Firestone Walker Agrestic 12OZ

Firestone Walker Agrestic 12OZ is a 6.6% ABV barrel-aged wild ale from Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, California. Scored 97 points in a blind taste test by BJCP judges for Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Agrestic is one of the most acclaimed sour ales produced on the Central Coast.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.6%  |  Origin: Paso Robles, California  |  Style: Barrel-Aged Wild Ale  |  Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Firestone Walker Brewing Company, founded in 1996 by Adam Firestone and David Walker, built its reputation on oak-fermented ales before expanding into one of California's most respected breweries. Agrestic begins its life as DBA (Double Barrel Ale), Firestone Walker's flagship, then undergoes a proprietary transformation the brewery calls the "chrysalis" process. The beer matures for eight to twenty-four months in a blend of 87% French oak and 13% American oak barrels inoculated with a proprietary collection of wild microflora, fundamentally reshaping the beer's character into something entirely new — tart, complex, and layered with barrel influence.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with expressive wild character — Brett funk, white grape, and apple cider — before settling into sweet cherry, vanilla, and coconut drawn from the oak. Toasted oak and rosewood add a woody, elegant undercurrent.

Taste: On entry, a pronounced tartness and lemony acidity immediately take hold, delivering a slight pucker. The mid-palate broadens into very ripe stone fruit — peach and dark cherry — interwoven with Earl Grey tea, light spice, and hints of lemon pith. The body is medium, smooth, and silky, with a semi-dry profile balanced by a fine acidic edge.

Finish: The finish is crisp and mouth-watering, with chewy tannins that recall a young red wine. Lingering notes of toasted oak, lime, and subdued vanilla slowly fade.

How to Drink Agrestic

Agrestic is best served at cellar temperature, around 50–55°F, in a tulip glass or wine goblet to concentrate its complex aromatics. Pour gently to manage any sediment.

• Berliner Shandy: Blend a small pour of Agrestic with a light wheat beer and a squeeze of lemon for a refreshing, sessionable sour hybrid.
• Wild Ale Spritz: Combine with a splash of elderflower liqueur over ice for a beer-based aperitif that plays off Agrestic's natural tartness and floral oak notes.
• Snakebite Variation: Mix equal parts Agrestic and dry cider to amplify the apple and tart fruit character already present in the base beer.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward sour and wild ales
• Pairing alongside a composed cheese board at a dinner party
• Cellaring for one to three years to observe how the wild character evolves
• Introducing wine drinkers to the barrel-aged sour ale category

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Agrestic taste like? Agrestic delivers a bright, tart lemon and stone fruit character layered with toasted oak, vanilla, and a wine-like tannic grip. The overall impression is a crisp, complex sour ale with a smooth, medium body and semi-dry finish.

How does Agrestic compare to Russian River Supplication? Both are California barrel-aged wild ales with pronounced acidity and oak character, but Agrestic begins as an English-style pale ale (DBA) rather than a brown ale base, resulting in a lighter, more citrus-driven tartness compared to Supplication's darker fruit and Pinot Noir barrel influence.

Is Agrestic good for sipping on its own? Agrestic is built for contemplative drinking — its layered oak, fruit, and wild yeast complexity reward slow, attentive sipping at cellar temperature in a tulip glass.

Where is Agrestic made? Agrestic is produced by Firestone Walker Brewing Company at their facility in Paso Robles, California, a region better known for its wine country but increasingly recognized for world-class barrel-aged beer production.

What foods pair well with Agrestic? Aged Gruyère or Comté, whose nutty intensity matches the oak and vanilla notes; charcuterie with cornichons, echoing the beer's acidity; roasted duck, where the tartness cuts through richness; fresh chèvre drizzled with honey, balancing the sour profile; and lemon tarts, which mirror and complement the citrus-driven finish.

What sizes does Agrestic come in? Agrestic is commonly available in 12oz bottles, often sold individually given its limited-release nature.

Is Agrestic worth the price? Agrestic positions as a premium craft offering within the barrel-aged wild ale category, and its extended aging process of eight to twenty-four months in French and American oak justifies its place above standard sour ales in terms of both complexity and value.

Why Agrestic?

What separates Agrestic from the crowded field of American wild ales is Firestone Walker's chrysalis process — a deliberate, multi-year transformation of their established DBA recipe through proprietary microflora cultures and a precise French-to-American oak ratio. A 97-point score from BJCP-certified judges in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine's blind tasting speaks directly to the beer's technical quality, not just its hype. With over 22,000 ratings on Untappd holding steady at 4.0 out of 5, Agrestic has proven its consistency across multiple batches. For drinkers seeking a sour ale with genuine depth — oak tannin structure, layered fruit, and controlled wild character — Agrestic remains one of the most accomplished examples in its class.