(Review) Firestone Walker 2025 Oaktoberfest Oak Aged Lager

I brought you the news that this beer would be returning for 2025, and now I get an early chance to try it for myself. Today we’ll be test-driving the 2025 version of Firestone Walker Brewing Oaktoberfest, and if it’s even half as good as it was last year when I reviewed it, you’re in for a fall treat.

2025 Oaktoberfest will remain an oak-aged lager, and you’ll be surprised how much the oak aging brings to the beer. As Firestone Walker puts it, “Oaktoberfest is made for this transition time from summer to fall,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “It’s malty and full-flavored, yet also light-bodied, crushable and built for drinking.”
 
As always, the latest release is an oak-inspired homage to the popular “festbiers” that are synonymous with Munich’s legendary Oktoberfest celebration. The name “Oaktoberfest” is a riff on Firestone Walker’s longtime commitment to brewing and aging beer in oak barrels. 
 
Brewed with all-German ingredients and lagered in Napa Valley wine barrels, the 2025 Oaktoberfest Oak Aged Lager (5.2% ABV) is rolling out now to all Firestone Walker markets in 6-pack (12-oz cans) and draft formats.

Every year, as I bid farewell to summer beers, I welcome in the fall fest beers like Oaktoberfest. The beer is cold-lagered in French oak barrels (previously used to age a NAPA Valley Cabernet Sauvignon) after being brewed with all German ingredients in the U.S. for your enjoyment. The Vienna malts really shine through, and the complexity of a malt-forward lager with notes of oak and a clean, crisp finish makes for a really enjoyable fall beer, perfect for chilly fall temperatures.

Of course, I can’t wait to try it…so off we go… 

Firestone Walker 2025 Oaktoberfest:

Brewery Description: A seasonal Firestone Walker classic, Oaktoberfest Oak Aged Lager is matured in oak barrels to deliver smooth, rich, and biscuity flavors. Available in the fall.

ABV:  5.2%
IBU: 20
Style: Festbier
Packaging:  12oz cans
Appearance:  Bright and clear copper
Aroma:   Biscuit malt & sweet caramel
Mouthfeel:   Medium-bodied
Taste:   Biscuit malt, mild oak, vanilla, and light hops.
Overall:  Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest has become a yearly tradition, and each year, I appreciate the uniqueness that French oak wine barrels bring to the mix. The beer is sessionable, with a rich malt presence and a light, crisp finish, and the complexity of the beer will leave you wanting another sip. This has to be one of my favorite fall beers, and I suspect that once you taste it, it will become your favorite as well.

Firestone Walker Brewing 2025 Oaktoberfest is available now in 12-oz canned six-packs across the FW distribution footprint, so get out there and try it for yourself, and when you do try it, be sure to let us know what YOU think.  

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.