Firestone Walker Proprieter's Reserve Series Release Schedule

Walker's Reserve and Double Jack have been stocked year round since the beginning of FW distribution here in VA. Wookey Jack is a seasonal release and usually sells out within a couple of days.

 

i heard from a reputable source Mr. walker himself
said they are going to release some Velvet Merkin later this year
anyway looking forward to all there releases
tried some Brett barrel aged Double DBA was kind of funky

 

In bottles?

 

i guess the velvet merkin will be in bottle but he didnt say so i am imagine

the brett barrel aged was a special release just one keg

 

Double Jack and Wookey Jack have, most likely, been made available year round. They went from limited releases at my work to full on additions to the menu. Hopefully, they bottle Velvet Merkin this time around.

 

I don't know if it means we got a ton of a seasonal release or if it's in fact year round, but there's almost always Wookey Jack on the shelves and very often kegs around town here in Seattle.

 

Is the Velvet Merkin to which you refer different than Velvet Merlin? It was my understanding that FW changed the name from Merkin to Merlin when they bottled it a couple of years ago: http://thefullpint.com/beer-news/firestone-walker-velvet-merkin-becomes-velvet-merlin/.

 

velvet merkin is still made today, it is what the ba version of velvet merlin is refered to. pvw velvet merkin is still one of the better beers ive had

 

I had both Velvet Merkin and Parabola on tap a few months ago. VM was silky smooth, but I didn't think it could hold up to Parabola. I understand they are different beers, and it was still great, but not as good, IMHO.

 

I am so psyched for the XVI. I love their Proprietor's Reserve series. Sucaba, Parabola, DDBA, and the Anniversary ales (I have only had XIV and XV) are all amazing.

 

This is not so.

Velvet Merlin acquired that name for bottling purposes, it is on and the same. Outside of official distribution channels, aged in various types of barrels, do the FW boys probably refer to it by its original name? Undoubtedly. But your statement implies there was at inception a different name for the blend and 100% BA version. That is not so.

 

Merkin/Merlin, as you suggest, are the same beer.

It is now a seasonal release. Has been for a couple years, already.

 

Nope, Merlin is different than Merkin, they list them separately on their website.

 

*Sigh*

Once upon a time there was a beer called Velvet Merkin. It was a happy beer. It was an oatmeal stout. And lo', it was aged in bourbon barrels! And then aged beer was blended with fresh beer to create... still, just Velvet Merkin.

And it was good, and the people did say: bring us this beer in bottles so that we mayeth quaff it on our homes and not have to seek it out on draft!

And lo', Firestone Walker did accommodate these people. However... the evil label approval goblins were lurking and unto Firestone Walker they said: if thou dost release this beer named after a pubic wig we will frown upon you! Probably! And not having a ring of protection against goblins+1 Firestone Walker did choose not to challenge the evil Goblins and changed the name of the beer... to Velvet Merlin.

And so, Velvet Merkin became... Velvet Merlin.

But! Soon did Firestone Walker rejoice! For in creating this distinction, they found they no longer needed to distinguish between Velvet Merkin and 100% Barrel Aged Velvet Merkin and Fresh Velvet Merkin... for they could simply say: taste this, thou lovers of delicious beer, THIS IS VELVET MERKIN, and THAT IS VELVET MERLIN.

But it's still the same fucking beer and if they ever release the 100% BA version in bottles you can bet your ass it's going to be called 100% Barrel Aged Velvet Merlin or Bourbon Barrel Aged Velvet Merlin or some other derivation of Merlin, because the distinction only exists to avoid label Goblins.

And they lived happily ever after.

The End.

 

and they're still different beers, we all already know the back story btw

 

Cool story.

 

Walker's Reserve, Double Jack and Wookey Jack are all year round. At least here in CA.