see-bootleggers-anniversary-photosThis weekend Fullerton’s own Bootlegger’s Brewery turned three years old. About five years ago, Proprietor and Head Brewer Aaron Barkenhagen began pursuing a school project as a full time job. Aaron and his team have come a long way, now distributing to over 400 accounts in Southern California out of their recently expanded small craft brewery. Here’s how they celebrated their birthday with their devoted local (and less-local) fans.

(Barley) Field of Dreams

Aaron dreamed up Bootlegger’s Brewery while enrolled in the Entrepreneurship program at Cal State Fullerton. His goal was to create fresh artisanal beer for the local community. The program required drafting a business plan for his concept and Aaron continued pursuing the project once he finished school. Instead of continuing a career working in insurance, Aaron followed his plan and with the help of family and friends, Bootlegger’s was officially born in April 2008.

This year’s celebration was at a secret location about a half mile from the brewery. After being swept away on a school bus, attendees enjoyed a choice of 10 five oz pours of 32 options at seven pouring stations. The beer list included multiple versions of Black Phoenix, their stout brewed with malted barley, Kean coffee and Chipotle peppers, and Golden Chaos, their Belgian style golden ale. It was tough to chose only 10 to try, but we loved the Bourbon and Brandy Golden Chaos, both of which weighed in at over 10% ABV but tasted like magical candy.

You Know You’re My Favorite

In addition to the ever popular Knuckle Sandwich Double IPA, people went nuts for the fruitier beers and sours too. One fan enjoyed five pours of Sour 76 Ale with Cherries, a 7.6% ABV English Style Old Ale soured in a bourbon barrel with sweet cherries. Others insisted we try Olallieberry Wild, a sour fermented with Olallieberries, and Plum Riot, a Belgian style ale infused with plums.

Being a fan of super spicy deliciousness, we fell in love with the 10% ABV Imperial Phoenix with extra Chipotle and Hopinero, newbie brewer Ryan Eley’s pilot batch of hoppy ale brewed with Habanero peppers. Listen to the boys talk about the beers themselves:

Bootlegger’s beer can be found all over (but only in) Southern California. Head out to the brewery for their Cinco de Mayo party on Thursday, May 5 where they’ll be serving up Hopinero with Mexican food. For more events including festivals, parties, and their local food truck schedule, check out their new events calendar.

The Beer List, Please

Here’s what was sampled at the party:
Bourbon Chaos — 10+% ABV Belgian ale aged in bourbon barrels for 30 months
Lambic #1 — Third fill Hungarian oak barrel with Kombucha culture, ages 5 months
Blackberry Chaos — Golden Chaos re-fermented with blackberry puree
Noe Job IPA — West coast style IPA
Brandy Chaos — 10+% ABV Belgian ale aged in brandy barrels for 30 months
Lambic #2 — second fill Hungarian oak aged 14 months
Plum Riot — 7.8% ABV Belgian setyle ale infused with plums
Palomino Pale Ale — 5.5% ABV American style pale ale
Imperial Phoenix Bourbon Barrel — 10% ABV Imperial Phoenix aged for 4 months in a bourbon barrel
Lambic #3 — 5% ABV sour aged in third fill French oak wine barrels for five months
Dry Hopped ESB — dry hopped with EKG, this borders on an English style IPA
Golden Chaos — 8.5% ABV Belgian style golden ale
Sour 76 Ale with cherries — 7.6% ABV English style old ale soured in a bourbon barrel with sweet cherries
Lambic 4 — sour ale aged four months in a third fill Hungarian oak barrel
Dr. Tongue — 7.5% ABV over the top bitterness with lots more hop flavor
Imperial Phoenix with extra Chipotle — 10% ABV Imperial Phoenix aged with extra Chipotle
77 Anniversary Ale — 7.7% ABV Second year anniversary ale, Belgian style barleywine
Lambic #5 — sour ale aged 15 months in a second fill American oak barrel
Hopinator Hefeweizen — our Old World Hefeweizen filtered through Citra hops and vanilla beans
Black Phoenix — 6.7% ABV export style stout brewed with coffee and Chipotle peppers
78 Anniversary — somewhere between a Scotch ale and a Rauchbier, malty and smokey
Wild Willie — our Golden Chaos, soured
Rocco Red — a hoppy American red ale
Rustic Rye — our easy drinking Rye IPA
Imperial Phoenix — imperial stout brewed with smokey malt, coffee, Chipotle peppers and black pepper
Olallieberry Wild — a sour refermented with Olallieberries
Spring Ale — blonde ale brewed with sage, tarragon, chamomile and honey
Hopinero — hoppy ale brewed with Habanero
Prohibition Mild — full flavored 3.2% ABV beer
Brett Chaos — Golden Chaos refermented with Brettanomyces
Knuckle Sandwich — our double IPA
Old World Hefeweizen — a traditional German style Hefeweizen

Where?
401 S Richman Ave
Fullerton, CA 92832

Additional information:
http://www.bootleggersbrewery.com/
http://twitter.com/bootleggersbrew
Bootlegger’s Facebook