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Parabola
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #4 - ABV:
- 13.5%
- Score:
- 100
Ranked #61 - Avg:
- 4.6 | pDev: 7.61%
- Reviews:
- 1,466
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sunday at 08:26 PM
- Added:
- Mar 26, 2008
- Wants:
- 3,191
- Gots:
- 3,832
Aged for a year in an equal combination of eight-year-old Blanton’s bourbon and 12-year-old Weller wheated Bourbon barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by laituegonflable:
Reviewed by laituegonflable from Australia
4.22/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
4.22/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a dark brown colour; head is a bit whispier than I'd like. Nice pale beige colour, specks of lace. Looks OK, but thick.
Smells solventy, belying a strong, sweet malt base, with touches of roast underneath that. Peanut, marzipan and a touch of cranberry. Intriguing.
Taste is dark fruit; sweeter & complex with raisins, lots of vanilla and oak, currants, figs and dates with dry spicing - nutmeg, cumin and pepper as well as liquorice. Dark, roasty but with a lot of complex sugars, glaze and spice esters. Very, very nice indeed.
Thick and boozey on the mouthfeel, as you'd expect. Yeah, it definitely feels like 12.5%.
Lots to explore here; I really like that in a beer. When I started out on this particular journey of discovery, I felt disappointed and a bit nonplussed. I wish they'd given me more of a precursor on the look or the smell, because the anticipation and excitement is half of the fun. This doesn't look or smell nearly as good as it is.
Mar 07, 2013Smells solventy, belying a strong, sweet malt base, with touches of roast underneath that. Peanut, marzipan and a touch of cranberry. Intriguing.
Taste is dark fruit; sweeter & complex with raisins, lots of vanilla and oak, currants, figs and dates with dry spicing - nutmeg, cumin and pepper as well as liquorice. Dark, roasty but with a lot of complex sugars, glaze and spice esters. Very, very nice indeed.
Thick and boozey on the mouthfeel, as you'd expect. Yeah, it definitely feels like 12.5%.
Lots to explore here; I really like that in a beer. When I started out on this particular journey of discovery, I felt disappointed and a bit nonplussed. I wish they'd given me more of a precursor on the look or the smell, because the anticipation and excitement is half of the fun. This doesn't look or smell nearly as good as it is.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
4.2/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev -8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 vintage.
While I've had Parabola before, this is my first time rating it, and as such I found myself paying more attention to it than normal. The first thing that struck me was that as this poured out of the bottle, it had a surprising amber hue with almost Dr. Pepper vibes. In the glass it's the super deep brown I expected, but with just a little bit of light coming in around the edges. Not much in the way of head, but given the ABV and age this came as no surprise.
The aroma doesn't burst from the glass, but up close it is wonderful. Vanilla, milk chocolate and faint oak are all present, and combine to create a very nice smelling beer.
Taste is much less sweet than the nose. I'm greeted with strong roasted malts lending a nice bitterness that is well balanced by chocolate notes and faint fig notes mid-palate. Barrel and alcohol show up more on the finish.
Overall, an excellent, no-frills beer.
Sunday at 02:30 PMWhile I've had Parabola before, this is my first time rating it, and as such I found myself paying more attention to it than normal. The first thing that struck me was that as this poured out of the bottle, it had a surprising amber hue with almost Dr. Pepper vibes. In the glass it's the super deep brown I expected, but with just a little bit of light coming in around the edges. Not much in the way of head, but given the ABV and age this came as no surprise.
The aroma doesn't burst from the glass, but up close it is wonderful. Vanilla, milk chocolate and faint oak are all present, and combine to create a very nice smelling beer.
Taste is much less sweet than the nose. I'm greeted with strong roasted malts lending a nice bitterness that is well balanced by chocolate notes and faint fig notes mid-palate. Barrel and alcohol show up more on the finish.
Overall, an excellent, no-frills beer.
Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota
4.25/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2019 Vintage
A - Pours opaque, almost black with brown highlights, with a light tan head that fades to a rim with minimal lacing.
S - Pungent bourbon note, wood and vanilla, with chocolate and molasses beneath.
T - Strong alcohol hit, vanilla and dark fruits, bourbon barrel through the middle, a bit of molasses, alcohol and acidity tailing away in the finish.
M - Sharp on the tongue, strong carbonation and moderate weight, closing clean enough to invite another drink.
O - Nothing wrong with this brew. The main difficulty I have is this is very much the same barrel aged experience that I get from a dozen other brews. This is well built, but not exceptional.
Mar 18, 2024A - Pours opaque, almost black with brown highlights, with a light tan head that fades to a rim with minimal lacing.
S - Pungent bourbon note, wood and vanilla, with chocolate and molasses beneath.
T - Strong alcohol hit, vanilla and dark fruits, bourbon barrel through the middle, a bit of molasses, alcohol and acidity tailing away in the finish.
M - Sharp on the tongue, strong carbonation and moderate weight, closing clean enough to invite another drink.
O - Nothing wrong with this brew. The main difficulty I have is this is very much the same barrel aged experience that I get from a dozen other brews. This is well built, but not exceptional.
