Introducing No Ends, Only Beginnings – a new imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels, made in collaboration with our friends at Highland Park Brewery in Los Angeles. Look for it in the new Lion’s Den collection from our Brewmaster’s Collective beer club, and for a limited time at all Firestone Walker locations and our online store.
No Ends, Only Beginnings is a beer born of mutual admiration. “Highland Park is one of my favorite breweries, period,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “I have so much love for them and their beers.”
Meanwhile, Highland Park’s owner-brewer Bob Kunz has been a longtime fan of Firestone Walker. In fact, prior to starting his brewery more than eight years ago, he collected Firestone Walker vintage beers such as Parabola and Anniversary Ale.
After the two brewers met and their friendship grew over the years, it was only natural that Bob would tap Matt on the shoulder about brewing a collaborative barrel-aged beer. “It was Bob’s idea to create a monster stout with us,” Matt said. “We were all in.”
A Firestone Walker First
The base beer is built off the recipe for Highland Park’s own stout called Only Beginnings. Highland Park is also planning their own barrel-aged version, to be called No Ends (releasing at their taproom to the public on August 27). This collaboration beer borrows from both of these concepts, hence the name ‘No Ends, Only Beginnings.’
The name is also a nod to the idea that both brewers are constantly, in Bob’s words, “turning the knobs” to evolve and perfect our barrel-aged beers, and the fact that collaboration is always a great way to explore new ideas and move them forward.
In that spirit, Matt said, “This is the first time we’ve brewed a beer like this.”
He added, “It has a super high original gravity and, as a result, a higher-than-normal finishing gravity. So the beer has a massive body and reflects more of the craft-modern approach to stout. We also used an array of specialty malts, along with spelt, that we have never packed into a beer before.”
As a result, No Ends, Only Beginnings is stuffed with chocolate and roast barley malts. On top of that, it was aged for a year in premium bourbon barrels to bring it all together.
This is a momentous stout. Aromas of semi-sweetened dark chocolate, fig, and vanilla meet flavors of bourbon and baking spices. Simultaneously viscous and smooth, it’s a collaboration not to be missed.
Once you get your bottle, taste along with Brewmaster Matt Brynildson and Highland Park’s Bob Kunz and Erik Bianchi.
