Location: Paso Robles, California.
Our favorite varieties: Union Jack, Mocha Merlin, Sucaba, Feral One, Pivo.
Let’s start with the main thing: you’ve probably noticed that I couldn’t limit myself to just three varieties in the “Our favorite varieties” section, but I took advantage of the author’s privilege. It’s just that Firestone Walker brews too many good beers to limit ourselves to three, and that’s one of the obvious reasons why they ended up at the top of this list. But if you dig deeper, they meet all the criteria we used to select the “best breweries of the decade.”
Their range of varieties, depth of diversity, and eclecticism deserve first place. They have greatly influenced the development of the industry, from barrel-aged stouts to the creation of the modern pilsner. They organize what is arguably the best beer festival in the world today. And their consistency is virtually unmatched. All of this naturally makes the brewery the most outstanding brewery of the decade.
As for the beer side of the equation, Firestone is a rare example of a brewery that has a top-rated variety in almost every popular style. The classic IPA is represented by Union Jack, a variety that took first place in Paste’s first IPA tasting back in 2013. The hazy IPA is the now-permanent Mind Haze, one of the few widely available rivals to varieties such as Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing.
The standard strength stouts are represented by the magnificent Velvet/Mocha Merlin. Easy Jack is among the best low-alcohol IPAs. Pivo introduced the US to the world of Italian-style pilsners. The “wild” side is represented by such “top dogs” as cherry Krieky Bones or even pumpkin El Gourdo. And, of course, all these barrel-aged delights — from barley wine (Sucaba) to imperial stout (Parabola) and the annual masterpiece Anniversary Ale, blended by Paso Robles winemakers.
No other brewery manages to explore so many different directions, excelling in each of them equally well. We mustn’t forget the Firestone Walker Invitational, which changed the very essence of how beer festivals are organized and attended in the US. It shifted the focus from large festivals with extensive lists of participants to small events with carefully selected breweries, aimed at the highest quality beer.
