Firestone Walker Award-Winning Brewing Tips & Clone Recipes
This September a brewer and his team walked the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) stage in Denver, Colorado to collect an unprecedented fifth Mid-size Brewery and Brewer of the Year award. No other brewer has earned that recognition as many times, which is akin to the Ninkasi Award for craft brewers as it requires winning across a portfolio of entries. It is hard to imagine a craft beer landscape without this dominant player and yet Matt Brynildson and Firestone Walker Brewing Company almost never came together in the first place.
In 1996 brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker set off to create a regional brewery that would ferment all its beers in oak barrels. Firestone’s exposure to the cooperage used in his family’s wine business along with Walker’s British background birthed their flagship beer, Double Barrel Ale. By 2001 they were looking to move past the limited production in their less-than-ideal facility in Los Olivos, California.
An hour and a half to the north in Paso Robles, the SLO Brewing Company was struggling to make ends meet brewing their Amber and Blueberry Ales as well as contract brewing in their state-of-the-art facility. Eventually the brewery went into receivership and the staff was laid off. But two employees kept the operation on life support for months, brewing batches until the silos were empty, transferring beers, and filling customer orders as long as they could keep the beer flowing. Quality Manager Jim Crooks and Brewmaster Matt Brynildson could not bear to see what they had made go to waste.
That is when Firestone Walker Brewing Company stepped in. The Paso Robles facility represented a turnkey option that would neatly sidestep the unknowns breweries tackle as they grow. What they did not fully appreciate at the time was that they were also picking up the DNA for what would become a brewing team that has dominated national competitions for over a decade.
Tradition and Tentative Steps
The early days at Firestone were marked by a decidedly cautious approach to developing their lineup. The centerpiece of the brewery was the patented Firestone Union fermentation system. Taking cues from the traditional Burton Union system, the setup comprises a series of barrels that interconnect so that during active fermentation their contents mingle. Their unique twist was to use new American oak and constantly rotate in fresh barrels to replace the oldest in the union, contributing a consistently prominent oak character without being harsh. Ensuring sanitary conditions requires constant vigilance and a top notch brew lab.
The original beer to use the Firestone Union, and the one that still features a significant oak character, is Double Barrel Ale. Styled as an English pale, the roughly 20% oak fermented component provides a complexity that cannot be easily created with modern stainless Unitank brewing. If you are at one of the Firestone tasting rooms treat yourself to the locals’ favorite Unfiltered Double Barrel Ale (UDBA), which is entirely from the Union and is not available outside the brewery.
Following DBA, Firestone added several mainstream style beers to their lineup: Walker’s Reserve Porter, Firestone Pale Ale, and Firestone Lager. None pushed the limits of style or shook the brewing world, but they did steadily grow Firestone into the regional powerhouse that the two founders originally envisioned.
What was also clear is that the brewing team in Paso Robles was capable of producing consistently high quality beer. They won two GABF gold medals and Mid-size Brewery of the Year in 2003 for Nectar Ales, which they owned at the time. Even the value-priced Mission Street Pale Ale they brewed for Trader Joe’s collected several medals and traded places back and forth with their own Pale Ale in the hotly contested American-Style Pale Ale category.
Nailing the basics to turn out great beers for their own brands and their partners paid off as it funded the steady growth of the brewery.
Expanding Lineup
What seemed to shake Firestone Walker out of its conservative approach was the launch of their anniversary beer series in 2006. Building on the success of the barrel program and the anniversary beers, Firestone gained confidence to go beyond their earlier efforts. While they had been kicking around a few recipes in the brewhouse for a while and had ample experience brewing the style under other brands, they were conspicuously absent in the rapidly growing IPA market.
Brynildson and team got to work coming up with a West Coast IPA that would have a present malt backbone yet be dry and showcase American hops. From those efforts Union Jack was born in 2008. In a crowded market and the most-entered category at the competition, the beer debuted with a gold medal at GABF. It went on to repeat that performance with another gold the following year.
