Firestone Walker Releases 2014 §ucaba on January 6

Paso Robles, CA—Firestone Walker Brewing Company is set to release its first Proprietor’s Vintage Series beer of 2014 with the return of §ucaba, a barrel-aged English barleywine that remains confoundingly unpronounceable yet eminently drinkable.

§ucaba was one of the first components created as part of Firestone Walker’s annual barrel-aged Anniversary Ale blend starting in 2006. It is now a mainstay in the brewery’s Proprietor’s Vintage Series, which is reserved for limited-production vintage beers aged in oak barrels for a year or more.

Longtime fans know §ucaba by its original name, which was undone by a legal challenge. It has been several years since Firestone Walker reversed course and changed the name to §ucaba, but who’s counting?

2014 §ucaba Lowdown
 
Release Date:  January 6, 2014

ABV: 13.5%   IBU: 42   Color: 36 (Dark Ruby)

Malts: Munton’s Pale, Crisp Maris Otter Pale, Munich, Dark & Light Crystal, Chocolate
 
Hops: Bravo (bittering), East Kent Golding (late kettle)

Aging: Barrel-aged for one year on average in retired Bourbon barrels

Production: 3,500 cases (22-ounce bottles)

Retail: $16.99 (22-ounce bottle). Available while supplies last in CA, NV, OR, WA, AZ, CO, MO, Chicago, TX, MA, NJ, NY, VA, PA, DC, and MD.

Tasting Notes:
Big, boozy bourbon and American oak aromas combine with soft chocolate malty undertones. Complex malt flavors are framed in oak with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, tobacco, coconut and just a touch of dark cherry.  A sipping beer that is best served in a brandy snifter, §ucaba pairs well with dark chocolate and sturdy cheeses.
 
Cellaring:
§ucaba is built to last and will reward careful cellaring (ideal aging temperature: 45F) for years to come. We recommend counting the years with an abacus.