The beers of Firestone Walker Brewing Company are ready to reach deeper into the Midwest with distribution across Indiana scheduled to begin this week, and with Minnesota distribution to follow starting on April 16.

Nearly 18 years after the release of the original Firestone Lager, Firestone Walker Brewing Company is bringing it back—new and improved—for those who finally want a better lager.

What began with a pre-dawn excursion to a raspberry field last summer has come to fruition with the imminent release of Bretta Rosé Batch No. 005, the fifth iteration of this signature wild ale from Firestone Walker’s Barrelworks.

The next release in Firestone Walker’s Luponic Distortion revolving hop series arrives with Revolution No. 009 — a freethinking blend of six “public domain” hop varieties from the Pacific Northwest and Germany

Inspired by bootleggers and driven by demand, 805 is set to expand into the Pacific Northwest starting in early 2018 via Columbia Distributing. 805 was originally brewed in 2012 to serve the tri-counties area of California’s Central Coast. Within three years, however, it grew to become a top 25 national craft beer brand—despite the fact that it was still only distributed in California.

Firestone Walker’s Nitro Merlin Milk Stout is expanding from the keg and headed into the can.

As the end of 2017 draws near, U.S. beer volume sales remain roughly flat, according to recent data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI Worldwide. IRI, which tracks beer sales at off-premise retailers, reported that total beer sales through the first 11 months of 2017 exceeded $31.8 billion in the firm’s multi-outlet and convenience. Through December 3, U.S. beer volume sales declined 0.5 percent while total beer dollar sales increased 1.1 percent.

Firestone Walker’s Wookey family has returned from the brink of extinction and is now roaring back with its wooliest progeny yet: Wookus, the next release in the brewery’s Leo v. Ursus Chronology.

he next release in Firestone Walker’s Luponic Distortion revolving hop series arrives with Revolution No. 008 — a globetrotting blend of eight hop varieties from Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest.

E-commerce retail sales are approaching $400 billion dollars, but a mere 0.2 percent of beer — or about 3.5 million cases — was purchased online last year, according to Heineken CEO Ronald den Elzen. Den Elzen, presenting to more than 200 beer industry professionals attending yesterday’s Beer Marketer’s Insights seminar in New York City, called the shift away from brick-and-mortar purchases a “retail revolution.” By 2021, den Elzen projected that online beer sales will grow to 2.4 percent, to 53 million cases.

Indeed, the latest Anniversary Ale — dubbed XXI, signifying the Firestone Walker’s 21st year on California’s Central Coast — was once again created with guiding input from friendly local winemakers. The result is an inspired blend of five distinct beers aged in spirits barrels: Velvet Merkin (oatmeal stout, 42%), Parabola (Russian imperial oatmeal stout, 18%), Stickee Monkee (Central Coast quad, 17%), Bravo (imperial brown ale, 14%) and Helldorado (blonde barleywine, 9%).

With an infusion of local roast coffee, a dash of cocoa nibs and touch of seasonal sorcery, Firestone Walker’s signature Velvet Merlin oatmeal stout has been transformed into Mocha Merlin for fall and early winter. Mocha Merlin begins rolling out this week in draft and 12-ounce cans (six pack) formats to all Firestone Walker markets.

The third release in Firestone Walker’s Leo v. Ursus Chronology is Inferos—an unfiltered imperial rye IPA that is fiery in color, hellacious in hoppiness and loaded with spicy rye goodness.