Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Firestone Walker 805
A widely available Californian blonde ale, and the clearest example of what the style is actually for.
- Strength
- 4.7% ABV
- Style
- Blonde ale
Also called 805, 805 Blonde Ale.
Blonde ale is the hardest common style to anchor, because it is defined by a job rather than by a method: it is the beer a brewery makes for the drinker who does not want an IPA. That makes it sound like an absence, and a beer chosen to represent it has to be one people drink on purpose rather than by default.
The name is the telephone area code covering California’s central coast, which is worth knowing because it explains the beer better than a tasting note would. This is a local beer that stayed local in character while distributing widely — restrained, soft-malted and low in bitterness, and deliberately not a vehicle for hop aroma.
What it tastes like
Inherited from Blonde ale, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried because it is where many people start |
|---|---|
| Strength | 4.7% ABV — checked 2026-08-16. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Stable — this product has changed little and is not expected to. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- Named after the telephone area code for California’s central coast rather than after anything in the beer
If you like Firestone Walker 805
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
Irish red ale — try Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale
A close structural match for Firestone Walker 805 — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably more caramel & toffee (none–trace → moderate).
May not suit: Noticeably more caramel & toffee than Firestone Walker 805.
American pale ale — try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Little Creatures Pale Ale
A close structural match for Firestone Walker 805 — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly more bitterness (low → moderate–high).
May not suit: Very close to Firestone Walker 805; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
British golden ale — try Oakham Citra or St Austell Tribute
A close structural match for Firestone Walker 805 — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly more bitterness (low → moderate).
May not suit: Very close to Firestone Walker 805; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
Ordinary bitter — try Greene King IPA or Adnams Southwold Bitter
Keeps most of what Firestone Walker 805 does and shifts carbonation.
Different: noticeably less carbonation (moderate → trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less carbonation than Firestone Walker 805.
Australian sparkling ale — try Coopers Sparkling Ale
Keeps most of what Firestone Walker 805 does and shifts sweetness.
Different: slightly less sweetness (low → trace).
May not suit: Very close to Firestone Walker 805; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Belgian pale ale — try Orval or Pauwel Kwak
Keeps most of what Firestone Walker 805 does and shifts dryness.
Different: noticeably less dryness (moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less dryness than Firestone Walker 805.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
Cream ale — try Genesee Cream Ale
Both carry real dryness, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Firestone Walker 805.
May not suit: Very close to Firestone Walker 805; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
International pale lager — try Heineken Original or Asahi Super Dry
Both carry real dryness, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Firestone Walker 805.
May not suit: Very close to Firestone Walker 805; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
International amber lager — try Dos Equis Ambar or Yuengling Traditional Lager
Both carry real dryness, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Firestone Walker 805.
Different: slightly more caramel & toffee (none–trace → low).
May not suit: Very close to Firestone Walker 805; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from Blonde ale. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
- Spicy food
Gentle sweetness and modest strength take the edge off the chilli rather than sharpening it.
- Ham
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Tapas
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Feta
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Keeping it
Blonde ale shows best within 3–5 months of packaging. After that it declines in quality rather than becoming unsafe.
Drink fresh. Buy it as young as you can and drink it soon. What makes this beer worth drinking is the first thing to leave it.
Derived from Blonde ale. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-16.