This impressive feat of releasing a new beer and immediately receiving the highest honors was repeated twice more in the following years. In 2012 Firestone released a black rye IPA curiously named “Wookey Jack.” Pairing a roasty malt character with the slightly spicy rye allows the resinous citrus hop character to shine. The surprisingly smooth impression belies the 8.3% ABV and 75 IBUs that help it stand out at the high end of the style.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Pivo Pils. Released in 2013, it has owned the top of the GABF German-Style Pilsener podium for three straight years. While not necessarily on many craft beer drinkers’ short lists, and despite the challenges of fermenting a lager, GABF entry counts indicate this style is a favorite of brewers. The beer has a clean, lightly toasty maltiness with a bracingly bitter hop character. That clean bitterness pairs well with the floral and spicy hop character from significant dry hopping with German Saphir.
Give the Masses What They Want
Which brings us to the breakout hit in the Firestone lineup that has driven the explosive recent growth. Over the years Firestone offered a honey blonde ale in the taproom and to local establishments. The beer went through some recipe adjustments and the brand was developed to emphasize the central coast connection and “805” was born.
A sessionable beer celebrating the life on the Central Coast, 805 developed an immediate and substantial following. That growth has consumed all excess capacity at the brewery and has driven further investments in cellar space and packaging. Today it makes up roughly 45% of all production at the brewery. Additional shifts were added so that the brewhouse is in use nearly 24/7 and Firestone finally gave up the contract brewing that helped drive capital efficiency.
From Midwest to Wild West
The Brewmaster behind all this success, Matt Brynildson, got his start in brewing in his hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Bell’s Porter introduced him to craft brew and he was soon down at Bell’s homebrew store figuring out how he could make beer like that himself.
He still has his brewing journals from the early days. It says something that those meticulous notes from over two decades ago are within arms reach from his desk in the multimillion-dollar brewery he leads. Included are notes for the first homebrewed batches of what is now known as Velvet Merlin, the oatmeal stout that’s seasonally released from the brewery and has won numerous awards under the name Velvet Merkin before finding a spot in their regular lineup.
He carried his passion for beer through his time at Kalamazoo College and into his first post-graduation job in the hop lab at Kalamazoo Spice Extraction Company (known as Kalsec). There he put his pre-med chemistry skills to use doing hop extractions in the lab.
It was Kalsec that sent him to formal brewing school at Siebel Institute. While their intent was to provide Brynildson with the context to inform his interactions with their brewery customers it actually helped him realize that he could make brewing a full time gig. Through Siebel’s close relationship with Chicago’s Goose Island Brewing he landed his first brewing job. There he quickly rose to head brewer and learned the ins and outs of brewing at a production scale.
Those skills came in handy when he made the move out West a few years later to become Brewmaster at SLO Brewing company at its Paso Robles, California facility and nearly identical JV Northwest brewhouse. The honeymoon was short-lived, though, as a year later SLO Brewing was forced to shut down the brewery for financial reasons. That’s when Brynildson and Jim Crooks worked to keep things running until Firestone Walker stepped in.
A Modest Merlin
Talking to Brynildson these days you get the sense of a reflective and understated brewer who attributes his success to nailing the basics and surrounding himself will a solid team. While his prowess in developing award-winning beers earned him the nickname “Merlin,” he had a decidedly more ordinary explanation for
his results.
When approaching a new beer he begins with deciding what he is trying to achieve. Will it be a showcase for a new hop variety? Emulate a classic style? Fulfill a specific demand in the market? His background biases him towards focusing on a concept around the hop aroma and flavor.
He is methodical about his research of existing examples of similar beers and uses Firestone’s well-run sensory evaluation lab to quantify each. Multiple tasters are used and feedback scrutinized until it is clear what does and does not work.
When it comes to ingredients, Brynildson and team are hands on and evaluate everything before using it. When I tried to pin him down to guiding principles, favored varieties, or preferred suppliers I was constantly turned back. Hops are rubbed and smelled to determine quality and character. Malts tasted both raw and mashed. Yeasts introduced as needed to complete the profile.
His advice on perfecting beers is to be continuously critically evaluating results and being willing to make adjustments to deal with variations over time. I did not get a sense that there is a model of the perfect version of the beer in his mind that he chases. Instead he is always working on identifying opportunities and making iterative improvements.
