Firestone Walker - Sucaba

Hey all! It's been several days since my last blog. I'm sorry. It's been crazy busy at work the last week or so and by the time I get home, all I want to do is open something easy and just zone out. Plus, I bought Bioshock Infinite and frankly what little social life I've had has completely vanished.

With that said, it's not too often I'm left completely speechless. You know, just completely blown away by something that you can't even begin to describe it's awesome factors. Last year I had a Sucaba for the first time and my perspective on Barleywines was changed. Honestly, it's never recovered. Sucaba is my absolute favorite barleywine. I could explain why and it might take all night so I'll simply sum it up in a few words.

BARREL-AGED BARLEYWINE.

Yes, Sucaba is Barrel Aged and tonight, well, after a quarter end at work, I'm treating myself. Tonight, I'm drinking the 2013 vintage of Firestone Walker's Sucaba!

Sucaba pours out a very, VERY dark red, actually more like mahogany with maybe a half finger of a white, foamy maybe bordering on creamy head. This beer is really dark, can't see anything through it. There's a lot of nice ruby red along the bottom of glass and around the sides as I hold it up to my light source. This looks like a really big barleywine and I'm perfectly OK with that.

The nose on Sucaba is nothing short of delicious. Big raisin and fig characters. There's a really nice presence of the dark fruits that are pretty much a guarantee in a good barleywine. I'm getting a lot of a sugary sweetness. A ton of caramel and toffee. I'm picking up a lot of vanilla and oak characters. Since it's barrel-aged I'm not surprised and really happy to find it. There's a slight chocolate note coming in too. Sucaba just smells incredible. Big caramel, big sugar, big sweetness. But it's all smelling perfectly balanced. Finally, let's get some drinking in! 

And... holy fucking shit.

This beer is absolutely insane. Right away there's a sweet malt character which is insantly, and I mean INSTANTLY kicked out of the way by big vanilla and oak. It's so good! There's a lot of caramel and toffee in this beer. I don't remember 2012 being this good. The caramel and vanilla shine through on this beer like none other I can remember having. Back end there's more oak goodness and some chocolate notes too. At 12%, you don't taste any alcohol. This one is going to show up later and probably slap me around a bit.

Honestly, this thing changes so many times it might as well be called a shape shifter. It's just so good, so balanced... it's my favorite Firestone Walker beer ever.

Rating: A+ (Epic levels)

I can't stress this enough. If you can find this and have the cash (was about $19), pick it up. So worth it. I don't know if I've had a more balanced and great tasting barleywine. Ever. 

Wife says "Sucaba es micaba..." I think that means she doesn't hate it!