Valiant Brewing Orange,CA

I was there opening night too.

Found the IPA to be pretty underwhelming, enjoyed the French ale and premium bitters. Star of the show was the barleywine, which you could only get by ordering a tasting flight. Never seem to come across a well put together English barleywine. I'll be following up in a month when they've had more time to brew.

 

The barleywine was from a homebrew keg so they weren't allowed to sell/list it, only offer it as a gift. It's on their brew schedule for later this month, iirc, along with some other bigger beers. Definitely worth asking after.

 

I was there, got there at about 12:30 and it was pretty packed. The line to order was pretty long but I ordered the flight wanting to try all the beers, also knowing that was the only way to try the barleywine. But I agree the IPA was unspectacular, though not bad. Just not something I'd buy over the abundance of good IPAs around. Veranda was a pretty solid beer, and that barleywine was definitely the best thing I tried. I also had heard they had a DIPA that wasn't quite ready for the opening so I'm curious to see how that comes out. I live about a block away so I'm hoping they continue to improve and become a place worth stopping by. After checking them out I ventured across the riverbed for an IPA that truly is spectacular, some Royalty over at Noble.

 

That was pretty much my same sequence of events, only about seven hours later. Sadly, naughty sauce had kicked by the time I got to Noble. Next up, old orange brewing company this Saturday.

 

I've heard nothing but bad things about that place. I guess I could go check it out for myself, but until I hear a good word about them I have no intention of visiting.

 

Can't imagine them being any worse than Anaheim Brewery, but I'll check back in with my thoughts

 

You are in for a surprise of the worst variety.

 

I didn't care for OOB at all. The beers are bland, and the owner that works the taps makes me feel as though his tap room is a necessary evil to fund his hobby of brewing beer.

 

I disagree. Anahiem Brewings beers are bland as water. OOB's beers are full of flavor. Terrible, terrible off-flavors.

 

You guys aren't doing ANYTHING to dissuade me. In fact, all of these horror stories are making me feel morally compelled to go, just so I can more vehemently dissuade people from going. I mean, no matter how bad it is there's going to be Royalty at the end of the tunnel.

 

I'm with you. I always like to try new breweries regardless of what i hear and judge them for myself. I encourage others to do so as well. Perhaps you will have a different experience.

 

You can always treat it as an off flavor brewing class, it has to be better than coors light spiked with off flavors, right?! (At least one can hope)

 

well...

 

Sadly wasn't able to make it out anywhere this weekend, and I'm hesitant to give them a shot Saturday after the RS party. Hopefully sometime this week.

 

Valiant is only open on Saturdays. Not sure why, but don't go there any other day!

 

I think we had a breakdown in communication. I was referencing a visit to OOBC, as my thoughts on Valiant were posted in this thread already. I plan on revisiting Valiant later in March after they've had a chance to expand the line-up a bit (outside of the barleywine, there wasn't anything which I felt warranted a repeat visit when both The Bruery and Noble are so close.

 

Their FB page just announced this:

"We are proud to announce that we will be brewing our first really big beer today. The name “First Flight” will be adopted by this monster, should weigh in at around 15% abv going after the style of an American Strong Ale. For aging, we’ll allow this beer to settle in our bourbon barrels. As for when it will be ready, only the beer will tell."

O_0....Crazy