You walk past the windows of La Bodega Brewing in Whittier, seeing the fermenters and other brewing equipment but then you enter and if you are slow like me, you might be confused, is it a butcher? Then you might not take the neon hint of what is the password or lack of entrance before being carefully led in by one of the many kind staff to the easy speakeasy behind the cooler door.
Inside is one of the swankiest environs for a brewery that I have been into. Blue lights, movie house ceilings, low light. Prohibition vibe.
And lagers. Mexican, dark, regular plus a blonde ale. The Mala Suerte was a solid start, the Pale Ale was dialed in. Bright and citrus. The Hazlitt Hazy was a little letdown from the first two. Creamy and hoppy but lacking a dominant flavor. Toma, the Double IPA was in between. Better than the hazy but dull compared to the pale. I wish I had gone for the three lagers and the pale for the taster tray.
Plus food that is steakhouse meets LA plus Fosselman’s ice cream makes this brewery more of a special night out