This is a return southbound visit for me and I was lucky to make the last hour of tasting for the day. On previous visits I had opted for premium brews but on this occasion, I settled for a four glass sampler so my travel companions could appreciate the range of styles. While they expressed their "Passion for the Pale" ales, I savored the snifter of Walker Reserve. The tasting area has a mix of bar and table seating but be sure to venture into the back where you can view the brewing and canning facility (pretty much a given since that’s where the restrooms are). There is a parking lot out front but it can become crowded during evening tasting when many locals enjoy this friendly taproom.

reviewed on: 2009-01-11 14:32:13

I was in PR for a few days of business and was looking forward to a trip to FW. I found it very easy to locate. Outside there was a dump truck under a pipe that was slowly getting filled with spent grains.

Inside I found a very comfortable tasting room. there were very few patrons there sampling. My friend and I ordered a couple of pints of the Double Barrel. Later we had the Nectar and the Barleywine.

I asked about 220z bottle sales, and was told that I could receive a discount since I had come such a long way. However, i could not receive a discount on a mixed case.

I found all beers to be very good. Only the nectar seemed a little thin, though well within style guidelines. the Barleywine was nothing short of Dominating. At 13.5% it was rich in bourbon and vanilla flavors. truly a wonder in a glass. (8 oz goblet for $6.00)

reviewed on: 2008-05-18 19:44:11

Feb 12, 2008

I stumbled onto the Firestone Walker Brewery tasting room in Paso Robles, Ca while looking for reasonably priced gasoline off I-5 in Southern California. Fate was with me. The tasting room closes most days at 7pm so I had only 1 ½ hrs to make an evaluation.

The brewery has won a Brewery of the Year award in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. The brewery is dog friendly and I was greeted by a friendly dog. Pints are $3.50 and 25 oz mugs are $5.00. The most popular is the Double Barrel Amber which is fermented and aged in Oak barrels. This is quite labor intensive but is worth the effort. Kim, the barmaid, was friendly and knowledgeable. One can help oneself to pretzels and mustard. The tasting room is clean, organized, well lit and warm. This is a working brewery. Matt the brewmaster after seeing me taking pictures, offered me a tour of the brewery. It is obvious employees take pride in what they do. At the time they were having a problem with the mashing and, as a team, were trying to remedy the problem. The brewery is very modern, well designed and can brew 8 batches a day. They brew only 5 days a week “as a quality of life issue.” The local water is reduced to just water through processes ending in reverse osmosis, then salts are added to mirror the waters needed for a particular beer. Matt’s tour was open, informative and impressive.

The products from this brewery outsell Bud in the county.

As I remember the Nectar ale line is a separate label of more hoppy beers. I ended the early evening with both of the IPA and Union Jack, India Pale Ales and small tastes of the Parabola (14 %) and Hemp Ale with hemp seeds.

As I was visiting with another patron, I noticed she was flushing and turning red. I asked if she was allergic to beer and she said to the hops in the IPA (of which she had a 25 oz mug). She said in the summer, when she is taking Alegra, she does not have the reaction.

I would put this on my do again list.

Mike Kiester

reviewed on: 2008-02-13 23:53:03