From Vineyard Roots to Brewing Icon: Firestone Walker Turns 30
From Vineyard Roots to Brewing Icon: Firestone Walker Turns 30
(Courtesy Firestone Walker Brewing)
Thirty years after brewing its first batch of Double Barrel Ale in a vineyard on California’s Firestone Walker is entering its fourth decade of brewing serious craft beer. And it’s doubling down on the vision and values that got them where they are today.
Founded in 1996 by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker, Firestone Walker helped set the tone for what modern American craft beer would become. From early technical innovations to an almost obsessive focus on quality, the brewery has spent three decades exploring the parameters of what craft beer could be, without ever getting comfortable.
“Thirty years in, we still believe the best beers respect tradition but refuse to be trapped by it,” said CEO Nick Firestone. “This anniversary is about honoring where we came from while continuing to build a brewery that’s relevant, curious, and future-facing.”
A story that’s still unfolding
The 30tth anniversary celebration kicks off with Pour It All In, an impressive new video spot that tells Firestone Walker’s story as only they can.
Featuring founders Adam Firestone and David Walker, second-generation leader Nick Firestone, and longtime brewmaster Matt Brynildson, the spot highlights the personalities and creative tension behind the brewery’s “Beer Before Glory” ethos.
(Adam Firestone, Matt Brynildson, David Walker at the Firestone Walker Invitational)
The Beer that Started It All
No 30th anniversary would be complete without Firestone Double Barrel Ale, the beer that started it all.
Brewed continuously since day one, DBA remains the brewery’s foundation—and a benchmark for balance and drinkability. David Walker once told us it’s still his favorite beer, and over the years it’s picked up dozens of medals, helping cement Firestone Walker’s reputation as one of the most consistently awarded breweries in the world. That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident.
As part of this year’s celebration DBA is getting updated look that pulls from the original label while sharpening it for today. It’s not a reboot, not even close, it’s a reminder of what’s always worked and of what a true craft beer can be.
DBA is still the only American beer partially fermented in a union of oak barrels, a nod to 19th-century British brewing. Its malt-forward character has endured because it never chased the latest brewing trends.
Union Jack IPA and Pivo Pilsner will get similar refreshed packaging later this year. Both continue to rack up awards worldwide, reinforcing a simple lesson Firestone Walker has lived by for decades: lead with quality, and the rest follows.
(Firestone Walker’s Matt Brynildson)
IPAs, Past and Present
The anniversary year also brings back a familiar favorite. Easy Jack, first released in 2014, is returning as part of a newly curated IPA Mixed Pack. Known for delivering full IPA flavor at a sessionable strength, Easy Jack joins Union Jack, Firestone IPA, and a limited-edition Double IPA called Diesel Thunder.
Together, the pack reflects Firestone Walker’s long relationship with the IPA style—and its ability to evolve without losing its identity.
Taking the Celebration on the Road
Firestone Walker plans to celebrate its 30th all year long with events designed to feel personal and community-driven. Highlights include a special anniversary block party during the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival this May in Paso Robles, plus Walker’s Wild Ride, a series of tap takeovers and events with longtime bar and restaurant partners across the country.
Thirty years in and still Looking Forward
Over three decades, Firestone Walker has earned just about every honor the beer world can hand out, including Paste Magazine’s Brewery of the Decade and multiple Brewery of the Year awards at the Great American Beer Festival. But those accolades were never the point.
They’re the result of a philosophy that values patience over hype, curiosity over complacency, and long-term thinking over quick wins.
That mindset has guided everything from the rise of 805 into one of the most culturally visible beer brands in the country, to the juicy energy of Cali Squeeze, to the boundary-pushing Mind Haze lineup.
Behind the scenes, the Propagator R&D brewhouse in Marina del Rey continues to serve as a creative testing ground, where new ideas are explored, refined, and sometimes quietly reshaped.
“Thirty years is a milestone,” Firestone said. “The work continues.”
###
About the Author: American Craft Beer
