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Redlands is home to the “Hangar 24 Craft Brewery”. It was named after the aircraft hangar where founder and Master Brewer Ben Cook and his friends would meet after an afternoon of flying. Often Ben would bring some home brewed beers, which the friends would enjoy together while talking about aviation, music and sharing stories.

The ‘craft beer revolution’ as Redlands tutors refer to it has continued to grow. Ben Cook is one of many home brewers who in recent years decided to go up against the big brands that monopolize the market and introduce their own craft brewery. Ten years ago, when Ben Cook started “Hangar 24,” this was a big undertaking and a risky one, as small craft breweries were difficult to get off the ground. The key factor that has allowed this movement to gain momentum is changes in the laws. Since the deregulation of home brewing in 1979 small breweries and craft beers have been on the rise. The craft beer industry continues to be bulletproof in terms of its resilience to a struggling economy and its market share has continued to steadily grow year on year. This success is despite many factors working against them, such as strict distribution laws, and the inability to compete with the sheer scale of marketing campaigns from the big established brands.

Redlands tutors have witnessed a change in consumer behavior in recent years which has switched back to a preference for locally produced goods, organic produce, and farmers market shopping. The large supermarket still appeals to those needing to quickly and easily purchase all the home necessities in one trip. However the novelty of that experience has worn off for those more concerned with supporting their local farmers. There has definitely been a conscious effort in many communities to eat, and in the case of craft beers, drink local products. Craft beer is an extension of this movement and has allowed smaller companies to take off due to the support of their community and social media, which is inexpensive advertising and in many ways the best kind. People trust word of mouth and personal recommendations over broad sweeping commercials.

What has helped lead to the popularity of craft beers are the many different flavors of beer that previously were unheard of. Local craft brewers like Hangar 24 offer “Seasonal Offerings” and “Special Releases” which introduce a wealth of unusual flavor profiles. Beer nerds are particularly interested in these rare beers and often flock to local craft beer bars or breweries in order to sample the limited releases before they are no longer available.