Two years ago, we introduced Parabolita, a delicious reimagining of our iconic Parabola barrel-aged imperial stout that was packaged, refrigerated, and enjoyed in single 16-ounce cans. Our first-ever canned vintage beer was such a hit in our three California locations, our online store, and all Firestone Walker markets that we decided to keep it going.
So, let us re-introduce Parabolita. For this fresh batch, we aged a selection of Parabola for one year in premium bourbon barrels, then blended it with a complement of Velvet Merlin Milk Stout. Then, we infused the beer with Madagascar vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and sea salt to achieve a full salted caramel-style drinking experience.
The aromas pop, the flavors are elevated, and each can packs a silky mouthfeel and more than approachable ABV of 9.2%. And you can shop it online or find it with our Beer Finder now.
“Parabolita has the girth and richness of Parabola, but with a creamier texture,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “The cocoa nibs and vanilla really accentuate the beer’s boozy caramel malt character. It somehow manages to be massive, mellow, and drinkable.”
We know what you’re thinking though: chocolate? Vanilla? Caramel? A dash of sea salt acting just like it does in food? When we initially introduced Parabolita to the world, we took some friendly flak from a few beer purists who didn’t like the sound of a high-gravity stout infused with flavors they normally associated with meals you normally only treat yourself to after you’ve finished your dinner.
The term “dessert beer” was thrown around, and apprehension was in the air. But then the reviews rolled in.
“Parabolita took us back to those happier, simpler times in beer where we didn’t have scepticism when a brewery riffed on a classic,” wrote The Full Pint. “Everything in Parabolita is balanced. The oak, the vanilla, the baking ingredients…”
“This was the most nuanced and beautifully built beer by far,” said UPROXX. “There was no syrupiness or overly intense notes. It was balanced, delicious, and very much a bourbon-y beer.”
“As stouts go, Firestone Walker’s Parabolita is perfect,” Decibal added. “They’ve taken what is generally considered to be a world-class imperial stout (Parabola) and aged it in bourbon barrels with a mix of vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and sea salt to create a ‘salted caramel’ flavor profile — an enhanced stout experience.”
These sentiments were echoed by beer drinkers, and more than a few sceptics were won over by the charms of Parabolita once they got their hands on it. And now you can do the same in our online store.
THE LEGEND LIVES ON
The inspiration behind all this is, of course, Parabola. Parabola is the gift that keeps on giving. First created in 2005 as a component for our inaugural Anniversary Ale blend released the following year, Parabola soon took on a life and legend of its own, eventually meriting its own annual release. To this day, Parabola maintains a perfect 100 rating on Beer Advocate, and it continues to be a driver behind the Anniversary Ale as well.
Parabola has also served as a creative platform in the barrel room, spawning numerous variants in recent years such as Paraboloid, a version aged in the most sought-after elite barrels, and the Brewmaster’s Collective exclusive, Parabolux.
And now we have Parabolita, which is launching a whole new range of possibilities in the 16-ounce can format. “We were envisioning a chocolate-covered salted caramel with this edition, but there are other flavor themes that we might want to explore down the line,” says Matt.
So, get cozy with Parabolita. It’s perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons and beyond.