From all this you get the sense that “Edison” is a more apt name than Merlin. It is clear that research, experimentation, failure, and refinement are central to his approach.
Brewing Like Firestone
In order to replicate Firestone’s beers or even improvise using their approach, it is useful to know a few key facts around their ingredients, processes, and capabilities.
Malt at Firestone Walker comes from a number of sources. Rahr or Malteurop North American two-row is by far the largest portion. This is paired with Great Western wheat and Munich 10 malts, Gambrinus Honey Malt, Crisp Maris Otter, Briess Carapils®, and Simpsons specialty malts along with many others. For beers with a British malt profile, the grist comprises North American two-row, Maris Otter, and Munich in order to simulate an all Maris Otter base. For the German styles like the taproom-only Hefeweizen and Pivo Pils, a healthy dose of Weyermann Pilsner malt is used.
Hops are a mix of old standbys and cutting edge releases. These include Centennial, Simcoe®, Amarillo®, Citra®, US Fuggles, East Kent Goldings, Cascade, Chinook, German Magnum/Hercules, Saphir, Spalter Select, Hull Melon, Bavarian Mandarina, Mosaic™, and Nelson Sauvin. Keeping up with the status of hop crops and adjusting recipes over time is a large part of how the brewers maintain the quality in their portfolio.
The primary proprietary yeast strain used at Firestone Walker has an unclear origin but is most similar to the Fuller’s strain (White Labs WLP002 English Ale or Wyeast 1968 London ESB.) That strain is used across most of their ales. Lagers are fermented with the Weihenstephan 34/70 strain (White Labs WLP830 German Lager or Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager.) German wheat beers use the Weihenstephan 175 strain (White Labs WLP351 Bavarian Weizen or Wyeast 3638 Bavarian Wheat Yeast.) Saisons use the Wyeast 3711 (French Saison) strain.
Water in Paso Robles is not great for brewing due to the high concentrations of bicarbonate and other minerals. This is definitely a case where you do not want to try to mimic the local brewery water because Firestone runs all their brewing liquor through a reverse osmosis system. They then add back calcium to reach 100 ppm for yeast health and to avoid beer scale formation on equipment. This is done with calcium chloride for malt-focused beers and with equal parts calcium chloride and calcium sulfate for hop-focused beers.
At the start of the brewing process Firestone Walker relies on a wet mill to achieve nearly 100% starch conversion efficiency. They mash into a dedicated tun. Since they have an automated system at their disposal and are optimizing to get the most throughput from their brewhouse they typically mash only as long as required so that starch conversion is complete as confirmed by an iodine test. Many of their beers start at 145 °F (63 °C) to gelatinize the starches and emphasize beta amylase enzymatic conversion before ramping to the mid-150’s °F (~65-68 °C) to let alpha amylase do its job. On some beers this is simplified down to a single 151 °F (66 °C) rest for speed and simplicity. Mash out is at 170 °F (77 °C) and then the mash is transferred to a dedicated lauter tun. Following the lauter the boil is a standard process and then the beer moves to a whirlpool for any final hop additions and trub settling before they chill it in a heat exchanger on the way to the fermenter.
Fermentation completes in large unitanks that take several brewhouse turns to fill. Brynildson is an advocate of dry hopping beers while there is still active fermentation in order to take advantage of the oxygen scavenging characteristics of the yeast, the natural mixing action, and for the yeast’s influence on the hop compounds themselves. For beers requiring the biggest hop punch he will hit them with another dry hop dose after fermentation is complete.
Firestone filters their beers through a diatomaceous earth filter before carbonating and packaging. They are scrupulous about the pickup of oxygen during all phases of the process.
Firestone Walker in the Future
While initially envisioned to just focus on the California market and more specifically the Central Coast, Firestone has clearly reset its sights to bigger targets. You can now find Firestone Walker beers across the West, in Texas, and throughout much of the mid-Atlantic.
