Tag: Firestone Walker

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Ecliptic California Collabs

Ecliptic Brewing of Portland, Oregon is turning 5 years young and will be releasing 5 special beers throughout the year called the 2019 Cosmic Collaboration Series.

John Harris, Ecliptic Brewing’s Owner and Brewmaster has reached out to Brooklyn Brewery, Breakside, Bell’s and two California breweries too.

Here is the full line-up:

Ecliptic Brewing + Brooklyn Brewery: Tangerine Farmhouse Ale (February)
Ecliptic Brewing + Firestone Walker Brewing Co.: Galactica Hazy Double IPA with #692, Idaho 7 and Kasmir (April)
Ecliptic Brewing + Breakside Brewery: Nectarine Sour Ale (June)
Ecliptic Brewing + Bell’s Brewery: Juicy IPA (August)
Ecliptic Brewing + Russian River Brewing Company: Hoppy Belgian Strong Golden Ale (October)

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Old Hands – New IPA’s

The Mid-Majors of the California brewing world are aware of the trends big and little but they all seem to give the trends a shot.  Just in different ways….

Matt Brynildson from Firestone Walker approached a Hazy IPA via the Weizenbock making their Mind Haze with 40% wheat and oats in the bill and by precise hop additions.

Karl Strauss head brewer Sean Albrecht used their Small Batch program along with a trip to the East Coast as inspiration for their nautical themed Boat Shoes Hazy IPA.

Lastly, Figueroa Mountain used a trip to Yakima Chief to create a new IPA that they named after California geography with Point Conception IPA.

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Beer Media Propagation at FW-Venice

The newly re-branded L.A. Beer Media had their first meeting of 2019 and thanks to the generosity (excellent as usual) of Firestone Walker, we learned quite a bit about the creation of the newest year round beer that the brewery will be releasing, Rosalie.

The company is branding this as Beer Rose and after remarks from the Lion himself, David Walker, Evan Partridge the Propagator brewer and the soon departing Rob Emery from what I will just call “the lab” gave us the full rundown of how this beer came to be.

They started with (3) components that they wanted the finished beer to have:

  1. Acidity – light but noticeable
  2. Color – a reddish hue
  3. Wine – to connect with the wine region of Paso Robles

The process started back in January of 2018 and Partridge and Emery walked us through acid spiked versions of the Firestone Walker lager to show what they were looking for in component # 1, then we tasted a mixture of water and hibiscus to show the color aspect and then lastly, they gave us a sample of wine/grape juice as well as a sample of wine created with the grape blend that they filled a silo with.

Firestone Walker had teamed with Castoro Cellars to provide them with a blend that included Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Viognier.  Once the grapes were in place the recipe honing process could begin.  We tasted four of the steps along the way as well as the finished product and it was fascinating to see how the blend went from tart to less tart but still wine forward, to pilsner with hibiscus, to finally a blend that truly mixed beer and wine AND had the right color.

Rosalie comes in the Sixpoint 12oz skinny can and I found it to be tilted to the wine side of the fence but the acidity comes through just enough to make this unique.  Plus it actually looks Rose and not just red.  It really worked for me.

Considering last year’s Terroir event that was a blend of wine and beer hybrids and the fact the BarrelWorks has been toying with it as well with ZinSkin among other creations, this seems like a no-brainer, gateway hybrid that will draw those curious as to how wine and beer mingle. And using Paso Robles grapes as part of the equation really makes it unique as the Rose style becomes more Brut sized.

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Mo Mordred

There are not too many sour stout based beers out there. But now Barrelworks from Firestone Walker is adding a dark sour to their range. Here is the backstory on this new beer “…Velvet Merkin which was then given our treatment and transferred to French, American and Hungarian oak barrels thus transforming one amazing beer into something inconceivable. Mordred offers a depth of dark chocolates, espresso and spices of nutmeg and clove.”

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Featured Review – Firestone Walker Anniversary XXII

I sipped on 17 first, but now let’s try the latest modelFirestone Walker Anniversary blend.

The White box is a color departure for the Anniversary packaging. I tasted this beer on draft at The Propagator in the wise amount of 6oz. This blend seems lighter than the others by a large amount. Not boozy in either aroma or in the flavor. Little is the operative word 22 is a little smooth. There is a little alcohol burn at the edges. During the same sitting, I tasted the new Old Nan Hattan beer which shined with a holiday spice profile that made me buy a bottle in the store. Maybe it was too cold, maybe a warmer and aged bottle will show of hidden (now) complexities.

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Featured Review – Firestone Walker XVII

I am running out of the 22oz bombers! I only keep 5 years running of the Firestone Walker Anniversary blend and with XVII done, I am down to only three.

Here is my review of this five year old beer:
This has really mellowed perhaps due to the brandy barrel or to using imperial brown ale as blend leaders. There is bourbon on the nose but not overly harsh. Initial part of the sip has a little spirit but not the alcohol bite. It is a little thin with a slight silky texture that is sticky on the tongue but there is still a little carbonated zip to this one. It almost reminds me of good English toffee.

And as a reminder, here are the blend details for the beer designed by Neil Collins and Chelsea Franchi of Tablas Creek Winery.

Bravo / Aged in Bourbon and Brandy Barrels / 30% of Final Blend
-Imperial Brown Ale

Sticky Monkey / Aged in Bourbon and Whiskey Barrels / 25% of Final Blend
-English Barley Wine Brewed with Mexican Turbinado (brown) Sugar

Velvet Merkin / Aged in Bourbon Barrels / 15% of Final Blend
-Traditional Oatmeal Stout

Parabola / Aged in Bourbon Barrels / 15% of Final Blend
-Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout

Double DBA / Aged in retired Firestone Union Barrels / 8% of Final Blend
-Double strength English Pale Ale

Helldorado / Aged in Bourbon and Brandy Barrels / 4% of Final Blend
-Blonde Barley Wine Brewed with Buckwheat Honey

Wookey Jack / 100% Stainless Steel / 3% of Final Blend
-Black Rye India Pale Ale

This has really mellowed perhaps due to the brandy barrel or to using imperial brown ale as leaders bourbon on the nose but not harsh. Initial part of the sip has a little harshness but not the alcohol bite little thin with a slight silky texture sticky on the tongue reminds me of good English toffee little carbonated zip to this one still

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A Feral Fox


Want to taste pure gold? As in Great American Beer Festival 2018 gold? Well then run to the Venice-ish Propagator to pick up the first-ever 750ml beer from Barrelworks and Firestone Walker. Feral Brut is “a beer & wine hybrid “champagne” made in collaboration with Foxen Winery.”

The beer is part of the Terroir Project of Firestone Walker (as if they need another world-class beer event) and hopefully not the last.

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Blending Season

It is that time up in Paso Robles….

From the FW Facebook page

First of all, just give me the gin barrel Helldorado now. Second, rum and gin? Wow. Those might have to be mutually exclusive. But I am anxious to hear what percentages is the latest winning blend. And more anxious as to when Firestone Walker will release it.