Firestone Walker Parabola

Review Date 04/24/2021 By John Staradumsky

I’ll admit it: I’m a Parabola virgin. Or, I should say, I *was* a Parabola virgin. I’m talking about Firestone Walker Parabola Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon, Rye, and Wheated Whiskey Barrels of course. Way back in the 90s, I had a few beers from Firestone Walker. This was when I lived in Rhode Island, though I don’t think I bought them there. Perhaps I got them in beer trades. Anyway, I have never seen any Firestone Walker beers since I moved to Georgia in 2001. In the past year, though, I have had access to them from Craftshack.

The brewery says:

Aged for a year in premium bourbon barrels to gain depth, complexity and intensity, then blended and released in limited quantities. Righteously dark and thick, with boldly balanced flavors of chocolate, charred oak, vanilla, black cherry and coffee.

One caveat about Firestone Walker Parabola Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon, Rye, and Wheated Whiskey Barrels that must be observed: it comes with a hefty price tag. I got a bottle from Craftshack for $9.87, about the same as the $9.99 a bottle that Total Wine charges. That is not quite as dear as the $18.99 a bottle I have been paying for Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout, but it is close. At the Total Wine price for a 12-ounce bottle, you will pay $.83 an ounce; though in a larger bottle, the Goose Island beer commands $1.12 an ounce. Parabola has an alcohol content of 13.6% by volume with 55 IBUs. This is definitely a beer you could age, but I drank my bottle of the 2021 release in April of that same year. The label says 3250 cases were produced, or 78,000 bottles.

Firestone Walker Parabola Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon, Rye, and Wheated Whiskey Barrels pours to a jet-black color with a thick creamy tan head and a nose exploding with caramel, wood, roasted malt, and coconut. Taking a sip, the beer is full bodied with a luscious mouthfeel. It’s roasty, it’s woody, so much so it leaves splinters in your tongue. Hints of vanilla, boozy bourbon, coconut, dark chocolate, coffee, spicy rye, and char all appear in layers. The toasted coconut and wood in the nose are amazing, I just wanted to keep sniffing and not drink. At the last, the beer is boozy and warming with alcohol.

At the price, Firestone Walker Parabola Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon, Rye, and Wheated Whiskey Barrels is not a beer that you will enjoy every day. I enjoyed my bottle to reward myself after a hard day at work, one of many such days I have been putting in lately. It does not seem so pricey for a special occasion beer, I think, and yes, I would definitely buy it again.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

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