The ale of the hour: Firestone Walker XV Anniversary Ale.
Firestone Walker Deconstructed LA had one of the most brilliant themes for a beer paired food event ev-uh! Take the eight beers that comprised its XV 15th Anniversary Ale and pair them with food by Homebrew Chef, Sean Z. Paxton, a culinarian well-known for cooking and pairing with craft beer. Genius!
This had to be one of the most anticipated events during the 3rd Annual L.A. Beer Week, up there with the Beer Float Showdown and Union Station Beer Fest. But even though the party was in a chichi Hollywood nightclub, Bardot in the Avalon, the crowd dressed comfortable casual, complete with beer-saying T-shirts. You gotta love the chillness of the beer crowd.
Beerpalooza at Bardot.
The downstairs portion of the venue contained the main bar which served the event beers but I took refuge from the non-air-conditioned room in the cooler (temperature and ambiance-wise) upstairs lounge. There I perched on a bench all night while the servers fed and beered me. There was never a lack of bites or brew so guests didn’t have to resort to pouncing on the servers.
Favorite bites of the evening included the smoked sea scallops, the almond cookie topped with blue cheese and the OMGorgeous bieramisu. But I loved ALL the beers leading up to the XV — Sticky Monkey English barleywine, Double Double Barrel barleywine, Helldorado Golden barleywine, Double Jack, Bravo barrel-aged brown ale, bourbon barrel-aged Velvet Merkin oatmeal stout, Good Foot barleywine and Parabola Imperial stout.
However they were not for the teetotalers what with ABVs ranging from 10 to 14%. Yikes! Yum! So even though the servers came around multiple times offering more pours, I had to resist with all my might or else spend a night on a Bardot couch.
XV Anniversary Ale
By the time we got to the XV I honestly couldn’t have another sip. So disappointed in myself. Here was the beer I was waiting all night for and I could only do one round. Sad considering the work of art it is. The XV was created by skilled winemakers in Paso Robles who took the eight brews and carefully blended them together.
From the Firestone blog:
I really like what the winemakers bring to the process, they usually go for blends and flavor profiles that brewers never think of,” [Matt] Brynildson [Firestone Walker brewmaster] said. “That’s why I like bringing them in, it pushes the boundaries of our taste and that’s exciting.”
It’s a beer not to be missed. Fortunately, Firestone Walker is doing tap takeovers/XV components during LA Beer Week at the following bars. And look for the beer at the finest beer stores starting November 17. In time for the holidays. Woo hoo!
- October 16 at 38 Degrees in Alhambra
- October 17 at Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park
- October 18 at Tony’s Darts Away in Burbank
- October 19 at The Daily Pint in Santa Monica
- October 20 at Library Alehouse in Santa Monica
Other coverage:
The Full Pint’s Firestone Walker’s Deconstructed Rocks Hollywood