Event - Valiant Brewing Preview Day


They're officially opening in less than a week! Put February 9th on your calendar for Valiant Brewing's Grand Opening from noon to 9pm (2294 N. Batavia, Unit C, Orange, CA 92865). I was fortunate to get an invitation to their Preview Day yesterday and check out their brand-spankin'-new facility. If you know me, you know that I'm a fan of craft beers. In fact, this is from even when I first started drinking - none of that macro stuff for me! It's been such an exciting time with all these microbreweries popping up in Southern California so you can only imagine how awesome it was to hear about Valiant Brewing Company and how they got started.

 
 

A husband-wife team, the creators of Valiant Brewing are seeking to serve Southern California with a line of spectacular beers. Brian and Kelly Schroepfer shifted their interests from race car racing to brewing in late 2007 when a wildfire destroyed everything in their garage including the cars. This hobby of brewing started with a Mr. Beer Kit that was gifted to Brian (also an avid cook - the couple use organic and sustainable when possible!) who soon realized that the batch made was terrible beer. A mechanical engineer, he examined and dissected the science of brewing to perfect ideas in his mind of what good beer should be. When one thinks of a homebrewer, they think of 5-10 gallon tanks but how serious Brian was showed in the 90 gallons in tanks he kept and engineered himself. Then he went to school and graduated in 2010 from the Master Brewers program; since then, the couple has been working to get Valiant Brewing off the ground. Want to know where some of that engineering came into play at the new brewery itself? Brian designed almost everything inside from the pipes to the distribution and brewing systems. Talk about building something from the ground up. It's so efficient that Brian told us a single person could brew by themselves in here. Maybe I'll have to see that in action one day!

 

Aside from the surprising background of how Valiant came to be and the impressive skills by which the brew method and brewery itself were built, this company shows another gem of a character trait: being family-run. Just about every person I met there yesterday was related to Brian or Kelly in some way or was a very close friend. Kelly's brother, Jack, is the Assistant Brewer. We were served at the taps by Kelly's sister, Emily. Brian's mom was walking around taking care of the guests. Kelly's dad was doing the set-up. Their main photographer, Rick, from day one is a close friend of Brian's. I could list the relations on and on. That keg that I signed at the start was probably full of family names! I love that aspect of it all - the strong support (and skillsets!) of family and friends.

 
 
 

So you might be wondering about their logo and name and perhaps how that all affects what they brew. As you can see from the above pictures, there are definitely bourbon whiskey barrels for aging beers down the line (Kelly gave us an inside scoop that their 1st Anniversary beer will probably be aged in those - we're excited!). Since you know that there are bourbon whiskey barrels for aging, you can probably take a guess that the beers will be valiant! I didn't get to ask Brian or Kelly about the story of the name and logo but I did gain some insight from Jack who, as he said, was just going to tell me what he personally thought about the name choice and logo. I might have to ask the others sometime to see what their side of the story is! The fleur de lis was what had caught my attention; I had wondered if they were from New Orleans or had a strong French tie. Emily explained that it was mainly a homage to their strong Catholic heritage. According to Jack, it is also a symbol of the strength (and valiance) of the French and a good tie-in to their planned staple beer which will be a French ale. All of the beers will be and are quite strong and bold in flavor too as their name suggests.

 

We had to put the beers to the test, our tongues' test. We wanted to try everything so ordered a sample of each that was currently on tap which gave us the bonus sampler of their English barley wine. Awesome - bring on the good stuff! Our treats for the day were the Maverick's Mighty Ale (3.6% Premium Bitter), 31 Kings (6.5% IPA), and Veranda (8.5% French ale); see? Valiant names. As for the English barley wine, it was a sweet and tasty drink, perfect for sipping gently and just enjoying. All of the beers were fantastic, and we were happily surprised to know we were going through just first batch brews. Brian really has nailed down his recipes, even with needing to scale it up into commercial brewing tanks. Their marketing manager, Elisabeth, who had invited us, had explained to me that Brian really focuses on the bouquet of his beers and making sure that it was an experience in itself. I couldn't agree more as I was able to get a sense of what I was about to drink before it even touched my lips. The aroma was a playful tease in each cup as I caught scents of hops, malt, and passion. Duc and I both agreed that the Veranda was our favorite but we're eager to see more of their line-up. The tasting room is slated to have a full run of 24 taps but with only 10 recipes completed so far, it's going to be a fun challenge for Valiant to compile 14 new and perfect brews. What a rush that is going to be!

 
 
 

Overall, the Preview Day was full of a fun crowd of people. Aside from family and friends, there are media people and beer aficionados aplenty. After all, why would you miss out on checking out the latest Southern California microbrewery? We had gotten there right at the beginning but the party went on from noon to 9pm. Too bad we missed the start of the food from the sushi truck outside! If you're interested, I know there is more up their sleeve for the Grand Opening happening February 9th from noon to 9pm as well.


Duc and I want to thank Brian, Kelly, Elisabeth, and the rest of the Valiant Brewing Company team for having us, and we want to congratulate everyone on the opening. It takes a lot of hard work to turn a passion into a career but hey, that's the dream so cheers on making it!


For you dear readers, I've got something special courtesy of the good people at Valiant. You all have the opportunity to win a Valiant Brewing Company snifter and 1/2 growler (pictured above)! Isn't that nifty? I'll be picking the winner at random Thursday afternoon (3pm) and announcing it on here and Facebook. Just follow the instructions below on how to win:
  • "Like" Much Ado About Fooding & Valiant Brewing Company on Facebook if you haven't already
  • Leave a comment on this post with your full name, your favorite style of beer, and why it is your favorite
  • Get the glassware from me on Grand Opening day if you're the winner! (come anyway even if you don't win!)
Good luck! I hope to have a beer with you all on the 9th!

