Bourbon | OCBeerBlog

image courtesy Firestone Walker

A long time ago, I went to my friend Tom’s thirtieth birthday party at some swanky club, where they had bottle service for something lame like Korbel and Titos. The bill was like $599 at a time in my life I was sort of on the thin-wallet side of things. I quickly learned to hate bottle service and clubs in general.

A decade later, when beer clubs became a thing, I was all in, until every damn bottle was filled from a bourbon barrel. I love a good bourbon, and love myself a stout, but the flavors of bourbon barrel-aged beers started leaning on the sweet side and lost all ability to be interesting. Once a year, I may get a taster of a BBA stout to remind myself why I don’t drink them anymore.

image courtesy Firestone Walker

Fast forward to today, where Firestone Walker is filling their annual quarterly Brewmaster’s Collective, and something happened to me that I haven’t felt in a long time…I felt interested. Like, yeah.

In the first shipment, there’s bourbon barrel-aged Parabola (which I’ve always rated 5/5) and a variant with ancho & figs….hmmm…interesting. Then there’s a Green Cheek and Pinthouse collab…hmmm…very interesting. SAISON WITH PAIR. Okay okay, you have my full attention.

the rest of the quarterly collections are even more interesting, with things like Tripel aged in chardonnay barrels, BBA wee heavy, a few wine BA sours, four-pack of propagator beers, and even a coolship wild ale. Of course, there are a lot of BBA things in the packs, but for some reason, their 12oz format makes them so much more appealing.

The beers alone are worth it this time around, but there are also perks:

15% off all purchases, including beer, merch, and dining
Access to member tastings and events at Firestone Walker locations, including complimentary Collection Flights on designated days each quarter
VIP Taproom access and complimentary Paso Robles brewery tours for up to four guests
Complimentary taster and $7 flights at Firestone Walker taprooms
Access to Library beers and earlier Brewmaster’s Collective exclusives
Lottery for a chance to purchase tickets to the 2025 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest

Head over and sign up, starting today. I just might.

firestonewalker.com/brewmasters-collective/

Sipping some small batch at the source. Photo by Greg Nagel

After all these years, there’s one bourbon that has yet to be checked off of my whiskey bucket list. It’s cask strength, uncut at 140ish proof, and is blended from all of master distiller Donnis Todd’s best “honey barrels.” When it’s released, people fly into Central Texas and wait overnight in a long line of cars on a rural road just to snag a bottle.

That sought-after whiskey is Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon, and all you have to do to get a taste is to buy a ticket and head up the elevator to the Basque country-inspired rooftop restaurant The Top of the V, where it’s on the menu for a course at their bourbon dinner this June.

The single Cowboy Bourbon course at the dinner alone is worthy of a ticket, with executive chef Nathaniel McCoy sending your taste buds on a culinary cowboy standoff between food and spirit. McCoy chose a flavor-packed Iberico skirt steak punctuated with sweet and intense Pedro Ximenez sherry glaze, and winter figs to go up against the Cowboy.

Five courses in total include pours of Garrison Brothers Small Batch, a custom VIV Hotel Single Barrel pick, Balmorhea (twice barreled at 115 proof), Cowboy Bourbon, and a Honeydew espresso martini paired with orange flan drizzled in caramel.

The Top of the V celebrates Spanish Basque country cuisine with newly appointed executive chef Nate McCoy after having worked in the restaurant under chef Edgar Beas over the last three years. In the past, chef Nate has worked alongside Top Chef winners Michael Voltaggio of Ink and Mei Lin, owner of Daybird, as well as Michelin-star chefs Tony Esault, owner of nearby Knife Pleat, and Jacob Kear, owner of LURRA in Kyoto, Japan.

Tickets are available at Eventbrite. Top of the V is located at 1601 S Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim.