Tag: Firestone Walker

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Review – XVI Anniversary from Firestone Walker

My goal is not to have more than five years worth of the Anniversary beers from Firestone Walker. So each year, I open the oldest bottle and do a review. Here are my thoughts on XVI….

16 is so smooth. There is quite a lot of sugar which feeds into the Christmas theme for sure. Silky in texture with lots of mellow bourbon notes to it. I am getting chocolate covered caramel. Maybe Creme Brulee. Way too easy to drink. I have to pace the sips to make sure that I try some warmed up. Not very sharp or carbonated. Actually pairs quite well with some Kahlua infused cookies from the neighbors.

As a bonus, here is a mini-review of the 2017 blend…
It pours a pitch black and really smells sugary. I would say more bourbon glaze than spirited ABV. It is almost rum-like in character. It is pretty one dimensional but it is a really tasty dimension to be sure. The 11.8% alcohol is well masked here.

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The Wookie to Wookus


I know that there is only a passing familial resemblance between Wookie Jack and the upcoming Leo V Ursus – Wookus but it is good to welcome a beer back that has been absent for a while. Even if the recipe is updated for the times.

And I am even more excited to hear that a Firestone Walker canned lager will be coming in 2018. And the next Leo v Ursus has also been announced, Doublis.

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C & Ex


The Propagator brewery is starting to pay off some dividends as Firestone Walker is creating more hoppy beers outside of their Leo V Ursus and Luponic Distortion lines. If I had to choose, the Ex-1 would be the first to try.

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Sean Suggests for November 2017

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Christmas beers are coming but let’s sample some of the diversity of beer styles this month, Sour-Spicy and Fiery.

~LIGHT
Ska Brewing/ Sour Apple Gose5.1% ABV
“The scent of sweet apple blossoms give way to honey and a lemony tartness from the Citra hops and souring. Tastes like you’re sipping on a crisp apple juice with a bright tartness that’s refreshing, not drying.”

~MEDIUM
SoLArc/ Sunset Cleanse6.4% ABV
“Hoppy Pale ale with lemon, Cayenne pepper, and ginger. Brewed in celebration of 6 years of Sunset Beer Co.”

~DARK
Firestone Walker/ Leo vs Ursus Inferos8.2% ABV
“Inferos is a rye imperial IPA that is fiery in color, hellacious in hoppiness and bursting with spicy rye goodness. Forged with 25 percent rye grain and loaded with more than four pounds of hops per barrel, Inferos is ultimately a big, lively beer that will keep the soul warm as summer transitions to fall.”

All of these beers can be found at Sunset Beer Co. (unless they got bought up real quick)

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XXI


You know it is the holiday season when the Firestone Walker anniversary beer drops. It is one of the few beers that I buy without even looking at the price. And I suggest you do the same.

2017 brings us XXI. Local winemakers Jordan Fiorentini and Kyle Gingras of Epoch Estate Wines along with Anthony Yount of Denner Vineyards created the winning blend which is made up of….

The result is an inspired blend of five distinct beers aged in spirits barrels: Velvet Merkin (oatmeal stout, 42%), Parabola (Russian imperial oatmeal stout, 18%), Stickee Monkee (Central Coast quad, 17%), Bravo (imperial brown ale, 14%) and Helldorado (blonde barleywine, 9%).

According to FW, “XXI represents the first time that Velvet Merkin has set the pace for the Anniversary Ale blend.”

Look for special back catalog tastings of past anniversary beers. Those are fun events.

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FW Lager

More canned beers coming are way from Paso Robles with Pivo Pils getting a lager cousin….

From the simple color scheme and light shadowed Firestone Walker lion and beer, one could make the guess that the beer inside will be simple and light as well. The question being, did this one get hopped or not?

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Not Infernal


We head to the underworld for the third release of Leo V Ursus series from Firestone Walker. This beer began at the R&D pilot brewery in Venice and now is headed to draft and cans.

Inferos “is brewed with 4.7 pounds of hops per barrel and with a malt bill consisting of 25 percent rye.” Making for a spicy and roasty not-quite black IPA and a bit of a departure from the previous two entrants Adversus and Fortem.

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Distortion… Luponic Distortion


Luponic Distortion from Firestone Walker is back for their 7th revolution and 007 is headlined by three hop varieties from Australia.

Per brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “The primary Australian hop is loaded with this bright, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc character, and the other two hops round it out with classic Southern Hemisphere qualities.”

The other “new” is that the IPA will also come in 16oz cans.

Remember – it is up to the savvy customer to keep track of which number we are at, to get the freshest.

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Two for the Weekend

Two special events are going down this weekend to take note of, first is…

Three Weavers meets Firestone Walker – Venice and a new rye lager collaboration named Elevator Music. It will be released on Saturday at the Propagator in Venice.

Second is…

Cloudwater Brew Co. are coming to Mikkeller – DTLA, all the way from Manchester, England. This will be a beer geek bonanza (probably some beer snobs to avoid too) because of this tap list:

NW DIPA Citra Amarillo
Session IPA Amarillo Citra
NE DIPA Simcoe Citra
Pilsner Mandarina Bavaria
Fool For You