Ozzy Oz-Orange Returns: Blood Orange & Cherry Sour Beer Takes the Stage
6% ABV | Barrel-Aged Wild Ale | Blood Orange & Cherry
Some beers politely follow the rules. Ozzy Oz-Orange isn’t one of them.
Now pouring at California Wild Ales in Ocean Beach and Point Loma, Ozzy Oz-Orange is our latest fruit-forward barrel-aged wild ale—a loud, tart, funky combination of locally sourced blood oranges, cherries, oak, and wild fermentation.
Inspired by the spirit of heavy metal and the legendary figure who taught generations of fans that sometimes you’re supposed to go a little off the rails, this is a beer designed to be turned up to 11.
Blood Orange Takes Center Stage
The headliner here is blood orange.
We sourced fresh blood oranges locally in Southern California, taking advantage of the incredible citrus grown practically in our own backyard. Blood oranges bring something completely different to a sour beer than traditional sweet oranges. There’s plenty of bright citrus, but also a deeper, slightly bitter, almost berry-like character that works beautifully with the natural acidity of a barrel-aged wild ale.
We gave the beer plenty of time with the fruit, allowing those fresh blood oranges to contribute their aroma, flavor, color, and unmistakable citrus bite.
Then we invited cherries to join the band.
The cherries bring darker fruit notes and a touch of richness that plays perfectly against the sharper blood orange. Think ruby-red citrus, ripe cherry, orange peel, subtle vanilla, oak, and funky fermentation, all wrapped around a dry, mouthwatering sour finish.
Blood orange is still standing at center stage. Cherry just showed up with a guitar and turned the amp all the way up.
Twelve Months in Oak Before the Fruit Ever Hit
Long before the blood oranges and cherries entered the picture, this beer was already developing its personality.
The base wild ale spent approximately 12 months aging in American oak barrels, giving our mixed fermentation cultures time to do what they do best.
And wild beer doesn’t work on anybody else’s schedule.
Over that year in oak, the beer developed layers of acidity, earthy funk, subtle vanilla and wood character, and the kind of complexity that simply can’t be rushed. Once we felt the base beer was ready, we added the fruit and allowed everything to come together.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve always loved making barrel-aged wild ales in San Diego. You can guide them, nurture them, taste them, blend them—but eventually you have to let the beer do its own thing.
Which brings us back to heavy metal.
Heavy Metal and Wild Beer Have a Lot in Common
Heavy metal was never supposed to be background music.
And wild ales were never supposed to taste like everything else on the beer aisle.
Both are a little loud. Both can be unconventional. Both developed passionate followings among people who weren’t particularly interested in what everyone else thought they were supposed to like.
That’s the attitude behind Ozzy Oz-Orange.
If you’re a fan, you’ll recognize the little nods throughout the beer and its artwork: bats overhead, round shades, a cane, crosses, a stage full of chaos and one purple monster who looks like he might have just stepped off a particularly crazy train.
No need to explain every reference.
Those who know, know. 🤘
And while we can’t promise this beer will make you bark at the moon, after a couple of glasses you may at least understand the temptation.
A Southern California Sour Beer Through and Through
Although its attitude comes straight from a dark heavy-metal stage, the flavors in Ozzy Oz-Orange are pure Southern California.
Fresh citrus, locally sourced fruit, sunshine, and tart refreshment make blood orange an almost perfect ingredient for a San Diego sour beer.
At 6% ABV, Ozzy Oz-Orange delivers plenty of complexity without becoming overwhelmingly heavy. The initial hit of blood orange is bright and aromatic, followed by cherry, oak, funky fermentation, and a crisp acidity that cleans everything up before the next sip.
It’s bold without being clumsy, fruity without becoming sweet, and sour without burying all of the beautiful character that developed during its year in oak.
In other words:
Blood orange. Cherry. Oak. Funk.
No rules. No compromises.
Now Pouring in Ocean Beach & Point Loma
Ozzy Oz-Orange Blood Orange & Cherry Sour Beer is now available at both California Wild Ales tasting rooms in San Diego — Ocean Beach and Point Loma.
Whether you’re spending the afternoon near the beach in Ocean Beach, exploring the Peninsula, or stopping into our Point Loma tasting room, come grab a glass and experience one of our newest barrel-aged fruit sours while it’s pouring.
As with many of our small-batch barrel-aged wild beers, when this batch is gone, it’s gone.
So gather the crew, throw up the horns, and come taste what happens when Southern California fruit, barrel-aged wild ale, and heavy metal attitude share the same stage.
Ozzy Oz-Orange
Blood Orange & Cherry Sour Beer
6% ABV | Barrel-Aged Wild Ale
Locally sourced blood oranges + cherries
Available at California Wild Ales Ocean Beach & Point Loma
For anyone hunting for a San Diego sour beer, Southern California sour beer, blood orange sour, cherry sour beer, barrel-aged wild ale, fruit sour, mixed-fermentation beer, or locally made San Diego craft beer, Ozzy Oz-Orange is ready for its encore.
Drink it tart. Drink it wild. Drink it loud. 🤘🍊🍒
