Firestone 15 - Anniversary Ale
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
- ABV:
- 12.5%
- Score:
- 96
- Avg:
- 4.35 | pDev: 10.57%
- Reviews:
- 325
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 06, 2025
- Added:
- Nov 08, 2011
- Wants:
- 163
- Gots:
- 718
SCORE
96
World-Class
96
World-Class
18% Helldorado (11.7% ABV) Blonde Barley Wine.
17% Sticky Monkey (12.5% ABV) English Barley Wine.
17% Bravo (13.5% ABV) Imperial Brown Ale.
13% Double Double Barrel Ale (11.5% ABV) Double Strength English Pale Ale.
11% Good Foot (14.3 ABV) American Barley Wine.
10% Velvet Merkin (8.6% ABV) Traditional Oatmeal Stout.
9% Parabola (13% ABV) Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout.
5% Double Jack (9.5% ABV) Double India Pale Ale.
17% Sticky Monkey (12.5% ABV) English Barley Wine.
17% Bravo (13.5% ABV) Imperial Brown Ale.
13% Double Double Barrel Ale (11.5% ABV) Double Strength English Pale Ale.
11% Good Foot (14.3 ABV) American Barley Wine.
10% Velvet Merkin (8.6% ABV) Traditional Oatmeal Stout.
9% Parabola (13% ABV) Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout.
5% Double Jack (9.5% ABV) Double India Pale Ale.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire
4.3/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.3/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottle from the cellar.
Pours clear mahogany with amber shoulders in the glass. Minimal off-white head or retention. Bourbon, vineous malt, toffee in the nose. Medium bodied with a soft, tacky mouthfeel. Boozy and malty on the palate but far lighter on its feet than earlier, more stout-like anniversaries. Bourbon, plump malt, chipped toffee. Finishes boozy and Barleywine-like.
Feb 06, 2025Pours clear mahogany with amber shoulders in the glass. Minimal off-white head or retention. Bourbon, vineous malt, toffee in the nose. Medium bodied with a soft, tacky mouthfeel. Boozy and malty on the palate but far lighter on its feet than earlier, more stout-like anniversaries. Bourbon, plump malt, chipped toffee. Finishes boozy and Barleywine-like.
Rated by jrpapajcik from Illinois
4.59/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.59/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
From a well-aged bottle at home with Humiston.
Sep 25, 2023
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina
4.5/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Poured into a snifter to a deep brown beer which is topped by a dense and slightly rocky finger and a half of light tan head which fades quickly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of caramel and faint dark fruits with some slight coconut notes and vanilla sweetness.
T: Taste is sticky caramel and vanilla with some nice oak, a touch of chocolate, coconut, some dark fruits, and brown sugar. On the swallow there's more oak, caramel, toasted malts, coconut, vanilla, and brown sugar sweetness
M: This beer has a thick and full bodied feel on the palate. It's slightly chewy with soft but adequate carbonation while the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this is a really excellent beer that has held up to the time surprisingly well. I was kind of worried that this one would have fallen off but I'm pleasantly surprised as it doesn't have any taste of oxidation. Really nice balance and complexity on this beer as well with some flavor notes that taste more like port than a beer at this point.
Aug 22, 2020S: Smells of caramel and faint dark fruits with some slight coconut notes and vanilla sweetness.
T: Taste is sticky caramel and vanilla with some nice oak, a touch of chocolate, coconut, some dark fruits, and brown sugar. On the swallow there's more oak, caramel, toasted malts, coconut, vanilla, and brown sugar sweetness
M: This beer has a thick and full bodied feel on the palate. It's slightly chewy with soft but adequate carbonation while the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this is a really excellent beer that has held up to the time surprisingly well. I was kind of worried that this one would have fallen off but I'm pleasantly surprised as it doesn't have any taste of oxidation. Really nice balance and complexity on this beer as well with some flavor notes that taste more like port than a beer at this point.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.31/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2011 vintage; drank 2/3/15 @ California Split.
Murky brown/red appearance.
Minimal tan head; decent lace.
Marshmallow, vanilla, mild banana & mild booze heat in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Brown sugar, caramel, vanilla & mild booze heat flavors; a great dessert beer.
