Thirty years is a long time to do anything the same way. Long enough for fashions to change, rules to be rewritten, and certainty to prove unreliable. Long enough to learn that the things worth keeping are usually the ones that never asked for attention in the first place.
Firestone Walker began with a simple idea and a family partnership.
Adam Firestone, and I often see the world differently. He builds patiently and protects what matters. I can be restless, wandering just far enough ahead to see what else might be possible. That difference was never a liability. It became our strength.
Between us lives an endless conversation. How far to push. When to hold. When to let something evolve and when to leave it alone. I suppose this debate shaped the brewery more than any single decision. It taught us that progress does not come from certainty, but from listening and caring about the outcome.
We brewed our first beers in a vineyard on California’s Central Coast with borrowed equipment and a lot of belief. We had no expectations of size or a destination. We were simply trying to build a small brewery that was sustainable and we could be proud carried our names. Something that could hold its own quietly, without explanation.
The Beer Tells You What It Wants To Be
Double Barrel Ale was our first real teacher.
Brewed continuously since 1996, DBA showed us early on that beer has a memory. It remembers how it was treated. It responds to patience. It rewards both restraint and complexity. Partially fermented in oak barrels using a method inspired by nineteenth century British brewing, it asked us to slow down and pay attention.
DBA never chased relevance. It earned it.
As we celebrate thirty years, we have refreshed DBA’s packaging to reflect its origins while allowing it to stand comfortably in the present. It is not an update for novelty’s sake. It is a quiet nod to continuity. The beer remains unchanged. The intent remains intact.
Union Jack IPA and Pivo Pilsner will follow later this year with similar heritage inspired expressions. Different styles. Same values.
Finding the Right Voice in the Brewhouse
Every idea eventually needs a steward.
When Matt Brynildson joined us, the conversation shifted. Matt brought clarity where there had been instinct, and precision where there had been intuition. He knew what the beer wanted to be, then helped it come of age.
Matt’s is disciplined, curious and devoted to beer culture. Exacting in a way that still leaves room for brilliant surprise. Much of what people recognize today as the Firestone Walker style exists because of his steady hand and thoughtful eye.
The Next Chapter Is Already Underway
Today, the brewery is led by Nick Firestone, and I find myself feeling something rare in a milestone year. Calm optimism.
He understands that the brewery is not a monument. It is a living thing that has a generational arc. It needs care, clarity, and a willingness to think long term. Under his leadership, Firestone Walker has remained focused, relevant, and grounded in its values without feeling frozen by them.
The beat goes on…
Thirty Years In. Still Learning.
We have been fortunate to receive recognition over the years. Those moments are appreciated, but they were never the purpose. They are reflections, not goals.
What matters more is that the brewery continues to ask questions. Through 805 Beer and its cultural reach. Through the bright, fruit forward energy of Cali Squeeze. Through the search for today’s generation with Mind Haze. And through the quiet experimentation happening every day at the Propagator serving the creative spirit of Venice,CA, where ideas are allowed to wander before they are asked to behave.
Thirty years feels less like a finish line and more like an endless a brief pause. A chance to look around, take a breath, and notice how far the path continues.
Onwards,
David Walker
