Firestone Walker Mocha Merlin can release

Where in CA are you? Seems excessive considering you are in the same state.

 

I'm about 4 hours south of Paso Robles. I'm not sure why but it's very rare that I find FW beers within a two week bottling period. Leo v. Ursus Inferos was canned and released two weeks ago, still not on shelves.

 

That is pretty crazy considering the proximity. I've gotten to the point that the only hop forward offerings I'll buy from them are the Luponics and Leo v. Ursus series and only right when they come out. UJ and DJ are all 3+ months old whenever I check them.

 

If they start flavoring other beers (that they haven't done previously) perhaps I'll eat my words, but I don't think you describe a trajectory that FW is following. TETO

 

I'm 2 hours north of Paso Robles and it's pretty much the same here. I never saw the 2nd beer in the Leo v. Ursus series. I used FW's beer finder a few times, but the closest location was 20+ miles away.

 

I know, they have a serious distribution issue. I love Union Jack but won't purchase because its usually old when it hits shelves.

 

I have to admit, kinda disappointed that regular Velvet Merlin will not be in the regular bottle distribution in 2017. Was actually hoping regular Velvet Merlin would be released in cans.

Anytime a brewery releases a coffee or so-called "Chocolate" varient of an already excellent beer, things tend to get interesting. We all know how this could turn out to be a positive or negative spin on a classic beer. Why not release both? Oh please, FW (Duvel Moortgat) has plenty of money, resources, and the supply chain to handle this.

BTW: There are still six-pack bottles of Velvet Merlin here in Seattle.

I really hope FW doesn't mess this up!!!

 

Good beer but velvet merlin is my preference, the coffee gives a little more bite than I want in a low ABV stout.

 

Love that it's made it to the East Coast already. I'm 2 hrs north of Paso Robles and it hasn't hit the shelves here yet. You watch. There will be some special bottle release on Black Friday that I'll drive down there for and that will be the first time I'll get to find it in cans.

 

Wandered into this while looking around for Born Yesterday. I'm not quite as active as I used to be in keeping up with releases, so it was a surprise.

And an excellent pick up. Bought some fresh Breakfast Stout this year, and the Mocha Merlin is right there alongside the Breakfast Stout - just a little thinner. Drinking Black House now (for the first time), and Mocha Merlin is right in line with that Modern Time's beer as well. I will be picking up another 6 pack of Mocha Merlin at some point here soon.

It's safe to say, coffee beers are my weakness. I often find fault in a coffee beer that doesn't have enough coffee, but Mocha Merlin has a good amount, with the base beer still plenty detectable.

 

There are still bottles from last year? If so, that could be part of the reasoning it's not in the line up this year.

Velvet Merlin did sell out around here rather quick. I wonder how its sales are overall, and how those sales compare with the new mocha version.