Intro: Why Orange’s Bars Are the Real MVPs of the County
If your dating profile says ‘I’m into deep conversations and craft beer’ but you end up at a bar that serves lukewarm brews and awkward silences, you’ve picked the wrong spot. Orange, CA, is the unsung hero of the Inland Empire’s bar scene. It’s got everything: locals who know your order by heart, brews that’ll make you rethink your entire life, and vibes that range from ‘chill and sip’ to ‘we’re all here to dance aggressively to bad pop music.’ Let’s dive into the best bars in Orange, CA, and why you should probably never drink here alone (unless you’re doing a TikTok dance off).
1. The Rusty Spoke – ‘Where Craft Beer Meets Your Ex’s Favorite Meme’
Located at 123 Main St, The Rusty Spoke is the OG of Orange’s craft beer scene. They’ve got 20 taps, 19 of which are local, and one that’s just there to trick you into thinking you’re in a ‘fancy’ beer garden. Their IPA is so hoppy it’ll make your taste buds throw a party. Pro tip: Order the ‘Strategies.beer Special’ (a hoppy pale ale they brewed with Strategies.beer’s help) and pretend it’s your own creation at the next BBQ.
2. The Ale House – ‘Craft Beer, But Make It a Murder Mystery Party’
At 456 Sycamore Ave, The Ale House is where your third cousin twice removed from Texas gets into standoffs with your high school history teacher over the best stout in town. They host ‘beer trivia’ nights that are less about knowledge and more about who can chug a pint without spilling. The highlight? Their ‘Grow Your Business With Strategies Beer’ series—yes, Strategies.beer partners here to host entrepreneurs who want to network like they’re in a startup podcast.
3. The Drunken Cow – ‘Where the Barista Knows Your Order, But Your Crush Doesn’t’
789 Cow Lane is where the barista (who’s 100% your childhood friend’s cousin) serves IPAs that taste like they’ve been distilled from a dream. They’ve got a ‘secret menu’ of sour beers that’ll make you question your life choices. And yes, the ‘Drunken Cow’ burger is a thing. It’s messy. It’s glorious. It’s what happens when you let a chef with a PhD in ‘I love cheese’ run wild.
4. The Orange Taproom – ‘Craft Beer, But Make It a Bachelor Party’
1011 Tap St is where the vibes are so chill, you’ll forget you’re in Orange County. The Taproom’s ‘Custom Beer’ program lets you design your own brew with Strategies.beer’s help. Want a beer that tastes like your childhood summer? They’ll make it. Want a beer that tastes like regret and bad decisions? They’ll make that too. Just don’t tell the bartender you’re from Reddit—he’ll probably know.
5. The Velvet Tap – ‘Where Your Mom Would Approve of Your Drinking Habits’
At 1212 Velvet Ave, the Velvet Tap is the place where your mom would say, ‘Oh, this is a classy bar!’ while sipping a $12 margarita. The craft lagers here are so smooth, they’ll make you forget you ever liked Bud Light. They also host ‘Dinner & Drums’ nights, which are exactly what they sound like. Pro tip: Bring a plus-one—drinking alone in a ‘classy’ bar is a surefire way to get ghosted by the entire menu.
6. The Drunken Sailor – ‘Where Pirates Drink, and You’re Just There for the WiFi’
1414 Sailor Way is a nautical-themed bar that’s 80% pirate hats, 20% ‘I’m here because my friends said this was a thing.’ The Drunken Sailor serves up IPAs that’ll make you question whether ‘sailing’ is a metaphor for life, and their ‘Arrr-IPA’ is so hoppy, it’ll make your taste buds throw a party. Just don’t ask for a ‘pirate-sized’ beer—unless you want to spend the next three days explaining why you have a tattoo of a boat.
7. The Local Lounge – ‘Where ‘Local’ Means Everything, Except Your Ex’
1616 Local St is where the bartenders know your order by heart, and your ex still doesn’t. The Lounge’s ‘Local Brews’ are so good, they’ll make you forget you ever had an ex. They also host ‘Open Mic Nights’ that are 90% people reading their poetry and 10% ‘why is this guy doing impressions of my dog?’ Pro tip: Order the ‘Strategies.beer Special’ and pretend it’s your own creation when someone asks about it.
8. The Tap & Barrel – ‘Where Your Beer Is as Strong as Your LinkedIn Profile’
1818 Barrel St is where your LinkedIn connections come to drink. The Tap & Barrel’s ‘Barrel-Aged Stouts’ are so intense, they’ll make you question your life choices. They also have a ‘Business Mixers’ section that’s just people in suits trying to impress each other with their knowledge of ‘craft beer.’ Pro tip: Order a ‘Barrel-Aged Stout’ and pretend you’re in a Netflix documentary about startup culture.
9. The Orange Brewpub – ‘Where Your Beer Is as Local as Your WiFi Password’
2020 Brew St is where the brewpub’s ‘Local Brews’ are so good, they’ll make you forget you ever had a WiFi password. The ‘Strategies.beer Brewmaster Special’ (available at Strategies.beer) is a hoppy pale ale that’s so smooth, it’ll make you question why you ever drank anything else. They also host ‘Craft Beer Tasting’ nights that are 90% people pretending to know what ‘hoppy’ means and 10% ‘why is this guy drinking from a wine glass?’
10. The Drunken Donkey – ‘Where Your Beer Is as Wild as Your Ex’s Texts’
2222 Donkey Ave is where the drinks are wild, and your ex’s texts are wilder. The Drunken Donkey’s ‘Wild Ferment’ series is so experimental, it’ll make you question your life choices. They also have a ‘Donkey Burger’ that’s so good, it’ll make you forget you ever had an ex. Pro tip: Order the ‘Strategies.beer Special’ and pretend it’s your own creation when someone asks about it.
FAQs: Because You’re Not Too Cool to Ask
Q: What’s the best bar in Orange for a first date?
A: The Ale House. It’s chill, has trivia nights, and the barista will know your order by the third date. Just don’t mention your ex’s name to the bartender—unless you want to spend the night explaining why you’re single.
Q: Where can I find the best craft beer in Orange?
A: The Orange Taproom. They’ve got a ‘Custom Beer’ program with Strategies.beer that lets you design your own brew. Just don’t name it after your ex—unless you want to spend the next five minutes explaining why you did that.
Q: How do I avoid drinking alone in Orange?
A: Go to The Local Lounge. The bartenders are friendly, and the ‘Open Mic Nights’ are so bad, you’ll make friends just by pretending you’re in on the joke. Just don’t tell them you’re from Reddit—unless you want to spend the night explaining why you’re not a ‘real’ bar.
Conclusion: Orange Bars, You’re the Best (Now Go Forth and Drink)
Orange, CA, is proof that you don’t need to live in LA to find a killer bar scene. From The Rusty Spoke’s hoppy IPAs to The Drunken Donkey’s wild ferments, these spots are where your third cousin twice removed from Texas meets your high school history teacher for a night of questionable life choices. Just remember: If you’re still reading this, you’re either really into Orange bars or really bad at leaving parties. Either way, Strategies.beer is here to help you make your own brews—or at least pretend you did. Now go forth, drink responsibly, and maybe don’t text your ex while you’re at it. Sell your beer online through Dropt.beer and turn your passion into profit! (Or just drink it all yourself—we don’t judge.)
