Growing up surrounded by vineyards and winemakers, Adam Firestone (of Firestone Vineyard) always had an interest in combining the family business with beer making. He found the perfect business partner in his brother-in-law, David Walker, and the two founded Firestone Walker Brewing Company in 1996. In addition to winning gobs of medals for individual brews, these obnoxiously talented brewers from Paso Robles, California, often take home the major hardware at competitions such as the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup — titles such as “Brewery of the Year” or “Brewer of the Year.” Peaks and Pints would be hard-pressed to think of a more deservedly decorated outfit than Firestone Walker. We’ve selected five Firestone Walker beers for our beer flight Craft Beer Crosscut 3.23.17: A Flight of Firestone Walker.
Firestone Walker Pivo Pils
5.3% ABV, 40 IBU
Firestone Walker Pivo Pils is a smooth operator. It has a silky, foamier head than most other pilsners, while also sporting the lightest consistency and color, making it look a little like sparkling grape juice. Fruit scents like apple and tangerine tickle the nose, balanced by a tart, peppery detail that rounds out the sweetness nicely. After a potent aroma, the taste is deceptively subtle, balanced and clean. Pivo is astonishingly — almost dangerously — drinkable.
Firestone Walker Easy Jack
4.5% ABV, 47 IBU
Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson traveled to Germany and spent several days in the Hallertau region, the birthplace of hops dating back more than 1,000 years. There, he hung out at small family hop farms and worked with the farmers to secure an ample supply of Mandarina Bavaria and Hull Melon — two backbone hops for Easy Jack. This kickback beer spotlights those spicy, leafy hops; plus a dose of oats smoothes out the sip.
Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion: Revolution No. 005
5.9% ABV, 59 IBU
Luponic Distortion is actually a series of beers that revolves approximately every 90 days, all of which showcase specific hops. Firestone Walker keeps a continuous “base beer” and alters the hops that are used with each new version of the series. No. 005 is driven by a blend of four American hops with an assist from one German hop. The majority of the blend is led by a newer cultivar from the Yakima region that Brynildson has been anxious to work with for more than a year. The hop profile showcases the best flavors of modern IPAs — It’s citrusy and pungently tropical, but it also gives off some grass and a touch of bitter pine.
Firestone Walker Bravo Brown
13.2% ABV, 44 IBU
Nearly 12 years since it was first brewed, Firestone Walker Bravo Imperial Brown Ale finally hit the bottling line and subsequently Peaks and Pints’ cooler. Originally named after an experimental variety of hops but now brewed with US grown Fuggles, which are earthy and resinous. A lean, simple barleywine brewed to showcase barrel flavors — caramel, cocoa, bourbon, wood, vanilla and toffee — with some light earthy notes. One of the driest beers in the Vintage Reserve series, it’s also a crucial component in the annual blending of Firestone Walker’s Anniversary Ale and helps balance out some of the sticky sweet components.
Firestone Walker Leo v Ursus – Fortem
8.2% ABV, 55 IBU
The Leo v. Ursus Chronology is born of a longing for high experimentation that was finally fulfilled by the recent launch of the Propagator, Firestone Walker’s pilot brewhouse in Venice, California. The first in the series, Fortem (Latin for “The Strong”), is a new-age imperial IPA brewed to achieve power through balance, delivering amped-up aromas and mouthfeel while keeping bitterness on a leash. As such, it blends newer hop varieties from the Pacific Northwest and Hallertau, Germany along with pale malt, wheat malt and flaked oats for a full body and rounded mouthfeel. A melange of mown grass, bright lemon zest, chives and a hint of tangerine dance across a soft pastry dough floor in the aroma, while the flavor takes a more citrusy approach, layering lemon and orange zest atop grass, white onion and clean, crackery malt. Fortem has been left unfiltered for a full hop impact.
