Firestone Walker Dark & Stormy

dannyboy58 2019-10-16 15:32:10 UTC #1

A friend gave me this a while back. It's been languishing in my fridge for about 6 months I think. It's apparently a limited edition, hence the fancy packaging, and is quite pricey if you can find it.

It's an ale blended from their Oatmeal stout, Velvet Merkin and Helldorado, a blond barleywine, with ginger and lime zest, aged in rum barrels. So yea...a lot going on there...

Virtually no head when poured, aroma of straight up rum, first sip tasted strongly of rum as did most of the sips that followed...the ginger and lime hardly makes an appearance here...I probably should have considered when and how to drink this beer before just opening it after having been out for fish n' chipsI(which was a nice well done surprise at a new local pub!) and a couple IPAs. The dark and stormy came off as very sweet and well...rummy. The taste actually reminded me of a dark rum drink I had in Bali back in may.

Sorry to say I couldn't finish this expensive gift and I have to figure out what to tell my buddy...just not my thing. I do like rum, ginger and lime but not in my beer.

I have a bottle of the Velvet Merkin in a fancy package that he gave me. Guess I should plan a tasting for that one...it's simpler though, an oatmeal stout.

voodoo_donut 2019-10-16 16:56:02 UTC #2

Thanks for sharing. Won't be buying that one. Doesn't even look remotely appetizing.

dannyboy58 2019-10-16 17:25:20 UTC #3

Right? And the picture was taken right after I poured it!

I've never been a big fan of barley wines and sweet beers. I guess barleywine has pretty low carbonation right? So maybe this is in style?

voltron 2019-10-16 18:19:35 UTC #4

Seems like an understatement!

squeegeethree 2019-10-16 21:52:05 UTC #5

A dark and stormy kit came to us with no indication of who sent it. No beer in the kit it was all nice ginger ale instead.

dannyboy58 2019-10-17 12:53:52 UTC #6

I'd rather have a ginger ale than that beer. You could probably buy a case of ginger ale for the cost of a bottle too. haha

voodoo_donut 2019-10-17 13:59:27 UTC #7

Right. Low to moderate levels of carbonation(BJCP). Ive had a grand total of one barleywine(several times). The one I had in Orlando Fl had moderate carbonation and was crystal clear, really a nice beer, at a place called Cask and Larder....with a brewpub within.

brewmanchu 2019-10-17 15:04:26 UTC #8

I was at a distributor in Maryland over the weekend and saw 5 or 6 of those fancy packaged Firestone's. I've always been a fan of that brewery but the price point was overwhelming on those "specialty" beers. By the looks, I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger.

dannyboy58 2019-10-17 18:50:55 UTC #9

Yea I love Union Jack and Double Jack. Very well made beers.

wilcolandzaat 2019-10-17 20:42:55 UTC #10

Nice logo. And bottle. But the. Glass looks not really nice to taste

dannyboy58 2019-10-17 20:58:49 UTC #12

Yea looks like swamp water huh? haha

loopie_beer 2019-10-18 09:42:55 UTC #13

What’s odd is that every other pic of that beer looks much much darker online. I get there are many variables with that but still. Check out some of the pics on Untappd.

radagast 2019-10-18 13:29:50 UTC #14

Also, it may be the picture, but why would they put such a nice beer in a green bottle, even if it's in a cardboard box? Especially if it's a beer they intend for you to age, why risk the possibility of UV exposure?

Rad

dannyboy58 2019-10-18 17:10:46 UTC #15

Must be the lighting. Maybe that contributes to the lighter color @loopie_beer is seeing as well. It's a dark amber bottle.