California Breweries History: Firestone Walker Brewing
In 1995, after brewery proprietors Adam Firestone and his
brother-in-law David Walker first miscalculated by brewing their initial
batch in used wine barrels, they responded by innovating a patented oak
barrel brewing system called the Firestone Union—incorporating new American
oak barrels while improving upon a classic British brewing tradition. From the
Firestone Union was born their Double Barrel Ale, which quickly became a
regional phenomenon on California’s Central Coast.
Inspired by the 19th century Burton Union brewing method—and undeterred
by their initial brewing failure, in which Chardonnay residue from the used
wine barrels contaminated their ale—they developed their Firestone Union oak
barrel brewing system and launched Firestone Walker Fine Ales in 1996, with
distribution initially limited to California’s Central Coast. Following the
extraordinary success of their Double Barrel Ale on the Central Coast, they
launched Firestone Pale Ale (originally called Windsor Pale Ale), then
Firestone Lager and, most recently, Walker’s Reserve.
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