Redlands Beer Run – Part 2 – Donkey Punch Brewing Co.

The next stop on my journey through the craft beer of Redlands brought me to Donkey Punch Brewing Co. (If you are just joining us, I highly suggest taking a look at Redlands Beer Run part 1), which really represents the polar opposite of Hangar 24 in almost every way.

Donkey Punch Brewing is the newest addition to the Redlands beer scene, as well as the smallest (but with plans in the works to expand in the near future). The man in charge is Tony Theodore, who took Donkey Punch from a home brewing hobby to a full-time brewery and tasting room. To just get it out of the way, the story behind the name. One time when Tony had finished one of his home brews, one of his friends was enjoying the brew got stuck in a shrub and wouldn’t budge, much like a donkey, and proclaimed that the “punch” did it to him. From this incident, Tony decided to call that beer Jackass IPA, for his jackass of a friend, and the brewery Donkey Punch Brewing.

Donkey Punch Beer FlightThe Brewery is situated in a light industrial park on the west side of Redlands. If it wasn’t for the banner outside you’d probably drive right by it, which I almost did. Inside there is a good amount of seating as well as some large screen TVs, for sports viewing, and at the far end of the room is the all important bar. Behind the tasting room is the actual brewery which can be observed from the tasting room when the connecting door is open. Tony already has plans for expanding the tasting room into the unit next door and possibly adding a stage for live music. Currently, you can buy growlers or enjoy the beer on site.

Now to the really important part, the beer. Tony, being a musician at heart, brings quite a bit of originality to his brews, crafting some rather interesting flavor combinations. He also only uses local and organic ingredients in all of his beers. The beers were all very good, with the only exception being the Jackass IPA which just didn’t feel much like an IPA to me, more like a hoppy porter of some sort. My favorites had to be the Lemon Caliente, a citrusey wheat ale with a nice pepper kick, and the Buckwheat Honey, a really good buckwheat beer with just the right amount of sweetness. Having only been once, I can’t speak to consistency between batches, but among the beers I tried everything was pretty solid.

Donkey Punch Brewing -  Tony TheodoreI look forward to seeing what Donkey Punch comes up with in the future and will definitely be stopping in next time I am in Redlands. Donkey Punch Brewing is located at 2351 West Lugonia Ave Ste G and is open at 11am Wednesday thru Sunday and closes at 9pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 10pm Friday and Saturdays, and 8:30pm on Sundays. Be sure to check their Facebook page for the latest information. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion to my Redlands Beer Run, Ritual Brewing Co.

Cheers!
Beer Guy LA

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