I recently reviewed two of Firestone Walkers’ releases…Cali Squeeze Blood Orange and Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher.
Cali Squeeze was a “Skip” and Mind Haze was a “Sip”. As a matter of fact, Mind Haze made it into our “Best in Glass” category reserved for brews that meet or exceed our expectations and is one of the better high count ABV IPAs that we’ve experienced in a while.
I was excited to learn that Firestone Walker teamed up with Oregon’s pFriem Family Brewers on this limited-edition West Coast IPA brewed to celebrate the 2026 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest.
If your not familiar with pFriem Family Brewers, the brewery was founded in 2012 by Joseph Pfriem, who was with Full Sail Brewing Company out of Hood River, OR.
pFriem was named the best midsize brewery in the U.S. at the Great American Beer Festival. Their flagship pilsner is frequently praised as one of the best in the country.
It was the second time an Oregon brewery had been duly awarded. pFriem also notched a second place in the German-Style Pilsner category. pFriem’s pilsner has been described as influential among other brewers and in 2017, pFriem was noted as the “best all-around” brewery in the state of Oregon by Willamette Week.
My first encounter with pFriem beer was during a back-to-back trip to Bend, OR a couple of years ago. While there, I hiked over to Newport Avenue Market where I was introduced to, what I feel, is the best regional beer selection in the Pacific Northwest.
About Firestone Walker/pFriem pFreal West Coast IPA
- Style: West Coast IPA – Historically a slightly fruit forward beer with a snappy, dank finish.
- ABV: 7%
- IBU: 39
- Appearance: Somewhat clear with a quickly dissipating crown and no legs.
- Flavor Profile: Slightly fruit forward with a touch of dank on the way down.
- Aroma: Notes of tangerine, mango, and tropical something or other.
- Hops: Mosaic, Krush, and Nectaron. Mosaic and Krush contribute to the majority of the citrusy profile.
- Mouthfeel: Clean, mostly dry, with little notable finish.
- Food Paring: BBQ, Buffalo wings, and fish and chips.
Overall Impression: This West Coast IPA collaboration is marketed as a “limited edition”. A limited edition means more to me than just a limited run or limited availability. Add “collaboration” to the marketing mix, and with one of the more respected brewers in the NW, adds up to the speculation that something unique is about to be poured into my glass.
That didn’t happen with pFreal and I must admit I wasn’t impressed with anything this beer has to offer.
Hopinionated Rating 3.0/5.0
Sip or Skip – Skip
Community Reviews & Comments
- MonDak_Joe1953 – Missing that old school bitterness, and extols sweet, juicy hops. Excellent body clarity. More in the realm of a modern hop West Coast IPA. No soft texture nor overripe juicy fruit as exemplified by a Hazy IPA.
- mushroomcloud – Medium body with a bright entry and initial zesty mouthfeel that then falls a little flat mid-palate and beyond. It’s a weird description / sensation but that’s the same perception I have after 2 cans. Medium length finish without a lot of WC punch. Wanted/expected more. Good to Very Good.
- blueshawk69 – Good, well balanced westie-kinda-sorta with nice mouthfeel; lower than expected hoppiness/bitterness for a westie (only 39ibus); an understated piney/citrusy/malty flavor & a clean, crisp, slightly resiny aftertaste. Very quaffable, bordering on slammable.
- Tucquan – An easy drinking, enjoyable beer although I think they are stretching the definition of a West Coast IPA. It’s more like a fruity Pale Ale to me. I must have missed the memo where the style was redefined.
- dele: Marketed as a WCIPA, this drinks much more like a light-bodied hazy. If poured into an opaque cup, I would have thought I was drinking a low alcohol/session-style NEIPA. If I’d been wanting that kind of beer, this would’ve been fine, but that’s not what they’re calling it or how they’re pricing it. Extremely disappointing effort here. An evidently well-crafted beer but totally misses the mark on what a WCIPA is supposed to be. A hazy without the haze, nothing more.
- brewme – Picked up a six pack of cans at Bedford One Stop Liquors in Bedford, Massachusetts for about eighteen dollars. My fourth brew reviewed from these guys. Pretty good, but don’t get west-coast vibes.
Explore Similar Beers To Firestone Walker/pFreal WCIPA
- Firestone Walker Firestone IPA / Union Jack: Their core lineup IPAs offer a reliable, bitter pine and citrus hit with a brilliant, clear West Coast finish.
Russian River Blind Pig: The quintessential benchmark for a pine, citrus, and beautifully balanced West Coast IPA.
Breakside IPA: Crafted in Oregon (like pFriem), this award-winner explodes with hop flavor and aroma, finishing incredibly dry and crisp.
Sierra Nevada Torpedo: Widely available and celebrated for its flawless balance of C-hops and clean, classic West Coast malt character.
Have you tried Firestone Walker/pFreal West Coast IPA? If so, let us know what you think about it and we’ll include your comment in our Community Reviews and Comments section.
Send us an email at justabeerblogger@gmail.com.
Cheers!
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