The Side Project Cellar team just returned from Paso Robles, California after attending the fantastic Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest. What a weekend! (A quick humblebrag for our team and the St. Louis beer scene: Side Project Brewing won the People’s Choice Award for best in show!)
California is crawling with amazing beer up and down the coast, but there is something special about Firestone Walker. They excel at nearly everything; great barrel program featuring complex high gravity beers (Look for some fun ones at a Firestone Walker tap takeover at Soha Bar & Grill on Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m.) and sours, ridiculous West Coast IPAs, and a pretty rad hoppy Pilsner.
If you have yet to visit California’s Central Coast, I strongly suggest putting that on your to-do list. But in the meantime, go out and find some Firestone Walker canned freshies for your weekend enjoyment.
1. Luponic Distortion No. 001 is Firestone Walker’s revolving IPA series in which they experiment by showcasing different hops. The first in this series is ripe with notes of tropical fruit, West Coast dankness and vibrant citrus, all while boasting a clean and dry finish. Look for No. 002, with it’s a new hop profile, to hit stores early July.
2. Pivo Pilsner is Firestone Walker’s nod to European Pilsner tradition. This dry-hopped beer is beaming with floral notes, a little herbal spiciness and a classic Pilsner malt finish. Clean and refreshing, this beer goes perfectly with just about anything.
Katie Herrera is co-founder of Femme Ferment and manager of The Side Project Cellar.
This article appears in Readers’ Choice 2016.