It has featured breweries / local favorites that are not the usual suspects such as Norwalk Brew House, La Bodega Brewing Co. from Whittier, Brewjeria Company from Pico Rivera, Cerveza Xteca from San Diego, and Cerveza Cito hailing from Santa Ana.
And 100% of the proceeds from Brew Walk will directly benefit St. Linus School, that money goes to supporting educational programs and resources for the students. Maybe one of whom will become a brewer in the future.
A food hall in SoCal without a brewery presence is probably not really a food hall. But what if your food hall has two breweries?
Haven City in West Covina, wedged into an already busy big strip mall has recently opened and when I visited had a big crowd (even before a Dodger playoff game had started). Lots of food vendors right next to a big grocery store and there were still spots like Amboy not ready yet.
On one end is Ogopogo Brewing which had a full slate of their beers including two Fest-ish beers in Drude Marzen and Nachtkrapp Schwarzbier as well as a collab Nectaron Pils with Arrow Lodge. They are in a quiet corner that could probably use more seating but Drude was quite excellent.
Over on the other side is Burning Bridge Brewing which also does a small menu of tacos. They had quite a line-up on tap including a Belgian Dubbel, a PSL beer and, what I was told is a quite popular rice lager. I went with a hefty Hazy DIPA, Swing of the Axe, another beertender recommendation.
This City was full of people watching and also has a nice outdoor seating area as well. I would say pick a spot for a beer, then wander and choose some food and then have a second beer.
I am Team Cat when it comes to pets ’cause I like their attitude and their presence at breweries and distilleries and Los Angeles Ale Works will be honoring their house cat on Saturday 10/19 for Scrappy’s 7th Birthday, which will see the release of the birthday edition of Scrappalicious Juicy IPA plus other fun activities and maybe, even the guest of honor as well.
Benny Boy Brewing and Cidery is going all Apple Fest in November with all things cider and apples and community. I went last year and seeing the people pressing cider and the smell of cinnamon in the air despite being so close to the 5 Freeway is very cool and a marker for the Los Angeles seasonal year.
Hop Merchants is setting up for a party on October 19th. They will be celebrating 6 years on Lankershim Boulevard in NoHo. If you can’t make that day, I strongly suggest making a visit. I am sure you will find a four-pack to go at least if not a draft beer too.
Institution Ales is coming up on anniversary 11 in month 11 and they will be celebrating in both the HQ in Camarillo and up at their Santa Barbara location as well. So you have two 1+1 to pick from.
Hawthorne is gaining a craft beer bar to pair with Common Space and Los Angeles Ale Works. Tapville Social recently opened up and joins the self-service pour bars that are sprinkled around L.A.
I have to admit despite living in the greater Los Angeles area, that both San Francisco and San Diego have us beat when it comes to beer weeks and the latter is hosting theirs in November which is a great time to drive south and take in some beers from the self-proclaimed Capital of Craft.
Check HERE for the schedule of events such as their kick-off beer festival at Kilowatt Brewing as well as a special West Coast IPA release and a clean up the streets event.
I am an aficionado of grocery stores. I go on vacation and make a point of visiting them. Part of the bonus of being in Los Angeles is that there are little boutique stores, neighborhood markets that have somehow held on and a crazy variety of shops focused on foods from other countries.
The Burbank (next door to the airport) Vallarta grocery store recently got a glow up that included Mexican foods, agua frescas, paletas and a choose your own guacamole station.
I wandered around the beer aisle and saw this interesting selection….
….I will need to research these beers to see if any are not from a mega corporation but even more interesting was….
…canned Pulque. The precursor to tequila and mezcal locked up safe and sound.
Keeping searching, you might find some fun new drinks.
I like a small beer festival. I feel like I can actually taste the full rainbow if there is a tight mix of breweries. And Ogopogo Brewing is using their 6th anniversary to throw a little shindig in San Gabriel.
I am especially interested in Craft Coast and Burgeon and what they may be tapping.