Jan 01, 2020Murky brown/red appearance.
Minimal tan head; decent lace.
Marshmallow, vanilla, mild banana & mild booze heat in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Brown sugar, caramel, vanilla & mild booze heat flavors; a great dessert beer.
Reviewed by deleted_user_1268106
4.32/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Opened 11/24/19.
I suggest drinking this beer now to anyone who still has a bottle or two. The alcoholic burn that I'm sure was a big part of this beer when it first came out is basically gone now and the beer has mellowed out a little bit too much. It was still very enjoyable but the flavors were all a bit more muted than I'm used to tasting in Firestone Anniversary Ales. I'll let the other reviews above and below mine get into the sensory details, I just wanted to encourage those who see this to drink now.
Nov 24, 2019I suggest drinking this beer now to anyone who still has a bottle or two. The alcoholic burn that I'm sure was a big part of this beer when it first came out is basically gone now and the beer has mellowed out a little bit too much. It was still very enjoyable but the flavors were all a bit more muted than I'm used to tasting in Firestone Anniversary Ales. I'll let the other reviews above and below mine get into the sensory details, I just wanted to encourage those who see this to drink now.
Reviewed by Zythophile from Washington
4.24/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle Date: 2011
Palate Contaminants: none
This is just one of those things that you simply think doesn't exist, and then it does. That said...
Please, please, please, please, please... PLEASE let this still be okay.
It was cellared by a good – nay, outstanding, exceptional, and superlative – beer shop. So, I have my hopes.
Small amount of medium-fine carbonation, very little lacing. The color is brown-red. So far, so good.
I'm really encouraged by the scent. The main ones up front are cloves and figs. Medium intensity. There's also some sweetness connected to molasses. Cola nut, too. It doesn't volatilize any more than necessary. Now, for the biggie.
There's some goodness left, but I'd guess it's had better days. The primary flavor is a woodiness that's akin to nut husks. Even more clove flavor, spilling over to what I'd call an herbal nature. Dates more than figs. Sweetness is moderate-heavy, but it has to compete with some sort of bitter liquor taste that I haven't encountered before. So, overall the flavor is good, but it thins out toward the end, leaving me to think that there used to be more to matters. I'm used to alcohol fading into the background with aging, but if everything else exits, I suppose it can make a comeback.
It's not nearly as heavy as its successors. Good quantity of medium carbonation left, and it's not really prickly. Although present, the alcohol isn't sharp. The nut husks and cloves are the main flavors in the aftertaste, although burnt sugar is in there.
All things considered, I'm happy. This had might as well score a 4.9 for how memorable it is.
Jun 08, 2019Palate Contaminants: none
This is just one of those things that you simply think doesn't exist, and then it does. That said...
Please, please, please, please, please... PLEASE let this still be okay.
It was cellared by a good – nay, outstanding, exceptional, and superlative – beer shop. So, I have my hopes.
Small amount of medium-fine carbonation, very little lacing. The color is brown-red. So far, so good.
I'm really encouraged by the scent. The main ones up front are cloves and figs. Medium intensity. There's also some sweetness connected to molasses. Cola nut, too. It doesn't volatilize any more than necessary. Now, for the biggie.
There's some goodness left, but I'd guess it's had better days. The primary flavor is a woodiness that's akin to nut husks. Even more clove flavor, spilling over to what I'd call an herbal nature. Dates more than figs. Sweetness is moderate-heavy, but it has to compete with some sort of bitter liquor taste that I haven't encountered before. So, overall the flavor is good, but it thins out toward the end, leaving me to think that there used to be more to matters. I'm used to alcohol fading into the background with aging, but if everything else exits, I suppose it can make a comeback.
It's not nearly as heavy as its successors. Good quantity of medium carbonation left, and it's not really prickly. Although present, the alcohol isn't sharp. The nut husks and cloves are the main flavors in the aftertaste, although burnt sugar is in there.
All things considered, I'm happy. This had might as well score a 4.9 for how memorable it is.
Reviewed by EMV from Pennsylvania
4.34/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Cloudy/opaque mahogany brown pour with thin fizzy off-white head. Falls fast... very thin rim of lacing.
