The drive down was luckily uneventful, a blessing given we were driving through San Francisco headed south on Highway 1. We made good time in the Prius and by the time we passed Gilroy we knew we’d make it to our appointment well ahead of schedule. The driver for this excursion was none other than the Homebrew Chef, Sean Paxton, and we were on our way to see a friend in the industry, Firestone Walker’s brewmaster Matt Brynidleson. We made the journey (a six hour drive for me) to be part of the final blending and tasting panel for XII, Firestone Walker’s much anticipated 12th anniversary ale. Eleven, for those who may have forgotten, was a blend of five barrel-aged beers that utilized barrels of American oak, rye whisky, barley whiskey, and brandy. The beer was phenomenal, with an up-front chocolate and nutty flavor that gave way to the spirits that once matured in the same vessels. There were hints of orange, vanilla, and cracked pepper along with a comfortable alcohol presence. It flew off the shelves and its quality merited its choice as a DRAFT Pick. This year the bar is being raised and to be part of the panel that has influence on the finished product is an honor.

We arrived as the sun was bidding farewell to another day. The tasting room that doubles as brewery entrance was softly lit with warm shades of yellow, while the wood bar and the red floors made the room cozy. The tap list was scrawled on a small black board and the day’s special beers included the GABF award-winning “Oaktoberfest” along with the coveted Unfiltered Double Barrel Ale (UDBA). We stopped only for a moment at the bar before walking through the metal door that led to the production floor where a bottling line was at rest and most of the workers had vacated.

Around a series of turns past fermentors we found Matt working with Firestone’s newest employee Jessica (aka the Thirsty Hopster). They worked in tandem: Matt would rinse and scrub the wooden barrels, making sure no dust or foreign objects were around, then he would jam a 10-inch stainless steel pry bar between the barrel’s bung and wood, working the tool back and forth until the bung was loose. At that moment, Jessica, who was standing at the ready with a long tube that blew compressed air, would stick the tube just inside the barrel’s cavity, which often led to dark and sticky beer flying out toward anyone within five feet. While Jessica kept the air on in the barrel, Matt quickly grabbed a wine-thief (doubling today as a beer-thief) and sample glass. Briskly extracting the beer-filled thief he transferred just enough beer for the four of us to sample and judge. Immediately after taking his sip and passing the glass, Matt then grabbed a large contraption that had a long stainless steel tube that would be inserted into the full barrel. At the flip of a lever or two the device quickly began pulling out the beer and transferring it to the stainless fermentor nearby. Matt and Jessica would repeat this process, stopping between each step to sanitize, 14 times in total.

After all this work, Matt was confident that he had about one-fourth of the beer he would need. You see, all those barrels had only one beer. The beer was aged in rye whisky, barley whiskey, and American oak barrels. These barrels also had a range in toasting that started at “dark” and finished at “deep,” changing the flavor and aroma profiles of the beer inside. Sampling each beer was an exercise in subtle perception. While all were roasted and chocolaty, some had notes of almond, coconut, orange, vanilla, and varying degrees of alcohol warmth. In the end, 12 barrels were selected for that session and once they were emptied they were again stacked and moved out of the way.

By this time, we were tired and needed food before calling it a night. Together we made quick order of cleaning and it wasn’t long before we were on our way for sushi and conversation.

The next day we planned to complete the blending process, but it wouldn’t be a quick ordeal. There were still several beers (each housed in several more barrels) to taste before they could be extracted. Once all the beers had been chosen we would sit with area vintners and begin the actual blending process, playing with ratios for each beer until we agreed on something exceptional. The brewmaster would diligently take notes and I completely expected to be questioned about what we smelled, tasted, felt, and thought about each combination. It would not be a quick decision, but if Firestone Walker expects to match and exceed Eleven, the work is worth the reward. I, for one, can’t wait.