RIP: Firestone Walker Double DBA Bottles, Pay Your Last Respects

Wow, a 12% bitter? I haven't felt this noobish in months, but, I had no idea Bitters ever reached those epic heights.

 

It's a barleywine for all intents and purposes. Looks, smells, tastes and feels like one.

 

let the whale gathering commence!!!!
BTW didnt even realize how many people liked the style i have a couple 2012 and 2013 i just managed to horde i am a big fan of em and kept em but didnt realize others felt the same way

 

2014 just came out here in SoCal.. Last run of these .. I just hope they replace it with something equal or better in quality! Saving my 2013 and 2014 bottles for a rainy day

 

One of my favorite bottle shops in town pulled out a few 2013 bottles last week. Needless to say, they were gone in 24hrs, thankfully one is home with me now

 

Damn. That is a big mistake. We had a Parabola last year and followed it up with a DDBA, and I have to say that the DDBA held its own. Love that beer. Suddenly I've got more whales in my cellar.

 

I never really cared much for DDBA. It's way too sweet for my liking. I still have a couple of 2012's stored away. I recently picked up a 2014, and that's really only because it's the last year of production.

 

I'm sure whatever FW puts out will taste real nice. I personally hope we see Saucerful of Secrets, both for how good it sounds, and for the Pink Floyd reference.

It does seem like it'll probably be Helldorado.

 

Have one bottle of this that I managed to snag recently. Drink? Or Cellar? (not in a hurry BTW)

 

I've never had it super fresh -- anywhere from a 6-month old keg to an almost two-year old vintage. Both of those were downright delicious, and at the tasting where I had the 2-year old vintage, the FW rep who was there said he prefers it with at least a little age too, for whatever that's worth.

I know the rule is to always drink something fresh so you have a baseline, then cellar to see how it changes, but if you've only got one, my vote would be to stash it for a year.

 

Just drank my '13 last week. I'd say it's ready to go now. Have a '12 in the cellar but only have the one so I'm saving that one for a vertical

 

Thanks. I may go looking for another. Otherwise I'll cellar till Winter. Got plenty of other FW reserve brews to hold me

 

Ddba was right there with Sucaba. Only reason I may give Sucaba the edge is just for the sheer fact that ddba is REALLY carbonated (like the damn asti spamonte of beer). Still have access to some '13 so may have to pick up more before gone.

 

Love that beer; so sad

 

DP = double penetrated? wtf man

 

What else are you supposed to do to something you love

 

Dang, must be nice

 

Not really surprised, of all the boxed beers this one sat on the shelf. Parabola, Sucaba, Velvet Merkin, Stickee Monkee all didnt.

 

I'd guess that the main reason it sits is because the box says "Imperial Special Bitter" on it. If it said "English Barleywine" it would fly off the shelf like all their other beers.

 

Talked to a Firestone rep at last month's real, wild, and woody festival in Phoenix, and he indicated double DBA is not going away for good, just taking a year off. According to the rep, brynildson has always thought double DBA was a two-year aging beer, so now they are just shifting so that it is released after appropriate aging time. This makes sense, given that most who have had fresh double-DBA know how strong/hot it is and that it is usually better after at least a year of aging ( @mj81 ).

The rep indicated we should be seeing double DBA again in 2016.

We'll see!