Tag: Firestone Walker

Posted on

Firestone Walker Invitational – Day 2

Onto the good stuff, my 2nd day recap of the 2019 Invitational. There was a breeze in the air as I made my final approach into the festival. I always walk around the Mid-State Fairgrounds around the same time to gauge how many people line up a full two hours before they are allowed in. This year seemed lighter in General Admission line and larger in the one hour wait VIP line.

The booths had been changed up a bit. FW keeps people guessing so that muscle memory doesn’t move people to the same spots each year. I will touch on the favorites poured this year in another post but I want to talk about the two panels hosted by the Brewing Network. First was cocktail beers. If there is anything that will bust up the hard seltzer train it will be this area and though Boulevard Brewing brought an actual canned cocktail which I passed on because nothing could reach the heights of last nights Re:Find offerings, I found the Corpse Reviver #2 from Gigantic Brewing to be really good. Burial Beer brought a beer called Amaro from their Visual line and this digestif meets beer was great as well.

The sour panel held a couple surprises too. Crooked Stave had a twelve-ounce can of Sour Rose. Not super sour but boy did it smell and taste like Rosewater, and it was fantastic. Rare Barrel poured Cyboogie which was also canned and also fantastic though calling it sour IPA was a stretch. That panel ended with a table beer from Side Project whose line was long all day and has been since they first came to the festival.

More coverage and photos to follow.

Posted on

FWIBF – Game Plan

Unfortunately, this post is targeted towards those who will be attending the best beer fest of the year. But you might learn some things that you can use at the next festival you have tickets to.

It is easy to be overwhelmed when the beer list for The Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest drops. It is akin to seeing a mound of presents on Christmas Day. Here are my (4) rules to follow when deciding which beers to add to your wish list.

  1. Use the FWIBF app – This is the easiest way to see beer styles and ABVs for the beers that we don’t know about. You can create a quick wish list and then add/subtract from it once you see that you are hitting up primarily DDH DIPAs. Make a couple passes on the list at least. But do not leave any beers off due to your list being achingly long.
  2. 25% – 25% – 25% – 25% – You cannot survive on hops alone! Besides, there are fantastic Saisons and pilsners and Helles to try. So, stick to my ratio. IPAs take one quarter, stout barrel-aged a second, Sours and Saisons the third and light stuff the fourth. You can have an all day personal hop field but your tongue will be so bitter battered that you will not taste anything for weeks.
  3. Avoid the Long Lines – You will see right away which tents get swarmed. Monkish, WeldWerks and the Projects (Garage and Side) will be mobbed. You can have a line buddy system and get beers to drink while waiting but seriously, I cannot emphasize it enough, there is so much good beer that you can spend all day picking booths with no lines and drink as well, if not better (and certainly more) then anyone waiting.
  4. Don’t Sleep on the Foreign beers – The beers from around the world are there for a reason. It was not a dart board type of selection. Plus these will have shorter lines and you can talk to the brewers and representatives and learn something you may not know.

I have a few suggestions of beers not to miss. My Wish List is largeenough for three drinkers but in the spirit of 4. Here are the ones that I will probably have first:

Brewery Ommegang BWX|OMG! Collaboration with Firestone Walker Barrelworks

Hair of the Dog Opia (another Firestone Walker collab)

Oxbow Farmhouse Pale Ale

Russian River Intinction – Merlot

Posted on

FWIBF – From Napa

When I was at the Venice locale of Firestone Walker, I noticed this poster…

I was immediately drawn to the bottle on the left, seeing as how not to many Saisons come our way from Firestone Walker. I am sure that many more are drooling over the Parabola with aging on wine barrels.

Posted on

Re-Cap – The Propagator’s 3rd Anniversary

On the last weekend of this month, I took in the sights and sounds and beers from the 3rd Anniversary of The Propagator.

Here is the re-cap: It was a strangely slow early morning at the Venice adjacent Firestone Walker location. This despite the high quality and higher creativity beers on tap. Haven’t had Rosalie, it was there. A Watermelon kettle sour, yup as well as many hoppy treats on hand. Plus the deal was great. (2) beers a side and a cup for one price. I assume that as the day wore on, that it got more crowded.

For my two beers, I started big with the Gen 3, triple IPA. Double digit ABV and for me, a return to those big bruiser Imperials from back in the day. Lots of malt and caramel and boozy. I backed down for the second and had the Eichenkeller because Keller beers are always an attraction. This did not disappoint. Super malty and bubbly with a nice minerality versus hops.

And I got to talk with some grand folk in the beer writing community as well as Merlin himself.

Posted on

FWIBF19 Featured Beer

For those holding golden tickets to the 2019 version of the Firestone Walker Invitational, the brewery list went live at the start of this month and now the collaboration beer which ticketholders get a special ticket for is now known….

It looks like the new beer plays to the strengths of both Firestone Walker and Cigar City.

Posted on

The Prop is 3

The southernmost arm of Firestone Walker’s California empire will be 3 years in Venice / Marina Del Rey and are throwing a ticket-LESS party.

Here are the details…. “Enjoy live art & photography from our friends at Venice Arts, as well as outdoor games, amazing beer & food specials! No tickets necessary, just stop by & join us for the fun. Anniversary Special: two beers & one small plate of food for just $15!”

There will be live music and a commemorative logo’d Klean Kanteen re-usable cup for your beer (while supplies last). Plus some really good FW beers.

Posted on

New Union Jack

Breweries are taking the switch to cans as an opportunity to refurbish their label design….

Firestone Walker has Clash-ed up and Anarchy in the UK’d their Union Jack. I think it works with the fighting poses of the Lion and the Bear.

Posted on

Rose v Rose

Rose styled beers are not one unified flavor profile. This point was vividly driven home by a recent side-by-side of two California regional breweries exploration of the style.

First up is Sparkale from 21st Amendment. This one boasts apples an cherries in the recipe and that is pounded home. This is what a Martinelli’s Sparkling cider would taste like, in beer form. Apple up front with cherry notes at the back. It pours a much darker red which puts it out of rose pink range.

Second is Rosalie, which I have effused about on this blog before. The difference in color is striking as is the flavor. This is a wine-beer hybrid. With a dry but effervescent character.

I have also tasted the Eagle Rock effort in this sub-style and found it in taster size, to be cloying with a lead note of sweetness.

Whether or not this category settles on a recipe or not, I believe the more sweet may rule but they are too close to juice boxes for me.

Posted on

New from F-W

Firestone Walker continues to add new SKUs to their portfolio in two of the popular categories (IPA and Coconut). 

Side note: is it just me or is coconut practically everywhere.  I mean more than usual.

The Cashmere XPA, thanks to the luxe name of the new hop is one I expect to see more of.  Three Weavers has one out currently as well.  Will this hop take-off? And is it better in lighter, sessionable or bigger with DIPA and TIPA?

Since I am a F-W fanboy, I am looking forward to both.