ParaPajamas
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.


- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #1,679 - ABV:
- 10.5%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #13,945 - Avg:
- 4.24 | pDev: 4.25%
- Reviews:
- 7
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 23, 2025
- Added:
- Feb 05, 2024
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
Barrel Aged Imperial Milk Stout with Cocoa, Vanilla Bean, and Marshmallow
Get cozy by the proverbial fireplace with ParaPajamas—a hot chocolate-inspired stout matured for 12 months in Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels. The journey of this beer began when we blended two of our storied barrel-aged beers: Velvet Merkin milk stout and Parabola imperial stout. We then infused this artful blend with fine cocoa nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans and marshmallow bits to accentuate the experience. The result is ParaPajamas, a distinctively delicious stout loaded with rich chocolaty flavors and a subtle kiss of vanillin marshmallow sweetness.
Get cozy by the proverbial fireplace with ParaPajamas—a hot chocolate-inspired stout matured for 12 months in Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels. The journey of this beer began when we blended two of our storied barrel-aged beers: Velvet Merkin milk stout and Parabola imperial stout. We then infused this artful blend with fine cocoa nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans and marshmallow bits to accentuate the experience. The result is ParaPajamas, a distinctively delicious stout loaded with rich chocolaty flavors and a subtle kiss of vanillin marshmallow sweetness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Beersnake from California
4.29/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured at fridge temp. Pours a nice black - not really that thick. Not much head. The nose is full of marshmallow, chocolate, and vanilla. Slight salted caramel is coming through as well.
The taste is not quite as good as the nose, but still really good. The mouthfeel is the main issue. It's quite thin, and it comes across as a much lower ABV than what it is. The flavor is nice, but not intense. Marshmallow, vanilla ice cream, chocolate, graham crackers, almonds, and a hint of roasted malt.
Nice beer overall.
Feb 23, 2025The taste is not quite as good as the nose, but still really good. The mouthfeel is the main issue. It's quite thin, and it comes across as a much lower ABV than what it is. The flavor is nice, but not intense. Marshmallow, vanilla ice cream, chocolate, graham crackers, almonds, and a hint of roasted malt.
Nice beer overall.
Reviewed by sjrider from California
4.17/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottle pour - dark as night with foamy khaki head leaving scattered lacing. Nose is layers of sweet. Taste follows with cocoa and vanilla notes. A marshmallow-y sweetness lingers on the finish.
Nov 15, 2024Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4.21/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a translucent coffee color with a one finger beige head; the head fades to a ringlet and archipelago while leaving squiggles behind
Smell: The Bourbon here is well-integrated into chocolate, coffee, oatmeal raisin cookie and vanilla tones
Taste: Chocolate, vanilla and oatmeal raisin cookie forward with coffee tones emerging; the Bourbon is there, from the outset, but becomes like a blanket, after the swallow
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; warmth in the gullet
Overall: A bit thinner and sweeter than I was expecting, the use of the Bourbon here is sublime
Oct 30, 2024Smell: The Bourbon here is well-integrated into chocolate, coffee, oatmeal raisin cookie and vanilla tones
Taste: Chocolate, vanilla and oatmeal raisin cookie forward with coffee tones emerging; the Bourbon is there, from the outset, but becomes like a blanket, after the swallow
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; warmth in the gullet
Overall: A bit thinner and sweeter than I was expecting, the use of the Bourbon here is sublime
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.51/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.51/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Midnight black stout pour with a brown head that settles in a thicker cap. Taste features those great roasty parabola notes of black strap molasses, bourbon, wood, chocolate, vanilla, a hint of dried fig, and a ton of smokey malt, with marshmallow added as the kicker that adds to the finish instead of being a gimmick or out of place. Delicious! Smell is a touch more barrel and vanilla forward, but otherwise the same. Smooth and roasty yet soft and full. Best parabola variant in years!
Aug 22, 2024Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
4.37/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.37/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Look - black and thick with a great tan head rimming and lacing
Smell - great blend of chocolate vanilla marshmallow
Taste - same as the smell but a step a down, great blend not to sweet
Feel - medium full body with a light carb
Jul 12, 2024Smell - great blend of chocolate vanilla marshmallow
Taste - same as the smell but a step a down, great blend not to sweet
Feel - medium full body with a light carb
Rated by pathman from Ohio
4.5/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
07/09/24 bottle @ home
Jul 10, 2024Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania
4.39/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours jet black. Aroma is wonderful sweetness - vanilla, some coffee & hint of chocolate. Taste is mostly vanilla and milky chocolate. I didn't really taste marshmallow. Mouthfeel is medium but thinner than desired/expected of a Parabola variant.
Jun 29, 2024Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky
4.22/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Dark as black crude oil. Head is tan and thick. Finally gives way to a creamy lacing that grips the glass. Nose is sweet coffee with vanilla undertones. Taste was vanilla and only slightly marshmallow. Very smooth drinking. After a short while the warmth from the ABV creeps down the throat, but just slightly.
Feb 16, 2024
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