Episode Notes

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Episode 51: XXII Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker

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It\\u2019s the Two Minute Beer Review!\\nI\\u2019m Andrew Burkum, and once again I\\u2019m your companion as we face down that massive craft brew aisle in search of the hidden treasures we\\u2019ve been missing out on all along. \\nThis week we\\u2019re taking a look at Anniversary Ale 22 by Firestone Walker brewing in Paso Robles, CA. Is this one worthy of a pedigree of twenty two years? Let\\u2019s find out!\\nThis special release ale pours dark but not completely opaque with dark browns and ruby reds showing when light is placed behind the glass. There is very little carbonation, which means this one is likely very, very strong. The smell is immediately of molasses. The oak barrels in which the ale is aged are very far forward in the nose, along with plenty of brown sugar and pure malty goodness. Oddly enough, all the way in the background I detect something I can only describe as grape soda. No doubt this is a complex and intriguing beer. \\nBut what about the taste? 22 is powerfully sweet and keeps that molasses that I detected in the scent all the way up front. In fact, this concoction might actually be too sweet for someone who isn\\u2019t experienced in barrel aged strong ales. The prominent flavors, as the sip develops to swallow are caramel, malt, toffee and definitely some bourbon. There are multiple layers of sweetness here, but it\\u2019s like walking into a candy store and sampling one of each. My experience with the beer leaves me wanting just a bit more bitterness, overall. I\\u2019m not even getting ay grain character through all the sugar in my mouth.
\\nIf I had to use this beer for something, I think I would reduce it down and make it into a nice sauce with which I could cook something desserty, like a bread pudding. But although it is a complex and intriguing blend of flavors at the end of the day it\\u2019s just too darn sweet for me to recommend it based on my own flavor preferences. This anniversary ale is sold in twelve ounce bottles and contained within a fancy box just like the Velvet Merkin that we tasted last week, and it even contains a nice lengthy writeup inside the box, talking about the creation of the beer and the different brews that were mixed to make it up. Again, this is a premium offering from Firestone Walker\\u2014that twelve ounce bottle will run you about thirteen dollars\\u2014and it\\u2019s available in limited supply, so if you\\u2019re intrigued enough to check it out I would hurry up and do so. And be aware that it\\u2019s a 12.7% ABV, so you\\u2019ll definitely want to sip and not guzzle when you sit down with this one. \\nWell that\\u2019s all for this week, but I hope you\\u2019ll join me next week as I celebrate an anniversary of my own\\u2014the one year birthday of the Two Minute Beer Review! To mark the occasion, I\\u2019ll be doing a quickfire review of my experience and some brews from an interesting experience I had in San Francisco this last week, when I took a beer walking tour with a fine guide from SF On Tap. What happens when the tasting team walks to three different San Francisco hot spots to taste the latest and greatest that the City by the Bay has to offer? We\\u2019ll find out next week. Oh, and to celebrate our anniversary we\\u2019ll be doing a little giveaway too, just to show listeners how much we appreciate you. Stay tuned next week for details! Look for links to this week\\u2019s beer and brewery in the show notes. \\nDon\\u2019t forget to let me know what you\\u2019re drinking and what you\\u2019re thinking about the show. Tweet me @2minutebeer with the number two or drop me an email at 2minutebeer@gmail.com. And if you\\u2019re listening to the show on your favorite podcasting app, be sure to subscribe so you don\\u2019t miss an episode and leave a review to help other people find the show. \\nThat\\u2019s all for now, but I\\u2019ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

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Send questions, comments and recommendations to 2minutebeer@gmail.com

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Music: River Meditation by Jason Shaw used under Creative Commons License

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