3XB Firestone Walker – Walker’s Reserve (Porter)

This Week’s Big Bottle: Firestone Walker’s Reserve

Firestone Walker is known for their pale ales and nectar ales for which they have won awards over the past decade. So I had high hopes when I ventured to try their Walker’s Reserve, which is a robust porter. It is made with toffee, caramel, bittersweet chocolate, five specialty malts, barley flakes, and oats. Sounds tasty, but it was not. The strong coffee, toasted malts, and chocolate tastes up front were ok, but everything seemed muted. Also, there was no finish whatsoever. Mouthfeel was smooth with a medium body, which would make it very drinkable if it didn’t taste bland. I wouldn’t consider this a reserve beer worth keeping unless it was for a) a gift for a craft beer drinking relative you don’t like, b) a macro brew drinking friend with undeveloped palate, or c) a victim of an unfortunate fireworks accident where a bottle rocket shot up their nose destroying their sense of smell and taste.