S: Sweet and boozy... brown sugar, caramel, and toffee mixed with fruit.
T/F: Follows the nose. Sticky sweet and boozy. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, plum, cooked raisin, and fig. A little spice... bourbon coming through as it warms. Definitely warming... medium bodied.
O: Lots going on with this one... but a big slow boozy sipper. This has aged pretty well... was probably better a bit younger but the aged product is still delicious. A nice dessert after a rough day on the job.
Mar 19, 2019L: Cloudy/opaque mahogany brown pour with thin fizzy off-white head. Falls fast... very thin rim of lacing.
S: Sweet and boozy... brown sugar, caramel, and toffee mixed with fruit.
T/F: Follows the nose. Sticky sweet and boozy. Vanilla, caramel, toffee, plum, cooked raisin, and fig. A little spice... bourbon coming through as it warms. Definitely warming... medium bodied.
O: Lots going on with this one... but a big slow boozy sipper. This has aged pretty well... was probably better a bit younger but the aged product is still delicious. A nice dessert after a rough day on the job.
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington
4.23/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Seven year old bottle, properly cellared and poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark reddish orange with a quarter finger khaki head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of dark toasted and caramel malt, dates, raisins, cocoa, bourbon and oxidation. Flavor is caramel malt, mild toasted malt, dates, raisins, light cocoa, vanilla and bourbon and a little cardboardy oxidation. Toasted malt reappears a bit more in the finish. Medium bodied with light creaminess. Very interesting; this version has dropped off a bit from the full maltiness of any other Anniversary I've had. This leans very much towards an English/American barleywine blend, with very light stout character. Compared to the 14 I had a few weeks ago, this is considerably less malty and less integrated, with more sharp fruit notes. This has admittedly been aged a bit longer than I anticipated and has held up quite well, but I would not add another year to this one. One more from this era to go (16) and I'll have caught up to all versions of this. This is one of the stellar blended strong ales, but this one shows it's limits with long term ageing.
Mar 18, 2019
Reviewed by bobv from Vermont
4.3/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
22 oz. bomber at cellar temp.
Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 1/8 inch light tan that is down to a ring in a few minutes. Very dark brown, almost black, body. Nose of dark malt, dried dark fruit, caramel, vanilla, and bourbon. Taste mirrors nose very nicely with abv noticeable, but not so much in your face. Being a blend of eight strong beers, you know it should be complex, and it certainly is. As it warms the bourbon comes forward a bit in aroma and flavor. Nice feel for a 7+ year old and overall, a real nice treat. Cheers!
Jan 21, 2019Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 1/8 inch light tan that is down to a ring in a few minutes. Very dark brown, almost black, body. Nose of dark malt, dried dark fruit, caramel, vanilla, and bourbon. Taste mirrors nose very nicely with abv noticeable, but not so much in your face. Being a blend of eight strong beers, you know it should be complex, and it certainly is. As it warms the bourbon comes forward a bit in aroma and flavor. Nice feel for a 7+ year old and overall, a real nice treat. Cheers!
Reviewed by emyers from Illinois
4.54/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.54/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
22 oz bottle poured into teku glass
Dark amber-brown with a half inch fluffy off white head
Nose: bourbon, rich caramel/toffee, vanilla. Hints of dark fruit. Interestingly a decent amount of herbal hops sneaks in toward the end which was unexpected.
Taste: similar to the smell. Strong caramel and bourbon character. Barleywine and quad components definitely dominate the profile. Flavors meld exceptionally.
Mouthfeel is crazy smooth. Body is on the light side, liquid silk. Finishes semi-sweet.
Mar 17, 2018Dark amber-brown with a half inch fluffy off white head
Nose: bourbon, rich caramel/toffee, vanilla. Hints of dark fruit. Interestingly a decent amount of herbal hops sneaks in toward the end which was unexpected.
Taste: similar to the smell. Strong caramel and bourbon character. Barleywine and quad components definitely dominate the profile. Flavors meld exceptionally.
Mouthfeel is crazy smooth. Body is on the light side, liquid silk. Finishes semi-sweet.
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