Firestone Walker, wow.

I live in SE VA (Chesapeake / Va Beach) and the only FW I've seen in the area is Union Jack, Double Jack, and Walker's Reserve (Porter). I've seen NOTHING else. Parabola and Wookey Jack should be hitting within the next couple weeks.

 

Heady Topper, FBS, KBS, Pliny are all session beers to me. ABV doesn't make something sessionable or not.

 

"sessionable" is a problematic word due to its subjectivity and variability, but in any case is not the same as "session beer". if heady topper is a "session beer" to you, then to someone else, 120min IPA or utopias can just as easily qualify as "session beers". in which case, the term becomes meaningless and has no distinction from just calling it "beer".

 

On vacation this summer in Colorado, we'll be swinging by Colorado Springs on the way back to Texas just to get into FW's distribution area to stock up on Union Jack and Pale 31!

 

I agree sessionable is subjective. I pretty much don't drink any 5% beers other than sours and gravitate towards 6.5> abvs. Pretty much anything in between 6-10 is sessionable to me.

 

beer all day, sex all night

 

I don't think that term means what you think it means.

 

That recommendation is just a guideline to keep the beer in top form. Most beers are always best off in a fridge at that temp or below. Some higher alcohol beer can be aged at somewhat higher temperatures, but above 60 is almost always not optimal for any long-term storage. The brewery ages the higher alcohol stuff long-term in cold storage, and I think that they age the best under these conditions. Change slows down at lower temperatures, but the change you get is more positive, versus faster and not as optimal evolution at room temp.

 

I picked up a Double Jack while on vacation and it truly blew my mind. Later that month while crossing the state line I found a bottle of Sucaba and I've been holding in the cellar ever since. Is it worth it to break into now or should I save it for a special occasion?

 

Union Jack is excellent. Right up there with SN Torpedo and Schlafly AIPA for me as my favorite go to AIPAs.

 

Double Jack revisited. Bought one in Pa visiting my parents, and knew just from the smell it was right on. The one I bought 8-9 months ago was shit, probably old and a malty mess, bought two home with me, which was all they had. Fresh this is a great brew and easily right up there with the better DIPA's.

 

Pale 31, Solace, Union Jack, Double Jack, Parabola, Abacus, and Velvet Merkin are all in my top 5 favorites for their style, and Firestone Walker is my default favorite brewery as a result. It is truly impressive how they can completely nail so many different styles of beer.

 

Not sure is Parabola a good trading beer? Was able to get my hands on one bottle.

 

I find it to be the worst trading beer - you'll never get something in a trade that you'd enjoy more.

 

It's a great brew to drink or trade, not too many that are better.

 

Nube
A-

 

Honestly the only brewery that every beer I've tried gets an A. I really don't understand why Parabola doesn't get more hype, I mean I know people love this beer, but I feel like it doesn't get enough attention for how damn amazing it is.

 

DO NOT TRADE, trust us, save this for yourself

 

I stop at some spots in Bakersfield on my way up to Kern River. Well, I got to talking to one shop owner and he cannot stand Imbibe. He said that spot ruins it for the rest of the local shops in the area. He didn't elaborate. I've been to Imbibe once..... ONCE.