Firestone made big news when it announced that it would be joining Duvel Moortgat in order to fund the next phase of brewery and distribution expansion. While both Duvel and Firestone are privately held companies and under no obligation to disclose the details of the deal, when compared to the straightforward acquisitions Duvel made of Brewery Ommegang and Boulevard Brewing, it appears that this is a more nuanced arrangement. What is certainly clear is that this change is not following the model of brewery acquisitions where a macro brewer is primarily interested in acquiring brands to add credibility to their attempts to make inroads with craft beer drinkers.
It is difficult to predict what is coming in the next phase for Firestone Walker. Unlike some of the recent acquisitions in the craft brewing industry, the partnership with Duvel feels different because of the players involved. When I spoke to Brynildson recently there was no sign of significant changes brewing and everyone was as committed as ever. What is clear is that with the success they continue to achieve, the talent at the helm, and now the additional resources to grow, Firestone Walker fans can expect to see them having an even bigger impact on the beer drinkers around the world.
In talking to Brynildson about upcoming beer releases he shared that they will be launching a series called Luponic Distortion. The goal is to give the brewers freedom to introduce fresh hop combinations to drinkers without being obligated to produce the same product over time. The emphasis is on creating a great beer that makes the best use of the available hops and experiments with different flavors and aromas.
Make Your Way to Paso Robles and Buellton
But don’t take my word for it (as a certain Reading Rainbow host might say) — if you’re going to be visiting California’s Central Coast any time soon, plan a visit to Firestone Walker’s two locations. The main brewery in Paso Robles has a large visitors center with tasting room and features guided brewery and cellar tours (free on weekdays, weekend tours are $3). Find out more about visiting and tours at http://www.firestonebeer.com/visit/. And don’t skip out on their Buellton location, which features the brewery’s Barrelworks Tasting Room and Blending Center where you can find beers from their wild ale program as well as one-off selections from their barrel-aging spirits program http://www.firestonebeer.com/barrelworks/index.php
The Firestone Walker Brewing Company has won Mid-size Brewery of the Year four times (2007, 2011, 2013, and 2015) at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver, Colorado. This matches the brewery’s record as a four-time recipient of the Champion Mid-Size Brewing Company award at the World Beer Cup. Brewmaster Matt Brynildson also won GABF Mid-size Brewery of the Year in 2003 while heading up Nectar Ales.
The centerpiece of Firestone Walker is the patented Firestone Union fermentation system. Taking cues from the traditional Burton Union system, the setup comprises a series of barrels that interconnect so that during active fermentation their contents mingle. After a few months the barrels are transferred to the barrel aging program.
Barrels of various Firestone Walker wild ales and strong ales in the barrel room at the brewer’s Buellton, California facility — known as The Barrelworks Tasting Room and Blending Center. Firestone brewers perfom all kinds of experiments with fermenters, processes, and ingredients at the Barrelworks facility. The tasting room also features one-off selections from their barrel-aging spirits program.
Barrel Program
For most of the life of the Firestone Walker Brewing Company, their Buellton, California location has been a taproom and restaurant that did not produce any beer. That changed in 2013, however, when original Firestone Walker Brewer Jeffers Richardson returned to team up with longtime Quality Manager Jim Crooks to open Barrelworks Tasting Room and Blending Center. Focusing on building out a cellar of sour and funky beers, the facility also provides a dedicated tasting room for the latest concoctions. The raw beer for Barrelworks is still produced at the Paso Robles facility but is then trucked down and transferred into barrels and foeders (large wooden vats) for funkifying.
The Firestone brewers have been experimenting with different fermenters, processes, and ingredients since the program started. Some batches such as Krieky Bones (a Flander’s red ale fermented on sour Montmorency cherries in an oak foeder) are kept intact. But the real magic comes from expanding on what they have learned doing the anniversary series, blending together various components (see more about blending in the sidebar on page 86). El Gourdo combines saison and American wild red ale components spanning both American and French oak barrels with roasted pumpkins, walnuts, and bay leaf.
Those experiments have begun to pay off as they won a silver medal for Feral One in Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale and a bronze for Sour Opal in Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer at this year’s GABF.
Barrelworks maintains around 15 or so wild ales and strong ales available on draft at any given time for visitors to taste.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company 805 clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.011
IBU = 19 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.7%
Ingredients
8 lbs. 3 oz. (3.7 kg) Rahr Standard 2-row malt
12 oz. (340 g) honey malt
12 oz. (340 g) wheat malt
3.7 AAU Willamette hops (60 min.)
(0.85 oz./24 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.85 oz. (24 g) Willamette hops (0 min.)
