How would I get these flavors from a recipe?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Microphobik

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Messages
320
Reaction score
18
Hi all,

I recently had a Firestone Walker Anniversary ale. Wish I knew exactly which one, I think it was 16. Silver packaging... It was $40 a bottle at the blue palms beer bar in Los Angeles, but I absolutely loved it. What really struck me was the leather and tobacco notes and the nice balance between the high abv, bitterness, and sweet maltyness. As a brewer I've only really brewed pretty standard gravity beers (porters, pale ale's, brown's, and stouts). I have no experience with these bigger styles and don't know where to start. I'm particularly interested in crafting something that has those tobacco notes. I recently had a black barley wine from Panhead (a New Zealand Brewery), and loved it in a similar way. It was less intense, but reminded me of those flavors. Another beer that sort-of-kind-of was in the same family was Heretic's Belgian Strong.

Where would I start if I was trying to brew something like this? Is this basically a high ABV American Dark strong with some oak aging (maybe bourbon oak chips?) Anyone ever try this beer and have any recipe ideas based on the description?
 
Back
Top