Firestone Walker Reveals 30th Anniversary Ale

Firestone Walker Brewing Company is preparing a major milestone release for the coming year, bringing back one of its most iconic traditions in celebration of the brewery’s 30th anniversary. The upcoming Firestone Walker 30th Anniversary Ale will mark three decades of brewing in Paso Robles, California, and continues the legacy of the brewery’s highly regarded anniversary‑blends.

A milestone release rooted in Firestone Walker tradition
Each anniversary ale is crafted through a collaborative blending process that brings together local winemakers and Firestone Walker’s brewing team. This tradition, dating back to the earliest anniversary releases, results in a special reserve barrel‑aged blend that showcases the depth, complexity, and craftsmanship of Firestone Walker’s barrel program. The 30th Anniversary Ale is expected to follow this same approach, combining multiple barrel‑aged components into a single, layered, celebratory beer.

Style, strength, and character
Early details indicate that the 2026 edition will come in at 12.2% ABV, placing it firmly in the realm of Firestone Walker’s bold, cellar‑worthy blends. While the final formula has not yet been announced, the brewery’s anniversary ales typically incorporate elements such as barrel‑aged barleywine, imperial stout, strong ale, and other high‑gravity components aged in bourbon and spirits barrels. The result is a beer designed for sipping, sharing, and long‑term aging.

Packaging and presentation
The 30th Anniversary Ale will be packaged in 22‑oz bottles, continuing the classic large‑format presentation that fans associate with Firestone Walker’s most collectible releases. These bottles have historically featured elegant, commemorative labeling that highlights the anniversary year and the collaborative blending process.

What to expect next
As Firestone Walker moves closer to its 30th anniversary celebration, more information will be released regarding:

The final blending composition
Tasting notes and sensory profile
Barrel components and winemaker involvement
Official release date and distribution details

This limited‑edition release is poised to be one of the most anticipated 2026 barrel‑aged beer releases, especially for collectors, fans of Firestone Walker’s vintage program, and enthusiasts of complex, blended strong ales.

This 14 May 2026 update from Firestone Walker:

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.

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