7 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.6 gallons (13.75 L) of 166 °F (74 °C) strike water and optional calcium chloride to reach a mash temperature of 154 °F (68 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (76 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.039 wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the hops according to the ingredients list. After the boil turn off the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Once at terminal gravity (approximately 7 days total) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate as usual.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company 805 clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.011
IBU = 19 SRM = 5 ABV = 4.7%
Ingredients
5 lbs. 6 oz. (2.4 kg) golden liquid malt extract
12 oz. (340 g) honey malt
12 oz. (340 g) wheat malt
3.7 AAU Willamette hops (60 min.)
(0.85 oz./24 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.85 oz. (24 g) Willamette hops (0 min.)
7 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the milled grains in a muslin bag and steep in 3 quarts (2.8 L) of 149 °F (65 °C) water for 30 minutes. Remove the grain and rinse with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Add water to reach a volume of 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) and heat to boiling. Turn off the heat, add the liquid malt extract and optional calcium chloride, and stir until completely dissolved. Top up if necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.039 SG wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. After the boil turn off the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Once at terminal gravity (approximately 7 days total) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate as usual.
Tips for success:
Firestone Walker runs all their brewing liquor through a reverse osmosis system. They then add back calcium to reach 100 ppm for yeast health and to avoid beer scale formation on equipment. This is done with calcium chloride for malt-focused beers and with equal parts calcium chloride and calcium sulfate for hop-focused beers.
If you’re homebrewing with hard water, you can dilute your water with distilled water or add some acid to drop the pH of the wort. Adding some lactic acid or phosphoric acid to the mash and sparge water will help this blonde ale have the proper crisp character. If left untreated, hard water could lead to an astringent, harsh, and flabby/thin-bodied beer. If you are not sure of the hardness of your water, it may be time to find out. Try to contact your local water department for a water report (which are free). Or, if you have a well or other water source, there are many water test kits and laboratories that can provide this number
for you.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Velvet Merlin clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.020
IBU = 29 SRM = 44 ABV = 5.6%
Ingredients
8.75 lbs. (4 kg) Rahr Standard 2-row malt
1 lb. 9 oz. (0.71 kg) flaked oats
1 lb. 9 oz. (0.71 kg) Briess roasted barley (300 °L)
14 oz. (400 g) caramel malt (120 °L)
5 oz. (140 g) Carapils® malt
4 oz. (113 g) caramel malt (80 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special III malt
3.8 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.)
(0.85 oz./24 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
3.8 AAU Fuggle hops (30 min.)
(0.85 oz./24 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
7 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill grains and mix with 5 gallons (19 L) of 156 °F (69 °C) strike water and optional calcium chloride to reach a mash temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). Hold this temperature for 15 minutes. Raise the mash temperature to 155 °F (68 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to a mash out of 168 °F (76 °C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (76 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.051 SG wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. Turn off the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Once at terminal gravity (approximately 7 days total) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate as usual.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Velvet Merlin clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.061 FG = 1.020
IBU = 29 SRM = 44 ABV = 5.6%
Ingredients
5 lbs. (2.27 kg) golden liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 lbs.) US 2-row malt
1 lb. 9 oz. (0.71 kg) flaked oats
1 lb. 9 oz. (0.71 kg) Briess roasted barley (300 °L)
14 oz. (400 g) caramel malt (120 °L)
5 oz. (140 g) Carapils® malt
4 oz. (113 g) caramel malt (80 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special III malt
3.8 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.)
(0.85 oz./24 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
3.8 AAU Fuggle hops (30 min.)
(0.85 oz./24 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
7 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the milled 2-row malt and flaked oats in a muslin bag and steep in 10 qts. (9.5 L) of 149 °F (65 °C) water for 45 minutes. Remove the grains and rinse with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Add the remaining crushed grains in separate muslin bag and steep an additional 15 minutes. Add water to reach a volume of 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) and heat to boiling. Turn off the heat, add the liquid malt extract and optional calcium chloride, and stir until completely dissolved. Top up to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.051 SG wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. Turn off the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Once at terminal gravity (approximately 7 days total) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate as usual.
