(This was beer advent day 9)
Barrel aged imperial special bitter
Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Robles, CA
22oz bottle, 12%abv
Pours dark amber with a small amount of white head.
Aroma is light chocolate and toffee -- very much like Almond Roca. Some alcohol as well. Quite nice.
Flavor is similar -- rich, malty, with toffee/chocolate notes. Balanced, not too sweet. A hint of alcohol, but not overpowering. A little wood and vanilla from the barrel.Really, really good.
Mouthfeel is rich without being too big. Good alcohol heat, but not enough to be overpowering. Finish is a little sweet, but still balanced.
This is how a big malty beer should be. The recent Avery and North Coast offerings are pretty awful in comparison.
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