Primal Alchemy joins up with Trademark Brewing in Long Beach for a Valentine’s Day “farm-to-table family-style feast in celebration of love and beer.”
Probably gonna be better than a turn-and-burn prix fixe expensive restaurant.
Trademark Alchemy
Cider Doughnuts
The last time that I was in Portland, I had a spirit-ed doughnut from Blue Star, the Portland chain that also has locations right here in Los Angeles.
Maybe Portland Cider will sell this “inspired by” cider down here to combine forces in SoCal too.
Mayberry Grill
Looks like the Slice & Pint was enough of a success to warrant the opening of a food spot at the El Segundo Brewing location on Main Street. Here are the details from a recent press release, “Mayberry Grill is a small offshoot of The Slice & Pint that will be located at the soon to be opened back patio. Chef Matt has been busy finalizing the dual opening menu…. think backyard burgers and tacos to start.”
Two Birds
In St. Helens, Oregon, Ye Ol’ Grog Distilling has created a side project with spirit. Two Birds Spirited Ice Cream and Cocktail Sorbets. They make 12 proof ice cream using mostly vodka but they have dabbled with beer. Due to liquor laws, this is a distillery only purchase but maybe or nascent but growing, L.A. scene will take note and make their own iced treats.
Barrel-Aged for Breakfast
Barrel-Aging isn’t just for beverages. It can also be for your breakfast, Burton’s sells some pricey maple syrup aged in a variety of spirit barrels and according to this post on The Takeout (visit that site, it is super cool), they even have collaborated with “distilleries and using different kinds of spirits, even beer (New Belgium Brewery’s La Folie Sour Brown Ale).”
I didn’t see that syrup on their webstore but they had a bacon and bourbon version that sounds great and makes me crave waffles for sure.
1st Visit – Alamo Drafthouse
It has been open a while now but with a weekend in DTLA planned, I waited to try out the Alamo Drafthouse until a few days ago. Here is the re-cap…(with a bit of movie review thrown in)
Tucked into the back top right corner of the Bloc complex, the Drafthouse is not easily seen from 7th Street. Inside you have the typical ticket counter albeit not the huge but understaffed kind at your local multi-plex. To the right is where the fun is. The Video Vortex is part free video store and pre-show meet-up / hang-out space and the beer board is quite expansive and unlike other non-bar spots, they have made an effort to have both local and nationwide beers. And they have helped out educationally by separating them out on the menu board.
Now you can order here but if you are pressed for time. Ride the escalator up to the auditoriums and place your order there. The wait staff were helpful especially since many in our viewing of The Parasite were newbies to the Alamo. Place an order before the show or use their pencil and paper old-timey method to get a refill during the movie. Their was even a special Boomtown beer just for the movie, Bong Joon Hops named after the director.
The movie itself was very engrossing and just when you think you had it figured out, the plot would zig to the left and then zag to the right. It was hard at times to watch and funny as well but it certainly was making a commentary on the relationships of both class and families. And the twists are sharp.
MacLeod Soft Serve
I have seen beer floats, beer flavored ice cream and even beer slushies, but MacLeod Ales has taken the concept to a different level.
They literally have a CVT soft serve machine at their Van Nuys tap room. So not only can you get British influenced beer, pizza next door, you can have ice cream as well.
Not 3rd or 5th
Since I was going to be in downtown Long Beach, I wanted to hit up the beer places on my list. Too long on that list was the 4th Horseman from the minds of Ryan Hughes and Martin Svab.
They like their gothic horror which is similar to the past Phantom Carriage brewery but in a more B-Movie horror vibe. Marrying that to pizza and a killer tap list really works. It was a special beer weekend but they still had a great list including a Fieldwork hazy and Ten Mile Brewing.
Plus the pizza, the plain-ish Slayer Pepperoni was up there with the better beer and pizza choices like We’re Pouring or the Slice & Pint. It won best Long Beach pizza of 2019 which is no small feat for a new-ish restaurant.
Plus the strange performance art bathroom shows some whimsy so they have taken the decor to some fun / weird / disturbing levels.
Cookie Collab
King Harbor has started up a bakery collaboration with fellow Redondo Beach business, Isabella’s Cookie Company. They have created “4 beers based on their amazing cookie recipes” and starting tomorrow, September 7th, they will release the beers…
Maui Wowie – Imperial stout w/ macadamia nuts, white chocolate, pineapple, and coconut
The Muffy – Imperial stout w/ white chocolate, blueberry, cacao, and lactose
Red Velvet – Red stout w/ cacao and vanilla bean
Hot Chocolate – Imperial stout w/ cacao and chipotle peppers
Fat Tire BBQ
Now, I have seen craft beers used in various meats. Usually a collaboration between a meat producer using a beer for one item. But Niman Ranch seems to have gone full on with Fat Tire with not one but five items from brats to ribs to pulled pork and shredded beef.