Tips for success:
For all-grain brewers: Oats contain a lot of large beta-glucan gums and contain a lot of undegraded proteins. While this is great for adding mouthfeel, a large percentage of oats can contribute to a stuck sparge. At 12% flaked oats in this recipe, adding a handful of rice hulls is a good idea if you often experience sticky mashes. Add them in prior to starting your lauter to save you some time and a headache later.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Union Jack clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.070 FG = 1.015
IBU = 70 SRM = 7 ABV = 7.5%
Ingredients
12 lbs. 5 oz. (5.6 kg) Rahr Standard 2-row malt
1 lb. 6 oz. (0.6 kg) Great Western Munich malt (10 °L)
11 oz. (310 g) Carapils® malt
5 oz. (140 g) UK light crystal malt (38 °L)
11.4 AAU German Magnum hops
(60 min.) (1.04 oz./29 g at 11% alpha acids)
1.9 AAU Cascade hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Centennial hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
1.9 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Centennial hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (first dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Centennial hops (first dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Amarillo® hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Citra® hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Chinook hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Simcoe® hops (second dry hop)
3.5 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
3.5 g gypsum (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill grains and mix with 5.5 gallons (21 L) of 156 °F (69 °C) strike water and optional brewing salts to reach a mash temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). Hold this temperature for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature to 155 °F (68 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to a mash out of 168 °F (75 °C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.058 SG wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. After the boil, turn off the heat and chill the wort to 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). After 4 days add the first dry hop addition. After 7 days add the second dry hop addition. Once at terminal gravity (~10 days) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Union Jack clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.070 FG = 1.015
IBU = 70 SRM = 7 ABV = 7.5%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) golden liquid malt extract
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Briess Munich liquid malt extract
6 oz. (310 g) Carapils® malt
5 oz. (140 g) UK light crystal malt (38 °L)
11.4 AAU German Magnum hops
(60 min.) (1.04 oz./29 g at 11% alpha acids)
1.9 AAU Cascade hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Centennial hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
1.9 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Centennial hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Cascade hops (first dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Centennial hops (first dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Amarillo® hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Citra® hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Chinook hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Simcoe® hops (second dry hop)
3.5 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
3.5 g gypsum (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the milled grains in a muslin bag and steep in 5 quarts (4.7 L) of 149 °F (65 °C) water for 15 minutes. Remove the grain and rinse with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Add water to reach a volume of 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) and boil. Turn off the heat, add the malt extract and brewing salts, and stir until dissolved. Top up to 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.058 SG wort. Follow remainder of all-grain recipe.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Wookey Jack clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.076 FG = 1.016
IBU = 75 SRM = 33 ABV = 8.3%
Ingredients
13 lbs. 3 oz. (6 kg) Rahr Standard 2-row malt
1 lb. 6 oz. (0.63 kg) rye malt
9 oz. (255 g) Weyermann Cararye® malt (70 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) caramel malt (80 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) Briess Midnight Wheat malt
6 oz. (170 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special III malt
9.1 AAU German Magnum hops
(60 min.) (0.8 oz./22 g at 11% alpha acids)
6.3 AAU Citra® hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 15% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Amarillo® hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 9% alpha acids)
6.3 AAU Citra® hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 15% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz/11 g at 9% alpha acids)
0.4 oz.(11 g) Citra® hops (first dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Amarillo® hops (first dry hop)
0.4 oz.(11 g) Citra® hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Amarillo® hops (second dry hop)
3.5 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
3.5 g gypsum (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill grains and mix with 6 gallons (23 L) of 156 °F (69 °C) strike water and optional brewing salts to reach a mash temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). Hold this temperature for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature to 155 °F (68 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to a mash out of 168 °F (75 °C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with enough 168 °F(75 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.063 SG wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. Turn of the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 66 °F (19 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). After 4 days of fermentation add the first dry hop addition. After
7 days fermentation add the second dry hop addition. Once at terminal gravity (approximately 10 days) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Wookey Jack clone
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.076 FG = 1.016
IBU = 75 SRM = 33 ABV = 8.3%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) extra light dried malt extract
1 lb. 6 oz. (0.63 kg) rye malt
9 oz. (255 g) Weyermann Cararye® malt (70 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) caramel malt (80 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) Briess Midnight Wheat malt
6 oz. (170 g) Weyermann Carafa® Special III malt
9.1 AAU German Magnum hops
(60 min.) (0.8 oz./22 g at 11% alpha acids)
6.3 AAU Citra® hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 15% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Amarillo® hops (30 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 9% alpha acids)
6.3 AAU Citra® hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz./11 g at 15% alpha acids)
3.6 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.)
