Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Why it matters

Blonde ale is defined by its job rather than by a technique — the beer a brewery makes for somebody who does not want an IPA — which makes it hard to anchor in anything but a beer people have actually met. This brewery is the case where that beer, rather than the flagship pale ale beside it, became the one the brewery is known for at home.

Details

Reference beers

• Firestone Walker 8054.7% ABV

  A widely available Californian blonde ale, and the clearest example of what the style is actually for.

BeerHQ carries only the products that anchor something. This is not the brewery’s full range.

Styles it is associated with

• Blonde ale — A gentle, approachable pale ale with soft malt sweetness and restrained hopping — often a brewery’s entry-level beer.