Hangar 24 Craft Brewing - Pacific Coast Hazy

Pacific Coast Hazy presents a lightly hazed golden hue, capped by a head of crisp white foam. In the aroma, we picked up tons of bright and juicy orange and tangerine citrus notes, along with some tropical fruit, floral overtones, and a dash of pine. We’re off to a good start, and it continues on the palate as those citrus notes lead the way there too, offering an expansive, zesty, resinous character. The malt core provides a bit of tangy wheat amidst crackery pale malts, coming through with enough presence to support those big hops without trying to steal the show. It’s quite West Coast in style. Hop bitterness comes though moderately firm, lingering a while in the finish. At less than 5% ABV, this is still full of flavor, and is a great example of how far sessionable IPAs have come in recent years. For food pairings, we’re thinking crispy flat bread pizzas, fish & chips, shrimp tempura, or Asian chicken salads. Cheers!

Hangar 24 founder, CEO, and master brewer, Ben Cook, began his beer journey as a homebrewer around 2001 while studying biology at Cal State San Bernardino. His knowledge of biology and access to lab equipment allowed him to get the most out of his homebrew kit. Fast forward a few years, and Ben is a general aviation pilot spending many a summer day out at Redlands Municipal Airport, about 65 miles due east of Los Angeles. After a day of flying, he and his friends and family would relax at hangar number 24, barbecuing, playing music, and enjoying Ben’s most recent homebrews. His signature ingredient: fresh oranges from local groves, which can be found in Hangar 24’s beers to this day. In 2008, he took the leap and founded his brewing company, invoking the theme of aviation throughout its branding.

Currently, Hangar 24 operates three locations including their original brewery and taproom in Redlands as well as a taproom & restaurant in Lake Havasu City, AZ, which opened in 2017, and a new taproom & restaurant in Irvine, CA, which opened in 2020. This author can personally attest to the good beer and grub at the Irvine spot, which features tons of seating on a 2-acre outdoor patio area, live music, and a family-friendly vibe. The brewery produces 10 core beers along with about seven limited release brews and their special Barrel Roll series, featuring beers aged in various wine and whiskey barrels. For more info on the brewery, their beers, and their taproom locations, visit them at hangar24brewing.com.