Rating: 6/6
2017 Proprietor’s Vintage No. 001 Bravo by Firestone Walker is a 13.2% ABV Imperial Brown Ale aged in American Oak Bourbon Barrels.
Label:
(Please See Picture Below)
==Introduction==
Since the release of Parabola and the consecutive Anniversary beers from Firestone Walker, I have always wanted to try this one. Bravo is essentially one of the major components of their anniversary beers including Parabola, Sucaba, Double Double Barrel Ale, Helldorado, Stickee Monkee, Velvet Merkin, PNC and others. Up until now, it has only been a tap room exclusive. With the retirement of Sucaba unfortunately, this has paved the way for people start enjoying Bravo. While the smaller bottle personally is something I don’t like since it is less beer, the good thing is the price does drop with it. Unlike some breweries, (like The Lost Abbey, although a favorite of mine) drops the bottle sizes and keeps the same damn price. It is ridiculous really but the reason I still have sources that have 22ounce bottles of some beers like Santa’s Little Helper Bourbon Oak Barrel Aged. Anyways, you came here for a Bravo review and that is what I am going to deliver. Let’s have a whirl at this, cheers!
Aromas:
Cadbury caramel and chocolate cream eggs, dark fruit raisins, currants, blackberries, figs, dates, cherries, dark chocolate, vaniolla, oak, caramel, toffee, mocha, tiramisu, coffee cake, molasses, port wine notes, fruit cake, Toasted coconut, peanut butter notes, Danish cream cookies, Irish cream notes, English cream caramel, Butterscotch and pecan pie.
Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, oak, bourbon, toffee, pecan pie, marzipan, Rye bread, Butterscotch, Toasted coconut, peanut butter notes, Danish cream cookies, Irish cream notes, English cream caramel, dark fruit raisins, currants, blackberries, figs, dates, cherries, milk chocolate, German Chocolate, Cadbury caramel and chocolate cream eggs, sweetened condensed milk notes, almond joy, cashew butter, milk chocolate, Chocolate truffles, mocha, stone fruit peach notes, honey, tiramasu ice cream, nougat, coffee cake, molasses, port wine notes, bananas foster, maple syrup, capirotada raisin bread pudding and fruit cake.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich toffee notes. Slight alcohol in the taste but not detracting from the amazing flavors. Murky amber brown full body, smooth, creamy, velvety and semi chewy mouthfeel with a sipping drinkability.
Overall:
Such a different beer! It’s amazing what Firestone Walker has done with all their beers. This is why they have a world class barrel aging program. Many of their beers are very unique in terms of their flavor profiles with the use of different oak barrels. There is something that makes their barrel aged beer and become coveted. For Bravo, the component that seems to stand out more is the English style sweet flavors. Almost like an English Barleywine but with some coffee notes as well. Overall, I think this is definitely on that world class list and stands great on its own even if it is part composition of the anniversary beers.
Anime Corner:
Tron Bonne from Capcom’s Megaman Legends series was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair it with the aspect of a well made beer. Bravo is expressed for a job well done but also a well made beer. Well made beers are synonymous with well-engineered pieces of work. Engineering applies to anything made including robotics. Since there was a trending theme that I have applied to FW’s special beers and their Anniversary beers, it was only natural to find a character that would follow the trend too. Essentially, the trend is similar to the job class system in RPGs like Final Fantasy. The reason why this is came from the first time I tried their Anniversary beers that usually comes with an in depth analysis of the beers composition using blends of other beers. An analysis like a strategy guide to RPGs. So a combination of the beers is like characters in these RPG games. My personal breakdown is as follows: Parabola=Knight, Velvet Merkin=Black Mage, Stickee Monkee=Monkey Monk, Helldorado=Demon Class, Wookie Jack=Mercenaries (Like Star Wars Solo and Chewbacca), Double Double Barrel=Double Cross Thief class, Sucaba=Maid/Dancer and now Bravo=Engineer/Mechanic. Tron is the Robotics Engineer in this instance.
Sources:
https://secure.static.tumblr.com/8528ef37e773bd5ced7c523c97f5316f/9izxgqz/3X2o3szjj/tumblr_static_tumblr_static_1tiflnb9inpcs8ksk0gokocsw_640.jpg
http://i64.tinypic.com/2efp0ty.jpg
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm289/_ORIONSTAR/324429.jpg~original
http://i.imgur.com/E4RWQc7.jpg
http://www.fightersgeneration.com/nx6/char/tron-bonne-oni-soul.png
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