aroma of coconut, caramel and cocoa. Sticky and sweet. Flavors of coconut, cocoa, molasses and caramel. Very nice variation on an incredible stout.
Mar 27, 2019
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.1/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled 3/15/18; drank 9/7/18 @ the Yarchives.
Black/brown appearance.
A rough pour yielded a small khaki head; frothy lace.
Coconut, oak, fresh leather & roast-y dark chocolate notes in the nose.
Medium thick, smooth mouthfeel.
Dark chocolate, fresh leather & mild banana flavors up front; oak & coconut notes on the finish.
In the 4 months since I had this, it's gotten richer, more complex & more enjoyable. I need to check back in on this again soon.
Feb 26, 2019Black/brown appearance.
A rough pour yielded a small khaki head; frothy lace.
Coconut, oak, fresh leather & roast-y dark chocolate notes in the nose.
Medium thick, smooth mouthfeel.
Dark chocolate, fresh leather & mild banana flavors up front; oak & coconut notes on the finish.
In the 4 months since I had this, it's gotten richer, more complex & more enjoyable. I need to check back in on this again soon.
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