Recap of the 2025 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest
The sights and sounds and smells, and tastes of Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest are a feast for the senses. In addition to the 300+ beers being poured, a formidable collection of local restaurants offer a smorgasbord of food along with planned and impromptu musical acts throughout the day scattered across the Paso Robles Event Center grounds.
The 5-6 hour festival invites attendees to take their time, moseying between beer booths while noshing on fine bites in between. While the lines of the most hyped-up beer may require a 10+ minute wait, there are ample opportunities to walk right up to a tent and grab some fine beer from the brewer themselves. There are many ways to go about enjoying oneself at FWIBF: Hardcore gotta-drink-em-all Pokemon style, Untappd master, leisurely go-with-the-breeze experiential free spirit, or somewhere in between. The festival welcomes and accommodates all types.
It is all but impossible to summarize a best-of beer list from the festival, as sampling more than a modest proportion of the 300+ beers is unreasonable, bordering on irresponsible. In the vein of journalistic integrity, PorchDrinking did its best to taste some beers we were excited for and report on the findings. Here we go!
The perfect, ideal Italian Pilsner with an extra hop element. As simple as that, yet as complicated as can be.
This Pastry Stout collab with Pinthouse and Green Cheek brings all the best Elvis vibes to the party. A blended stout with marshmallow, toasted bananas, and peanut butter, Fourth Meal showcases the perfect balance of adjunct flavors.
Burial – Barleywine Old Fashioned
Oh, you thought this would just be straight-up beer?! Guess again. Burial got creative with their offerings with a list of beer-based cocktails. The Barleywine-based Old Fashioned was a great take on the classic, with the roasty caramel elements of the beer lending nicely to some bitter citrus.
This is just one of the smoothest, easiest-drinkingest beers to be found. Anywhere. Period.
Horus – FWIBF Crown
A Quadruple Barrel-Aged Stout with coconut is Horus’s swan song for their first-ever festival invite.
A new beer from Russian River, this combines their legendary West Coast hop prowess with an easy-drinking Pilsner base. Perfect combo.
Side Project – The Cellar Tenth Anniversary Barleywine
The barrel-aged mastery of Side Project is perfectly displayed in an incredible Barleywine blend. Nothing much more to be said.
Wayfinder – Nothing Sacred
There is nothing to complain about a beautiful, bright, easy-drinking springtime Lager made in collaboration with New Belgium and Narragansett to celebrate female brewers.
Westbound & Down – Western Justice Vanilla & Coffee
What a banger! Combining the incredible Western Justice with generous heapings of vanilla and coffee yields a decadent fudgy layer cake of a treat.
