The Wookey Has Awoken

Wookey Jack is back, just in time for the darker days of winter.

First brewed in 2012, this trailblazing Black IPA quickly earned a reputation for its bold blend of dark malts and pungent American hops, winning awards and carving out a loyal following. After a long-awaited return, Wookey Jack is once again ready to challenge your palate with its spicy rye character, citrus-pine hop bite, and signature roasted finish.

Whether you’ve been waiting years to taste it again or you’re discovering it for the first time, Wookey Jack is here to prove why it remains a Firestone Walker classic.

Wookey Jack once again reclaims its title as Firestone Walker’s wildest and woolliest IPA — delivering big, toasty malted rye flavors with a clean, balanced bite on the finish. In Matt Brynildson’s words, it’s “gnarly on the outside, yet refined on the inside.”

This year’s return stays true to the beloved original recipe, featuring pearled dark malts and rye for a rustic grain edge. It’s loaded with dank, sticky Citra and pungent Amarillo hops, layered in through a massive dry-hop regimen that gives Wookey its signature bite and aroma.

Wookey Jack is back at our Paso Robles, Venice Beach, and Buellton taprooms and is rolling out now across all Firestone Walker markets in six-pack (12-ounce can) and draft formats.

A three-time Great American Beer Festival gold medalist, the legend of Wookey Jack keeps growing — one pint at a time.

Wookey Evolved

Need an update on just what the hype is all about? Well, take a seat and get ready to crack into a history lesson about a beer with one of the most dedicated followings in all of craft. Yeah, that’s right, we said it. And if you don’t believe it, just take one sip of Wookey and learn for yourself.

We first released Wookey Jack back in 2012. For Matt, it was a beer designed to quiet the naysayers.

“At the time, there were a few beer geeks out there saying that Firestone Walker still had yet to really make a truly over-the-top hoppy IPA,” Matt recalled. “We took that as a challenge and Wookey Jack was going to be the answer. We dug into the hop closet and pulled out the stickiest and most pungent hops available. We found a blend that really popped and applied it liberally to the brew.”

The resulting beer was an immediate sensation that helped drive the black IPA movement, and that endured for five years before succumbing to cooling demand for the style.

Over the past years, however, there has been a resurgence of appreciation for black IPAs, which Matt feels best lends itself to a seasonal format. “It may not be the type of beer people want to drink year-round, but it just seems right for fall and winter,” he said.

The revamped Wookey Jack also marks the return of the packaged six-pack, 12-ounce can format too. Why? Because you can never get too much Wookey, of course. We also kept the revamped art, a primeval design that reflects our affinity for live music and concert poster art, as rendered by artist Juan Marente, going strong as well.

“We didn’t mess with the liquid,” Matt said. “But we’ve evolved everything else, which to me makes this the best Wookey Jack ever.”

Wookey Jack is available in our taprooms and select markets now. Find the closest can or glass by you with our Beer Finder today.