Firestone Walker – XXIX 29th Anniversary Ale

Firestone Walker XXIX

Flashlight just barely shows as a deep plum colored spot of light, minimal head retention, smells of caramel, toasted sourdough, and herbal hops. The taste is dense and smooth with flavors of milk chocolate syrup, plum, cherry, caramel, and orange on a silky smooth and slick full body. The finish is long and moderately low in bitterness and a lingering warmth, featuring notes of dark chocolate, orange zest, cherry stems, vanilla, oak, coffee, and herbal hops. Overall, this year’s is very nice, with surprisingly diverse fruit notes to be enjoyed amidst the expected chocolate/coffee/oak flavors.

October 2025 Vintage

ABOUT THE BLENDING

Every late summer, right before the wine harvest gets rolling, we invite our local winemaker friends to the brewery to help blend our annual Anniversary Ale. Winemakers are practicing experts in the art of blending, and we realized early on that they could provide invaluable input for creating a seamless beer out of numerous barrel-aged component ales. The winemakers come for both the challenge and the camaraderie. They split up into small teams and create their own preferred blends from the provided components. Each of the resulting trials is then blind tasted by the entire group, and votes are cast for the winning blend. The victorious team walks away with bragging rights and with a set of coveted cardboard crowns.

XXIX FINAL BLEND

Parabola (13.6% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels (32% of blend)

Barrel Details: 10yr Henry Mckenna and Dyr Elijah Craig
Beer Details: Imperial Stout-OG-34.22P FG-9.7P IBU-55 Color-Midnight.
Our beloved Parabola recipe aged for 12-16 months in Bourbon barrels. Massive amounts of Roast Barley, hopped with Styrian Golding and Hallertau Tradition

Velvet Merkin (9.1% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels (20% of blend)

Barrel Details: 11yr Henry Mckenna and 12yr Elijah Craig
Beer Details: Milk Stout-OG-21.9P FG-5.3 IBU-30 Color-Black Velvet
An old friend from the barrel program which goes into barrels as a 5.5% ABV milk stout and comes out as a complex and rich 9% velvety fudgy delight. Brewed with oats and milk sugar. Hopped with 100% Oregon-grown Fuggle.

Frau Gruber Blend (12.8% ABV) Aged in Bourbon barrels (15% of Blend)

Barrel Details: 12yr Elijah Craig
Beer Details: Pastry Stout (non-adjuncted stock)-OG-40P FG-20.2P 259 Color Black Hole
This massive beer is left over barrel stock from our first collab with Frau Gruber (Heavy Souls). The beer used in the blend has been aging for 24 months in 12yr Elijah Craig barrels and was the biggest beer we had ever brewed at the time.

Helldorado (13.9% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels (15% of blend)

Barrel Details: Heaven Hill
Beer Details: Blonde Barleywine-OG-27.1P FG-2.8P IBU-11 Color Golden Blonde
We brew this beer to allow the blenders the opportunity to adjust viscosity and color. Lean and focused to express barrel character, hopped with Styrian Golding.

DDBA (9.0% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels (10% of blend)

Barrel Details: 10yr Henry Mckenna and 9yr Elijah Craig
Beer Details: Imperial Special Bitter-OG-27.8P FG-7.9P IBU-26 Color-Ruby
A double version of our flagship DBA, fermented in oak barrels and aged for at least 12 months in Bourbon barrels.

Stickee Monkee (12.8% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels (5% of blend)

Barrel Details: 10yr Henry Mckenna and 9yr Elijah Craig
Beer Details: Central Coast Quad-OG-29.37P FG-7.78 IBU-35 Color-Walnut
Round and full-bodied Quad brewed with Belgian Candi Sugar and Mexican Brown Sugar.

Bravo (11.4% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels (3% of blend)

Barrel Details: 6yr Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bourbon
Beer Details: Imperial Brown Ale – OG-25.2P FG-3.4 IBU-35 Color-Deep Brown
The OG-A longtime beloved base beer used to blend our Barleywines. Old school and lean. Hopped with Brave and Styrian Golding hops. 12 months in barrel.