Firestone Walker & Calwise Spirits Collaborate On Axe Hole Single Malt Whiskey

This morning, I have some exciting spirits news coming from Firestone Walker Brewing & Calwise Spirits:

Firestone Walker & Calwise Spirits have joined forces to create Axe Hole Single Malt Whiskey. Malt Whiskey aged 3 years in charred American oak. When our buddies at Calwise Spirits hit us up for a collaboration, we knew the result would be something very special. Enter this special edition “Axe Hole” Single Malt Whiskey, distilled from a mash of traditional brewing grains and aged for three years in American oak barrels.


What started as a neighborhood collaboration has grown into something deeper — a celebration of local grain, local craft, and the spirit of beer itself.

That’s why we’re thrilled to re-release Axe Hole Single Malt Whiskey, our small-batch collaboration with our friends down the road at Calwise Spirits in Paso Robles. First launched in 2024 and now back for a limited time, this unique whiskey is distilled from the same all-barley sour mash that fuels our Proprietor’s Vintage beer program, then aged for three years in charred American oak barrels.

“It’s a continuation of what we’ve always done,” said Firestone Walker’s Nick Firestone. “We’ve worked with spirits barrels for nearly 20 years to create our strong ales. Collaborating with Calwise is a natural extension of that tradition — it’s about deepening roots and doing something meaningful with a neighbor we trust.”

The new 2025 batch is once again limited to just three barrels — producing a mere 100 cases of whiskey. Each bottle offers a smooth, bourbon-like character with layered notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak. It’s everything you’d expect from a high-quality single malt — only this one is brewed from beer DNA.

What Makes Axe Hole Different?
It starts with the mash. Rather than using peated malt or corn blends, Axe Hole is made from Firestone Walker’s all-barley grain bill — the same one used to brew some of our most celebrated barrel-aged beers. After fermentation at the brewery, the mash is sent down the road to Calwise Spirits, where Master Distiller Aaron Bergh works his magic on a custom-built still.

“A lot of people associate single malts with Scotch, but this leans more toward bourbon,” said Bergh. “You still get that richness and grain character from the barley, but the American oak aging brings out vanilla and caramel tones. It’s incredibly smooth and uniquely California.”

Where to Find It
The new 2025 release of Axe Hole is available exclusively through Calwise Spirits — both online and at their tasting room in Paso Robles. It won’t be around for long.
Whether you’re a whiskey lover, a Firestone diehard, or just someone who appreciates a damn good story in a bottle — this one’s worth seeking out.
Buy Axe Hole from Calwise
Visit Calwise Spirits Tasting Room

zzubreebym

About Firestone Walker Brewing:

Founded in 1996 by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker, Firestone Walker is a second-generation, family-led brewery based on California’s Central Coast. Helmed by highly decorated Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker’s main brewery in Paso Robles produces a diverse portfolio including 805, California’s #1 craft beer brand; Mind Haze, a top 5 national hazy IPA; and Cali Squeeze, one of the nation’s fastest-growing beer brands. The Firestone brand family also includes iconic beers such as DBA, Union Jack, and Pivo Pils, as well as the storied Vintage Series of barrel-aged strong ales led by Parabola. As a California beer company, Firestone Walker also has two additional locations: the Barrelworks wild ale cellar in Santa Barbara County and the Propagator R&D brewhouse in Venice. Firestone Walker was recently named “Best American Brewery of the Decade” by Paste Magazine.
More at 805beer.com and FirestoneWalker.com

Firestone Walker Brewing Company is a California craft brewery that produces a variety of beers, including pale ales, IPAs, and barrel-aged beers. The brewery was founded in 1996 by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker.

History:
The first brewery was located on a family vineyard in Los Olivos, California.
The first beer, Double Barrel Ale, was made in 2001 using a patented variation of the Burton union system.
In 2015, Firestone Walker combined with Duvel Moortgat, a Belgian brewery.
Firestone Walker is California’s second largest craft brewery.

Breweries:
The main brewery is in Paso Robles, California.
There are also breweries in Buellton and Venice, California.

Beers:
805: A bestselling beer brewed on California’s Central Coast
Mind Haze: A bestselling beer
Firestone Lager: A pale lager that was ranked one of VinePair’s best beers of 2018
Venice Propagator Series: Limited-release beers
Vintage Series: Premium barrel-aged beers
Barrelworks: Imaginative beers dedicated to all things wild

Sustainability:
Firestone Walker is committed to sustainability, reduction, recycling, and reuse.

Born in a humble shed on the back-forty of the family vineyard, Firestone Walker is a California beer company like no other—founded by two brothers-in-law who simply wanted to make the perfect beer.

The story begins with Adam Firestone (a.k.a. The Bear) and David Walker (a.k.a. The Lion) debating the subject of beer. Their search for a decent local ale proved futile, and it wasn’t long before they had goaded themselves into brewing their own.
Their initial brewing efforts were made in a second-hand brewhouse with converted winemaking equipment—mostly with mixed results. But the hook was set when their first recipe for Double Barrel Ale was attempted.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of that moment. Join us as we look back at the curious, passionate and, at times, precarious path that led us from there to here.

The Brewmaster
Matt Brynildson
When Adam and David moved their brewing operations to Paso Robles in 2001, they also landed “the perfect brewmaster at the perfect time.” Matt Brynildson has worked his magic at Firestone Walker ever since, earning the nickname “Merlin” on his way to becoming renowned as one of the world’s leading brewmasters.

California Brewing Company
California has been our home since we started in 1996. We live and brew here, and we draw energy from the communities that surround us.
Our beers are available nationwide, yet they always reflect where they come from—a land where creativity and innovation are the rule. This is what it means to us to be a California beer company.

Craft & Quality
At Firestone Walker, Beer Before Glory is our mantra for reminding ourselves we do what we do because of the beer. Period. It’s our battle cry to never accept well enough. It’s the high aim for a perfect beer we will never make. Beer Before Glory is our craft, ever honed on the stone of humility.

About Calwise Spirits:

Inspired by and sourced from the California hillsides
Historically, California has always represented a sort of rugged sophistication. For decades we’ve drawn inspiration from the land. It’s pushed us to be creative, to innovate and to believe.   Calwise is a celebration of this feeling. Our spirits are born from quiet hikes down dusty forest trails where rich aromas fill the air and find their way into Big Sur Gin. Where barrels lay in the vineyards and lend their character to our rum. Strolls down long rows of fragrant orange groves inspire our orange liqueur. Everything we do is an homage to this place. Every bottle is a piece of home.

Strong Family Roots
Lawlessness and small batch liquor runs deep
When the Feds shut down Aaron’s great-great-grandfather’s moonshining operation during Prohibition, the family business was far from over. Almost a century later, the craft that runs in Aaron’s blood re-emerged when he made the reckless decision to start making hooch in his college dorm room. What began as a humble hobby quickly grew into a passion and then evolved into an obsession.

A perfectionist and lover of nature, Aaron takes inspiration from the place he calls home and its rich culture. He shares the experiences he found on the central coast – the sights, the smells, and the flavors – through his creations at Calwise Spirits Co.