Firestone Walker and pFriem Family Brewers Introduce Official Collaboration Beer of the2026 Invitational Beer Fest

I brought you an early peek at this beer back in Dec 2025, and now the official release details from Firestone Walker:

“pFreal” West Coast IPA Now Available at Firestone Walker & pFriem Locations Plus Select Accounts in Advance of Signature Event

Paso Robles, California – The official collaboration beer of the 2026 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest lands now as Firestone Walker and pFriem Family Brewers introduce pFreal—a West Coast IPA available for a limited time in canned six-packs at Firestone Walker and pFriem locations and on draft at select accounts. 

Brewed by two legends of the West Coast IPA style, pFreal is the latest annual collaboration to commemorate the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest. This year’s event lands on Saturday, May 30, featuring an all-star cast of more than 65 breweries from around the world along with live music and food offerings from more than 20 local chefs and restaurants. The event marks another milestone during Firestone Walker’s 30th anniversary year as a California craft brewery. 

Collaboratively Crafted

pFreal West Coast IPA features a pale, crisp malt body that lets Mosaic, Nectaron, and Krush Cryo dry hops shine with a juicy balance of peach, tangerine peel and mango aromas and flavors. In addition to its pre-event availability this spring, the beer will be featured prominently during the weekend of the 2026 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest. The colorful can art by illustrator Joshua Noom captures the vibe of both the collaboration and Firestone Walker’s 30th anniversary. 

Based in Hood River, Oregon, pFriem Family Brewers was established in 2011 by three friends including Brewmaster Josh Pfriem. “Josh and I were very aligned on brewing philosophies, we’re both technical brewers and fans of sensible IPAs and pilsners,” said Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “We’ve been friends for a decade, often sharing tips and tricks of the brewing trade, so I would say that this collaboration has been a long time coming.”

Brynildson explained that the beer is brewed with pFriem’s house yeast and To Thee! Pilsner Malt, a new malt developed by Rahr Malting Company in collaboration with pFriem. Firestone Walker brewers also met up with the pFriem team for hop selection in Washington’s Yakima Valley, where they ultimately chose Mosaic hops grown at Coleman Farms in Oregon. The Mosaic hops serve as a classic IPA base for pFreal, while dashes of Nectaron and Krush Cryo hops bring a modern flourish to the flavor profile. 

“The making of this beer was a true team effort with pFriem, one that reflects the collaborative spirit of the fest itself,” Brynildson said. 

Beer Fest Run of Show

April 30th – Official Release of “pFreal” West Coast IPA fest collaboration beer
Friday, May 29 – 30th Anniversary Block Party @ Firestone Walker Brewery
Saturday, May 30 – Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest @ Paso Robles Event Center
Sunday, May 31 – Brews & Brekky Brunch @ Firestone Walker Taproom

Visit the 2026 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest event page for complete details. 

Firestone Walker proudly celebrates 30 years in 2026. Founded by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker, Firestone Walker is a family-led second-generation brewery based on California’s Central Coast. Helmed by Nick Firestone and decorated Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker’s main brewery in Paso Robles produces a robust lineup of award-winning beers including 805, California’s #1 craft beer brand established in 2012; 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. More at FirestoneWalker.com.

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