Recasting a classic.

A Firestone Walker craft beer classic is set to be recast in its 20th anniversary year as DBA gets nitro treatment for the first time ever, resulting in a fresh twist on a longtime flagship.

“DBA is the beer that started it all for us in 1996, but this may be its truest form yet,” said David Walker.

Indeed, as an English-style bitter, DBA enjoys a natural synergy with the nitro style, which itself mimics the textural qualities of traditional British cask ales. When brewed and pushed to the tap with nitrogen gas, DBA achieves brilliant clarity in the glass; thick, long-lasting foam; and an ultra-creamy mouthfeel.

“I think this is the perfect presentation for DBA,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “DBA has all of these subtle toffee, caramel and oak nuances that really come to the forefront with nitro, and you get more of a cask ale feel that goes right to the heritage of the English bitter style.”

Nitro DBA will launch as a year-round draft offering across all Firestone Walker markets starting next week.

In addition to the nitro version, DBA is also being released in another format this summer—specifically Unfiltered DBA (UDBA), a 100-percent oak fermented and unfiltered version of DBA.

First made as a brewery-only staple, UDBA will now be available on draft nationwide in limited quantities in celebration of Firestone Walker’s 20th anniversary. UDBA is fermented entirely in in the patented Firestone Union oak barrel brewing system, then left unfiltered for enhanced oak expression with a hazy nod to the British pale ales of yesteryear.

Upon its release in 1996, DBA immediately became a local Central Coast favorite and ultimately helped blaze the California craft beer trail. DBA was particularly notable for being partially fermented in the patented Firestone Union oak barrel brewing system, inspired by the Burton Union method popularized in 19thcentury Britain.

Today, DBA still stands as a proudly malt-forward alternative to the hoppy beers that have come to dominate the market.

“This beer goes back 20 years, but I think it still tastes current,” Brynildson said. “This nitro version is a great excuse for people to get reacquainted with DBA.”

Naturally, the brewery’s resident English expatriate agrees…

“DBA is a beer I have drunk regularly for nearly 20 years,” Walker said. “It still brings a smile to my face and will always represent so much more than the beer itself. It was our beginning.”