Firestone Walker Returns with Fan-Favorite Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA

As the days get shorter and the nights cooler makes for a perfect time to experience the return of Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA from Firestone Walker Brewing. This Black IPA, or is it a Cascadian Dark Ale, made its debut back in 2012 and was part of the brewery’s lineup for a few years before the Wookey faded into hibernation. However, in recent years Wookey Jack has made its return and is currently hitting store shelves in all Firestone Walker markets.

“Wookey Jack has a hardcore following and we get asked about it all the time,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “It’s a beer for those in the know and those who want to discover something different. Everyone loves the visual trick of Wookey Jack—it’s as black as a stout but drinks like an IPA.”

When the Wookey makes it return, it remains faithful to the original recipe, but with a few enhancements! This means that malt bill remains true to the beer’s generous use of pearled dark malts with rye adding a rustic grain element. The hops are sticky Citra and dank, pungent Amarillo, both of which are incorporated into a massive dry-hop regimen. As always, the brewing team claims to have incorporated a bit of “Wookey Dust” as well on this beer that sits at a whopping 8.3% ABV!

Wookey Jack now reaffirms its title as Firestone Walker’s wooliest IPA, offering big, toasty malted rye flavors with a balanced bite on the finish. It is, in Brynildson’s words, “gnarly on the outside, yet refined on the inside.” 

As mentioned earlier, Wookey Jack was first brewed in 2012 as Firestone Walker’s riff on the emerging Black IPA style. The beer arrived when the Cascadian Dark Ales (CDA) were gaining some traction here in the Pacific Northwest. Well the movement of this hoppy, yet roasty beer style made its way down to California’s Central Coast, and Firestone Walker had its answer.

“At the time, there were a few beer geeks out there saying that Firestone Walker still had yet to really make a truly over-the-top hoppy IPA,” Matt recalled. “We took that as a challenge and Wookey Jack was going to be the answer. We dug into the hop closet and pulled out the stickiest and most pungent hops available. We found a blend that really popped and applied it liberally to the brew.”

With these Black IPAs and CDAs gaining traction, Brynildson decided to put his own stamp on the style, adding rye malt to bring a spicy, rustic element to the beer he would call Wookey Jack. It was an instant hit that would spawn many imitators. After later going on hiatus, Wookey Jack has re-emerged in recent years as a seasonal release from the Paso Robles, California based brewery. 

“We didn’t mess with the liquid,” Matt said. “But we’ve evolved everything else, which to me makes this the best Wookey Jack ever. It’s a beer that just seems right for fall and winter. The Wookey never dies—it just hibernates.”

This latest edition of Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA is rolling out to all Firestone Walker markets in 6-pack 12 ounce cans and draft formats for a limited time, adding to the lore of this three-time gold medalist at the Great American Beer Festival. To locate this beer, visit firestonewalker.com.