Firestone Walker Brewing Company Parabola
What the brewers say
"Bold bourbon, tobacco, and espresso aromas and a hint of American oak greet the nose. Rich, chewy roasted malts, charred oak, and bourbon-like vanilla fill the palate and create a seamless finish."
What our panel thought
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.”
