The Craft Beer Market
Firestone Walker Brewing Company is a Southern California craft brewery. Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale is one of its flagship beers. The craft beer market has grown rapidly over the last 40 years after Congress legalized homebrewing in 1978. As a result, this inspired many beer enthusiasts to start their own small breweries. However, today the overall beer market is flat and possibly in slight decline. While many small breweries are still opening, about as many are shutting down. Some industry analysts predict a “beer apocalypse.”
Firestone Walker Brewing
Brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker founded Firestone Walker in 1996 in Olivos, California on the family vineyard before opening a brewery in Paso Robles in 2001. Double Barrel Ale was their first commercial beer. The brewery has won several medals over the past 25 years.
Today Firestone Walker has a large selection of beers, including IPAs, seasonals, 805 and lots more. They have a brewery with tours and a taproom in Paso Robles and taprooms in Buellton and Venice. Duvel Moortgat Brewery of Belgium owns the majority stake in Firestone Walker.
Firestone Double Barrel Ale
Firestone Walker describes Double Barrel Ale as “… the first beer ever brewed by Adam Firestone and David Walker, and it became an instant sensation. Today, DBA is regarded as an iconic California craft beer and as an enduring tribute to traditional cask-fermented English ales. Always malty, never bitter. A smooth mid palate with ribbons of caramel, English toffee and toasted oak.” It has Two Row, Crystal Light, Crystal Dark, Crystal 75, Chocolate Malt and Munich malts and Kettle: Styrian Golding, Tradition hops.
Double Barrel Ale has a 5% ABV, 0g fat, 0g protein, 13g carbs, a 30 IBU and 160 calories. It has a “Good” rating on Beer Advocate.
Our Review of Firestone Double Barrel Ale
I first had Double Barrel Ale 20 years ago when visiting Santa Barbara, which is about two hours south of Firestone Walker’s brewery in Paso Robles. Back then the ale was everywhere in the region. However, Firestone Walker introduced 805 in 2012 and began pushing it throughout California. Double Barrel Ale seemed to vanish from stores and bars. If you have read our review of 805, it is a terrible beer, but my memory was that Double Barrel Ale was very good.
I was in Santa Barbara again recently and found Double Barrel Ale on tap at a golf course bar, so I decided to try it again. It was as good or even better than I remembered. The Firestone Walker description is accurate. About the only thing I disagree with is “never bitter.” It was a little bitter but overall a great beer. It also paired well with the prime rib dinner at the golf club. If you want to try one Firestone Walker beer, please try Double Barrel Ale if you can find it and skip 805.
For another recommendation of a Southern California craft beer, see our review of Figueroa Mountain Danish Red Lager.
For beer nutritional information of all beers we have reviewed see Beer Nutritional Information.