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas
4.45/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.45/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours an effervescent ebony with a pinky+ of caramel colored head ( tight ), Average-ish head retention & lacing
S: Dark fruit, molasses, caramel & maple syrup once warm. Some nice Bourbon notes once warm, vanilla as well
T: Follows the nose, raw barrel, a touch of caramel & maple syrup, some coffee notes up front. Barrel dryness/rawness, a touch of coconut & maple candy, then some stronger coffee, plus the Bourbon claws through, along with some chocolate once this beer is near room temperature. Finishes with oaky booze bite, some caramel, maple syrup, figs, molasses, & leafy hops
MF: Chewy, restrained carbonation, much warmth. Just gets chewier as this beer warms up
Great BA Imp Stout! Not even a close to a chore to drink; dangerous!
Mar 11, 2024S: Dark fruit, molasses, caramel & maple syrup once warm. Some nice Bourbon notes once warm, vanilla as well
T: Follows the nose, raw barrel, a touch of caramel & maple syrup, some coffee notes up front. Barrel dryness/rawness, a touch of coconut & maple candy, then some stronger coffee, plus the Bourbon claws through, along with some chocolate once this beer is near room temperature. Finishes with oaky booze bite, some caramel, maple syrup, figs, molasses, & leafy hops
MF: Chewy, restrained carbonation, much warmth. Just gets chewier as this beer warms up
Great BA Imp Stout! Not even a close to a chore to drink; dangerous!
Rated by moysauce from Illinois
4.42/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
A great true to style RIS. I try to have this every year when it's released.
Mar 06, 2024Reviewed by Broman from Alaska
4.74/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.74/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a bottle. 2023 vintage.
Appearance - Body is black as the night with a dark brown short head that disappears into some wispy bubbles. The dark brown head was expected and didn’t disappoint.
Smell - Malty and molasses, chocolatey and some boozy bourbon hints. Not overpowering but pleasant.
Taste -Malty right away. Some coffee tones and darker fruits. Smooth chocolate finish with some mild hints of booze. Great taste and pleasantly surprised by the subdued alcohol boozy presence throughout the sampling. Very rich beer.
Feel -Lower carbonation, minimal boozy sting and a lighter body than expected.
Overall - Great beer that I feel privileged to try. I couldn’t drink many of these in one sitting as they are pretty rich but a very enjoyable beer everyone should sample.
Sep 18, 2023Appearance - Body is black as the night with a dark brown short head that disappears into some wispy bubbles. The dark brown head was expected and didn’t disappoint.
Smell - Malty and molasses, chocolatey and some boozy bourbon hints. Not overpowering but pleasant.
Taste -Malty right away. Some coffee tones and darker fruits. Smooth chocolate finish with some mild hints of booze. Great taste and pleasantly surprised by the subdued alcohol boozy presence throughout the sampling. Very rich beer.
Feel -Lower carbonation, minimal boozy sting and a lighter body than expected.
Overall - Great beer that I feel privileged to try. I couldn’t drink many of these in one sitting as they are pretty rich but a very enjoyable beer everyone should sample.
Rated by jrpapajcik from Illinois
4.63/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.63/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2011 edition from the bottle at home with Humiston. Just great all around.
Aug 28, 2023Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa
4.32/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
On tap at The Brass Tap, Cedar Falls, IA. Served in a snifter. Deep coffee-colored pour, with ruby highlights and a dark tan head that left some pretty lacing. Bourbon and barrel are prominent on the nose and palate, followed by dark roasted malt, char, roasted coffee beans, black cherry, and notes of molasses and licorice. This is boozy, yet smooth and easy drinking. Syrupy mouthfeel, with a long and slightly bitter finish. Outstanding beer, and one that I'd like to try again after another year in the bottle.
Aug 19, 2023Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
4.57/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.57/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Firestone Walker Brewing Co. "Parabola 2015"
$10/10 oz. on tap @ Falling Rock Tap House, CO on 6 October 2019
Notes: Labeled at 14% ABV. Very dark brown-black body beneath a short head of tan. Malty in the nose with notes of dark malt, Bourbon, roastiness, charred oak, vanilla, and coconut. The flavor is intense. It's malty, sweet, and a touch "hot" from the alcohol with notes of coffee-like roastiness, Bourbon, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, plum, molasses, charred oak, caramel, vanilla, and coconut. It's full bodied on the lower end and remarkably smooth and creamy. There aren't too many beers like this one.
Review #8,682
Jul 07, 2023$10/10 oz. on tap @ Falling Rock Tap House, CO on 6 October 2019
Notes: Labeled at 14% ABV. Very dark brown-black body beneath a short head of tan. Malty in the nose with notes of dark malt, Bourbon, roastiness, charred oak, vanilla, and coconut. The flavor is intense. It's malty, sweet, and a touch "hot" from the alcohol with notes of coffee-like roastiness, Bourbon, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, plum, molasses, charred oak, caramel, vanilla, and coconut. It's full bodied on the lower end and remarkably smooth and creamy. There aren't too many beers like this one.
Review #8,682
Parabola from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
100 out of
100 with
7238 ratings
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