Central Coasting
I grew up about 30 miles away from where Firestone first started its venture into craft beer. I remember my dad drinking Firestone Double Barrel Ale in the mid 90’s. It was one of the few craft beers he could find in Lompoc. He would bring a sixer backpacking on the Davy Brown Trail for enjoying the chill night air. When he opened Mad Mack’s BBQ & Grill, Firestone DBA was the first beer he listed on the menu. So naturally, when I came of age and could appreciate craft brew, Firestone was my first choice.
During late May in my part of the desert, the weather starts heating up, but a cool, gentle wind blows from the East. A little bit of moisture can still be felt in the air as the dry summer sweeps through the valley. Trees and flowers are in full, vibrant bloom. Birds chirp off in the distance, while propeller planes hum parts of the city to an afternoon snooze.
Sunny days like this drum up memories of growing up on the Central Coast of California, riding “the jumps” at the riverbed, hiking to Manzana Schoolhouse and grubbing on some fall-off-the-bone ribs. Ahh…The Good Ol’ Days…
Lighter Beer In Summer
After living in Las Vegas for a couple years now, I tend to drink lighter beers in the summer. I still shy away from the macro lights since something about their quality literally makes my stomach churn and can throw my day off. Besides the local Sin City Light, one of my other favorite light beers, although not out of Las Vegas and not as micro as most craft brew houses, is Firestone 805.
At just 4.7% ABV, it won’t dehydrate me like some of my go to IPAs, yet it still possess some flavor, a slight bite and a smooth drinkability that makes it great for a backyard BBQ or chill smoke sesh with friends.
Since I’m a Cali kid heart and Firestone brings back memories from long ago, I’ll always have a spot in my fridge for their beer. The best part is, whenever I want to go back to the Central Coast and reminisce, an 805 takes me there.