As part of Firestone Walker’s new seasonal program Velvet Merlin will replace Solace, their summertime wheat fusion offering, on store shelves.
Velvet Merlin is the perfect beer for the holidays, a nice comforting creamy beer with familiar flavors.
“Anyone who has an attraction to coffee, any attraction to chocolate, will love this beer,” brew master Matt Brynildson said.
Velvet Merlin is also partially blended with Merlin that has been aged in bourbon barrels for a year. The aging adds even more complexity to this very rich beer. The use of US grown Fuggles gives the perfect hop flavor to this exceptionally well-balanced beer.
Velvet Merlin will be available on draft and in six packs along the West Coast in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Nevada.
Beer Ratings and Reviews:
[1] Review by mitchforgie from Kamloops, Canada who has tried this beer many times. (1/18/2012 9:45:06 PM)
"Very nice stout. Medium bodied, oat smoothness, a touch of tart coffee, some other standard stout characteristics like toast and maybe a touch of seeds, great stout for the price. Very simple but well arranged and balanced. Would buy again."
Aroma:
7/10
Appearance:
7/10
Mouthfeel:
7/10
Flavor:
7/10
Overall:
8/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.6)
Sampled: Bottle
Value of this beer for its style: Not Sure
[2] Review by Beav from Fort Collins, CO, USA who has tried this beer a couple times. (1/12/2012 9:41:48 PM)
"12oz bottle. Pours dark brown with a big creamy light tan head that retains well and laces the glass a little.
The aroma is roasted malt, oatmeal and some coffee.
The flavor is a little on the mild side - some sweet chocolate and caramel malts with some earthy coffee notes. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly watery.
Overall, a decent oatmeal stout, but a little on the mild and sweet side. I slightly preferred the Slow Elk by Big Sky which is very similar."
Aroma:
7/10
Appearance:
8/10
Mouthfeel:
4/10
Flavor:
7/10
Overall:
7/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.3)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 72oz @ $10 Unit Cost: $2.22 per Pint
[3] Review by fargingbastige6 from Birmingham, AL, USA who has tried this beer once. (6/1/2011 10:12:37 AM)
"Recent trade with stoutlover - thanks! Pours deep brown-black as one would expect with a faint head. Coffee aroma is light, but noticeable - velvet, as the name implies, richness to the pallette - the beer's best quality. Roasted malt, dark chocolate and malt flavors in a nicely balanced beer. Not a stellar stand-out, but a nice all-round beer."
Aroma:
6/10
Appearance:
6/10
Mouthfeel:
8/10
Flavor:
7/10
Overall:
6/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.3)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 12oz @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
[4] Review by Stoutlover72 from Northern, California, USA who has tried this beer a couple times. (4/25/2011 3:50:26 PM)
"12oz bottle -
Whenever I see Firestone Walker, my tastebuds go into overdrive because I know that the beer is likely to be a winner. However, this seems to be the exception to that thought. Not a bad beer per se, but one that seems lackluster and rather pedestrian by their standards.
The aroma carries some really light coffee notes with little else in terms of complexity. Flavor has that coffee-like bitterness with a woody tannin finish. Mouthfeel is full and round with a velvety feel which was the highlight of the beer. Appearance was a bit disappointing as the head really didn't deliver regarding to sustaining a long lasting head. After my 3rd bottle, it just didn't hold up well. Overall, a decent brew but compared to the other winners in FW's line-up a let-down."
Aroma:
5/10
Appearance:
7/10
Mouthfeel:
8/10
Flavor:
5/10
Overall:
5/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 12oz @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
[5] Review by kinger from North Canton, oHIo, USA who has tried this beer once. (4/9/2011 5:48:46 PM)
"Merlin kicked off our Firestone Walker tasting, and it served well to prime the pump so to speak. Mild, dry stout with smooth and timid flavors. I prefer a more robust approach, but this works for what it is."
Aroma:
7/10
Appearance:
7/10
Mouthfeel:
7/10
Flavor:
7/10
Overall:
6/10
Final Rating, by Style:
(3.4)
Sampled: Bottle Sample Size: 12oz @ $0 Unit Cost: $0 per Pint
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(3.6)