(0.4 oz/11 g at 9% alpha acids)
0.4 oz.(11 g) Citra® hops (first dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Amarillo® hops (first dry hop)
0.4 oz.(11 g) Citra® hops (second dry hop)
0.4 oz. (11 g) Amarillo® hops (second dry hop)
3.5 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
3.5 g gypsum (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the milled rye malt in a muslin bag and steep in 4 quarts (3.8 L) of 149 °F (65 °C) water for 45 minutes. Remove the grain and rinse with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of hot water. Add the roasted and caramel malts in a second bag and steep for 15 minutes. Remove that grain bag, then add water to reach a volume of 5.4 gallons (20.4 L) and heat to boiling. Turn off the heat, add the liquid malt extract and optional brewing salts, and stir until completely dissolved. Top up if necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.063 wort. Boil 60 minutes, and follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Pivo Pils clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.009
IBU = 40 SRM = 3 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
9 lbs. 6 oz. (4.3 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
8.3 AAU German Magnum hops
(60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 11% alpha acids)
2.3 AAU German Spalt Select hops
(30 min.) (0.5 oz/14 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.8 oz. (22 g) German Saphir hops (0 min.)
0.8 oz. (22 g) German Saphir hops (dry hop)
7 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill grains and mix with 3.5 gallons (13 L) of 156 °F (69 °C) strike water and optional calcium chloride to reach a mash temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). Hold this temperature for 15 minutes. Raise the mash temperature to 155 °F (68 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Raise the temperature to a mash out of 168 °F (75 °C). Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.038 wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. Turn off the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 48 °F (9 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). After 4 days of fermentation add the dry hop addition. After 7 days total slowly raise the temperature to60 °F (16 °C) for three days for a diacetyl rest. Then slowly lower the beer to 34 °F (1 °C). Once at terminal gravity (approximately 14 days total) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate. Lager at 34 °F
(1 °C) for approximately one month before serving.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company Pivo Pils clone
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.009
IBU = 40 SRM = 4 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
6.5 lbs. (2.9 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
8.3 AAU German Magnum hops
(60 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 11% alpha acids)
2.3 AAU German Spalt Select hops
(30 min.) (0.5 oz/14 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
0.8 oz. (22 g) German Saphir hops (0 min.)
0.8 oz. (22 g) German Saphir hops (dry hop)
7 g calcium chloride (if using reverse osmosis water)
White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.5 gallons (21 L) of water and optional calcium chloride to boil, turn off flame, and stir in liquid malt extract until completely dissolved. Top up if necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of 1.038 SG wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list. Turn off the heat and chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 48 °F (9 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch the yeast.
Ferment at 50 °F (10 °C). After 4 days of fermentation add the dry hop addition. After 7 days total slowly raise the temperature to 60 °F (16 °C) for three days for a diacetyl rest. Then slowly lower the beer to 34 °F (1 °C). Once at terminal gravity (approximately 14 days total) bottle or keg the beer and carbonate. Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for approximately one month before serving.
Tips for success:
The biggest key to making this beer (and any good Pilsener) is to start with soft water. Firestone Walker runs all their brewing liquor through a reverse osmosis system. They then add back calcium to reach 100 ppm for yeast health and to avoid beer scale formation on equipment. This is done with calcium chloride for malt-focused beers and with equal parts calcium chloride and calcium sulfate for hop-focused beers.
