There’s something about a local brewery that makes anybody that walks in feel like the own the place, and to be honest every pint is a stock option in a local brewery. Out here in the Beer Desert we call southern California breweries are rare, sort of like rain. Travel South 2 hours or North 6 and you’re waste deep in beer, but for some reason in this huge area between breweries are scarce. So when Hangar 24 open a year ago many were excited. None more than the owner Ben Cook who took his biology degree where many dream and opened his own brewery in his hometown and featured local ingredients.
It just so happens that this is, or was the orange capitol of the country and Ben used that to his advantage. His Orange Wheat has become an overnight success and the brewery is growing. To me it seem like it’s been open for years because I’ve visited so many times and their beer is great. To celebrate they threw a Anniversary party on site and had a special release beer they kept secret until that day.
Those smart enough to come out were treated to an Imperial Blood Orange Wheat Ale, and coming in at 9% ABV it was very imperial. The locally grown blood oranges are available for a short time each year and Ben took advantage of that and has done with other local fruits before (the Pauly-cot beer as an Imperial Apricot Wheat). The beer has a nice juicy appearance and a sweet, yet tart taste that many seem to love. It’s not a beer for everybody but it was something new that we haven’t seen before. We headed up to sample the new brew and enjoy the party. In the end over 2,000 people came and enjoyed beer music and even helicopter rides.
Check out the photo gallery, visit their website, visit their brewery
www.hangar24brewery.com
