Firestone Walker Brewing Co Parabola (2023)

“Notes of coconut, caramel, chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio create an interesting and complex aroma. The coconut and vanilla combine with a nutty and cookie dough–like element to create a flavor reminiscent of a butter cookie.”

“Notes of rich cocoa, toffee, raisins, and dark cherries float above a barrel character with some spirit notes and pleasant oxidation. The flavor continues the dark-chocolate notes with a nice, warming alcohol and residual-spirit character. Smooth, drinkable, and full of luscious flavors.”

**Aroma:** “Cocoa, grape skins, chocolate bar, and banana bread with no sign of hops. Dominant vanilla and bourbon notes with a chocolate and coffee note lingering to support. Lots of alcohol in the nose, with a nice subtle malt sweetness.” **Flavor:** “Roasted dry malt character. Very slight wild Brett character but nothing obvious or offensive. Complex wood makes an otherwise simple base very intriguing. Incredibly rich, full bodied. Cherry, fig, tobacco, alcohol, black patent. Finishes oaky, dry, and well balanced for such as huge beer.” **Overall:** “Yum. Vanilla oak is in perfect balance with the conservative base stout. It’s barrel-forward, but the base beer supports enough to make this a very well balanced beer. This unique barrel-aged stout showcases some of the more nuanced flavors of barrel-aging, such as almond and coconut.”