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.
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.