*UPDATE* Congratulations to Katie Sanborn for being the winner of the giveaway. The Grand Opening was a huge success for Valiant, and we both hope that you enjoy your sexy new snifter and 1/2 growler!

L-R: Minerva Thai of Much Ado About Fooding, Brian Schroepfer of Valiant Brewing, & winner Katie Sanborn

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook.

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32 comments

  1. Looks awesome and can't wait to check it out! I love Pale Ales and Amber Ales, then hefs, then browns, then IPAs....

    Raquel Pineira

    rpineira@gmail.com

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    1. You sound like an all-around beer lover =]. Hope to see you at the Grand Opening!

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    2. Me too! I plan to get there for it!

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  2. Ever since I tried one of their IPAs at a bottle share during Brew Ha Ha.. I know this place will be one of the best places in Orange County.
    Favorite kind of beers: Barrel Aged Stouts, and IPAs of all strengths.. and I have a weakness for barleywines.

    Michael Swanson

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    1. Mmm barrel-aged stouts...nice choice Michael. Hope to see you at the Grand Opening (and maybe to hand off some awesome Valiant Brewing swag)!

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  3. Great write-up and beautiful photographs. What a great team and how approachable you guys are. I particularly enjoyed how the article flows with the photographs and text making it easy to read, informative and entertaining.
    Keep it up!

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    1. Thanks Rick! =] Glad to have met you the other day too!

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  4. Great write up!! Awesome pics!!!
    So glad you were able to be there and now share it on your blog!!!

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    1. Hey Matt, thanks for dropping by and reading - been seeing your name pop up around too for last Saturday but I don't think we ran into each other? Hopefully we meet at the Grand Opening!

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  5. Great pictures and write up, it made me want to leave work and go grab a brew right now! My favorite styles of beers are sours and IPA's.

    Rudy Gomez
    rudy.m.gomez@gmail.com

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    1. Well I hope you found something to tide you over but soon enough you'll be able to taste Valiant! Check out their 31 Kings IPA when you drop by at the Grand Opening =]

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    2. Will do, thanks Minerva!

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  6. For me, nothing compares to a fine, rich, bourbon barrel-aged ale.

    Be it the bourbon-tinged chocolate, caramel & toffee notes or the sweet, sugary molasses nuances on both the palate & nose, these wonderful types of beers pointedly showcase the decadent magic a true brewer can create with his or her talented hands.

    And, as craft beer drinkers, we're all the more thankful & happy for it!

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    1. Chuck, you're making me want to grab one myself with your crafty poetry!

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  7. Blake Kunisch - IPA all the way. Though sometimes when not in mood for hops, an Imperial Stout will always get the job done.

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  8. Rico Nolan

    If you are going to make me choose one style... I would have to say my favorite has to be Stouts. When I tell people I want a beer and they ask me what would I like. My answer is always a dark, creamy, coffee, chocolatey, hoppy, malty, astringent stout. From RIS to Foreign Extra and back to Dry Stout, nothing else will quench my thirst.

    It is a pretty sight to see all those cascading bubbles as the CO2 pops out of solution through a nitro tap.

    mmmm mmmm

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    1. Mmm, now I want a stout. That's my favorite style as well - so creamy and dark. Hope to see you at the Grand Opening Saturday!

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  9. Ericka Stielau - Great write up! I can't wait to try this brewery! My favorite styles are IPA and porter. The amazing aroma of an IPA is one of the best smells on earth...not to mention the delicious citrusey, piney flavor!

    Now I want a beer!!

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    1. Thanks Ericka! You definitely need to give the 31 Kings a taste then =]

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  10. Shawn Burch

    If I had to pick a style I would have to say India Pale Ale. I love the amazing aroma from a really fresh IPA after you have just poured it into a glass.

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    1. If there's one thing that Brian really got a great hold of on their 31 Kings that I tried, it's that aroma. I could tell it would be a delicious IPA before I even brought it to my mouth - give it a try at the Grand Opening!

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  11. I'm a fan of hops, so IPAs are my favorite style - although I also enjoy stouts, barleywines, and everything in between! I'm looking forward to checking out Valiant Brewing.

    -Katie Sanborn

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    1. Sounds like an all-around beer lover - awesome. Get a sampler flight then when you drop by the Grand Opening =]

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  12. Great post. Can't wait to check them out. For me, I love Ambers. First love and Will always love it!

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    1. Nice choice & thanks! Hope to see you at the Grand Opening =]

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  13. always a fan of stouts and porters though I have been getting in to Belgian dark ales lately. And definitely looking forward to the grand opening this weekend.

    ~christopher scott

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    1. Mmm I'm a stout & porter kinda person myself. Hope to see you on Saturday!

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  14. Great article Minerva.

    I've been anticipating Valiant's opening for months. If I had to choose just one style - a bold IPA with off-the-charts IBUs and a citrus-y/pine-y bouquet that knocks you on your @$$. Looking forward to Saturday.

    Rich Hail

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    1. Awesome choice - give their 31 Kings a try =]. Hope to see you Saturday Rich!

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  15. Justin Misa here, and I love it when you make alcohol related posts Minerva :D As for my favorite style, I have to make it a toss up between black IPAs and Stouts, I like my drinks dark :D

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  16. The winner of the Valiant Brewing giveaway is Katie Sanborn! Katie, contact me at minerva@muchadoaboutfooding.com about your prize please :] Thanks all for entering!

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