Firestone Walker 805

Brilliant pale straw, good foam. Moscow mule nose, with notes of corn, candied lime, ginger hint. Flavor is comparatively restrained—lightly sweet, lightly bitter, drying, with a refreshing zesty element. Sharp toasted-crust finish. Light bitterness and citrus linger. Bring another to my poolside deck chair.

Lovely, brilliant gold. Balanced aroma of light, spicy hops and soft, bready malt. Herbal-spicy bitterness—a bit sharp—balancing bright, bready sweetness. Faint pom fruit. Light body, lively mouthfeel. A bit astringent, leaning bitter. Clean, dry finish. Refreshing, drinkable.

**Aroma:** “Hops! Fruity passion fruit, orange, lemon, grapefruit, dank resinous in the background—if I didn't see the color, I’d expect an IPA. Some dark roast and chocolate sweetness sneak through once your nose is dead to the hops. Light tart note. As it warms, a slight molasses note starts to mix with the hops.” **Flavor:** “High hops flavor up front with bit citrus notes. Moderate chocolate with big roasty notes support the hops. Quite sweet up front. Sweetness slowly fades into a low bitterness. Toward the end, slight smoke note but big hops that continue into the aftertaste with a mix of roast. Dry, bitter hoppy finish. As it warms, the smoke turns into a burnt molasses note. Very fruity: passion fruit and pineapple. Finish is sweet and lingers. Rich chewy body that doesn’t come across as thick. Big pine and orange flavors from the hops. Chocolate from the malt gives it a chocolate orange flavor. The sweetness comes together with all the different bold flavors and finishes with a slightly dry finish.” **Overall:** “A nice balance of stout and hops, but if you don’t like hops, this stout is not for you. Strong flavors all around with a touch of alcohol warming in the background to fill it all out. Good balance of hops flavor and bitterness. This is a very different take on a stout—kind of a black IPA more than a stout. This beer tastes like a better, less sweet version of those chocolate-covered orange candy sticks, but with a heavy dose of pine richness. Very tasty!”