Firestone Walker Wookus

Yeah perhaps. Might have been a failed experiment. Which stinks because I loved each of the releases. Perhaps the price-point turned people away, wanting a larger brewer such as themselves to release 4-packs in the $10 range instead of $14.

 

If FW made it to TN... I'd buy these instantly...

 

Agreed. I'm a huge fan of the Luponic Distortion. I sorta lost faith on LuV. While I have enjoyed everything I've had, it was originally sold to me as a heavier version of the hop rotating series, Luponic Distortion. So when they switched from a really delicious DIPA, to a rye IPA, and now to a black IPA, I'm just not sure I want to drop $14 to find out if I like it or not. If it was cheaper, perhaps.


I will say, LvU is a welcome addition to beer shelves, as it delivers new IPAs to shelves with a fair seasonality. I just wish they'd focus more on altering hops over the same base malts.

 

My takeaway, bring back Double Jack! 4 X 16oz works for me.

 

I'd be happy to drop the $14...if I could find it with less than 2 months on it from canning. The first two releases hit my part of CA within 2-3 weeks. Inferos hit more than 2 months from canning, and Wookus is nowhere around yet. Sad, was really looking forward to it.

 

you need to find a different store if this series is priced that high

 

Interesting how they’ve revealed less and less about the ingredients of each beer as this series has gone on. First beer had all the details, website doesn’t even list IBUs for the latest. I really did enjoy the first two. Even with a few months on them they were wonderful beers. I think I had an Inferos but it didn’t stand out. Probably won’t seek Wookus out. Just don’t get the “black ipa” style... tried to.. but have given up.

 

My go to spot is on point. That was the price everywhere around me when this series was first released; But last month I did find the rye ipa infernus for 14.99 so maybe if and when I see wookie it will be around there.

 

Firestone Walker in general seems to have among the worst turnover rates for hoppy beers, especially considering just how damn good nearly every hoppy beer they make is. Even before the LvU series, it was a miracle to find any of the Jack's under 2 months old even within an hour of the nrewery. I dunno if their beers just don't appeal to the masses asuch, but it seems to be a constant with them. I'd go through cases of Union Jack and Pivo if I could find them fresh regularly.

 

Well i think their response to the end of your statement is that it's not all about differing hops that make a different beer. Malt base, water, and type of yeast completely change the character of a beer, whereas a hop may only change the flavor profile so much, or a lot; depends. Changing the recipe from top to bottom promotes more creativity and brings a truly different product, rather than only a slightly different one.

 

Oh, I agree, but we get different recipes in every beer, and see the changes that results in. What I really enjoy about Luponic Distortion is that it helps me learn about the specific effects hops have on aroma and flavor profile. I figure that's at least one benefit a hop rotating IPA has, along with continued variation to keep hop heads coming back. So when LuV was billed to me as a similar series, just heavier, I was all in. Although come to find out, that description was not accurate.

 

I just picked some up at Bev mo in Santa Cruz. Haven't cracked 1 yet.

 

Had a draft Wookus at the FW location at Venice Beach a few weeks ago. Very sweet beer, somewhat surprised at the sweetness. I enjoyed it and it's worth a try, glad I finally made it to the Firestone Walker brewpub.

 

thats crazy man, at my store the whole series is line priced at $13.99 and frankly i don't think any of them are even worth that much

 

I think some of that "worth the price" is a little bias, or preconceived, if that makes any sense. This may not apply to how you're feeling at all, but a large brewer charging almost local/micro-craft 4-pack prices seems like it is over priced because we are so used to them offering a good product at a great value, compared to the small place offering a unique, small-batch offering at a high price (which seems to be a standard value nowadays).

But when we evaluate the quality of the product, in my opinion, Firestone's new series is GREAT. Like after each sip I kept thinking to myself: "nobody is making a beer like this right now, wow." But that's just me. It all depends on the individual. If someone goes into the product expecting something "solid" but at the higher price, they'll be disappointed in some aspects.

I don't know. I just think Firestone may be marketing this one wrong, because the beers have been crazy good (mix of old school/ new school and great brewing). But at $14 a 4-pack, perhaps that crowd is expecting a different product?!

What are your thoughts?

 

Certainly worth the price if fresh. I could find the first release fresh but all subsequent releases were at least 2 months old and I'm 2 hours drive north of Paso.

 

That is how I felt about Double Jack. Wow this is great. I would of happily blown $80 a month on Double Jack. I can't say that about the new series and I have had most of them.

 

What's the canning date?

 

12/17