FIRESTONE WALKER RELEASES 2025 EDITION OF “OAKTOBERFEST” OAK-AGED LAGER
Iconic Seasonal Beer Brewed with All-German Ingredients and
Lagered in Napa Valley Wine Barrels
Paso Robles, California—Break out the steins and turn up the polka as Firestone Walker introduces the 2025 edition of Oaktoberfest—an iconic seasonal beer hailed by one Beer Advocate reviewer as “summer’s end in a can: a one-of-a-kind, delicious oak-aged fresh lager.”
“Oaktoberfest is made for this transition time from summer to fall,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “It’s malty and full flavored, yet also light-bodied, crushable and built for drinking.”
As always, the latest release is an oak-inspired homage to the popular “festbiers” that are synonymous with Munich’s legendary Oktoberfest celebration. The name “Oaktoberfest” is a riff on Firestone Walker’s longtime commitment to brewing and aging beer in oak barrels.
Brewed with all-German ingredients and lagered in Napa Valley wine barrels, the 2025 Oaktoberfest Oak Aged Lager (5.2% ABV) is rolling out now to all Firestone Walker markets in 6-pack (12-oz cans) and draft formats.
All-German Ingredients
First brewed in 2006, Oaktoberfest has become a seasonal tradition at Firestone Walker. As always, the latest Oaktoberfest was made with all-German ingredients, including Weyermann Pilsner malts and Vienna malts, with a dash of Munich and Cara Red.
Nevertheless, each annual release brings subtle changes as Brynildson and his team tweak the recipe. This year, Oaktoberfest mixes things up by featuring two classic German hops—Tettnanger and Hersbrucker.
“These hops are loved by German brewers for delivering pronounced aromatics and noble character with a low bitterness profile,” Brynildson said. “The delicate hop influence is herbal, floral and spicy with subtle citrus notes—exactly what you want for a festbier like Oaktoberfest.”
Lagered in Oak
The 2025 Oaktoberfest was cold lagered in French oak barrels inherited from a Napa Valley winery. The barrels were previously used to mature the winery’s acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. The oak-barrel lagering allows for an even smoother texture, all while remaining true to the beer’s crisp malt profile and hints of noble hops.
“Oak barrel lagering adds a cool complexity that makes the beer completely unique,” Brynildson said. “It provides subtle notes of vanilla and toasted oak that play well with the Vienna malts, and you might even pick up just the slightest hint of red wine fruitiness.”
He added, “Oaktoberfest delivers the best of both worlds—full, malty flavor with a crisp, easygoing body that’s perfect as summer fades into fall. It’s a beer that carries the spirit of our journeys through Germany’s hop fields and the vibes of Oktoberfest itself, all with a dash of California character.”
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Founded in 1996 by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker, Firestone Walker is a family-led second-generation brewery based on California’s Central Coast. Helmed by Nick Firestone, and decorated Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker's main brewery in Paso Robles produces a robust lineup of award-winning beers including 805, California's #1 craft beer brand established in 2012; Mind Haze, a top 5 national hazy IPA; and Cali Squeeze, one of the nation's fastest-growing beer brands. The Firestone brand family also includes iconic beers such as DBA, Union Jack, and Pivo Pils, as well as the storied Vintage Series of barrel-aged strong ales led by Parabola. As a California beer company, Firestone Walker also has two additional locations: the Barrelworks wild ale cellar in Santa Barbara County and the Propagator R&D brewhouse in Venice. Firestone Walker was recently named “Best American Brewery of the Decade” by Paste Magazine.
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