Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
bottle shops, pubs and breweries
Starting tonight, Native Son craft beer bar in Downtown L.A. is having friendly contests. Each Thursday is a Thirsty Thursday with two breweries going head-to-head.
The first duel is between ISM Brewing and There Does Not Exist. And the rest of the bracket is similarly stacked.
Long Beach’s Trademark Brewing is joining in on the 2nd location fun with a taproom in the very yellow, Enclave in Torrance.
This just adds to the large scene in that area which was already full day trip before.
It has been quite some time since last I visited Ojai. Enough that I thought it was south of Ventura and not slightly north.
But there are a couple good beer reasons to visit. One is the Ojai location of Topa Topa Brewing. Second is the foraging and unique Ojai Valley Brewing.
The first is a nice Main Street spot with all the TT hits. I started with the red ale, Disco Solstice before moving on to can pours of the 2024 Howler Coffee DIPA and then the collaboration Extra Coasty XPA with Craft Coast of Oceanside. All three were strong but the cold brew taste and aroma of Howler was the clear winner.
After a beer siesta, a walk to OVB was in order and the Pixie Wit and Accidental Belgian at the start of the taster tray were strong. The Sugar Bush Pale Ale was good as well but the closer, Bruja, a barrel-aged stout was weak. The plus though is that the tasting room is also for Side Street Wine, so you can double dip.
For a third option, you can check out the selection at Ojai Beverage. There is a big beer cooler and some slightly overpriced spirits.
Blackbeard’s Crafts in West LA on Sawtelle was brought to my attention as a potential craft beer shoppe and a quick perusal of their online offerings showed a tilt to foreign beers which if holds true in store could make this a good stop. They also carry exotic snacks so it seems akin to Replicant in Pasadena. I will schedule a visit and see if it is worth a detour.
Last year I finally visited one of the two Function PDX locations in Portland. And they are banging in the first half of 2025 with doubled up tap takeovers….
…and you are seeing correctly, there is a lot of SoCal represented. So let your PNW friends know they can taste some of the same beers that we are lucky to get.
…you could choose to head to Burbank and Lincoln Beer Co. for their 7th Anniversary party…
You just might find the right beer for Thanksgiving pairing or a gift for Christmas.
Ambitious Ales is teaming with Bixby Knolls neighbor Bel Canto Books to present the 3rd Boozy Book Fair on Sunday, November 17 from 12-5PM. The third B along with beer and books is BBQ as Smoked and Salted will on site with their Filipino Fusion-Texas Style BBQ.
As SoCal finally cools down into our approximation of fall, I do long for a serene outdoor spot to drink craft beer like the full introvert that I am and this spot, Pub in the Woods, has the right idea….
…there are spots like Stone HQ where you are in a garden atmosphere or a similar feel at Topa Topa and their HQ but what I wouldn’t give for a short hike to a secluded area with even just a tiny good beer selection.
After walking through Sloan Lake Park, I emerged in the Edgewater District and on the corner was Joyride Brewing. Opened in 2014, this local is kitty corner to the park. I went with two IPAs, a fresh hop and an experimental IPA. Their 35th one. Both tasted super fresh.
Also near the lake is the pilot brewery of Odell Brewing. Earlier in the trip, I had the flagship IPA and the flagship 90 Shilling and neither were on the menu here. I opted for a flight. Where I went all over the map from table beer to fruited lager to pumpkin beer. The five beers got better as I moved along with the pumpkin, double IPA and sweet stout being the best of the bunch.
For the third point in the beer triangle, head to Toast – Wine and Spirits a truly lovely little curated neighborhood shop. I got a sixer of Lady Justice Sandra Day IPA but man, if money and airport security were no object, I would have bought more. Leopold Brothers and Laws Whiskey and a whole pumpkin beer section.
In a week of ticking beer bucket list items, heading to Hops & Pie was a coupe de grace. A real “peach” of a final hurrah as I got to taste the Peach version of Weldwerks Brewing’s Juicy Bits IPA. I did not order the hoppy fries but the pumpkin soup and roasted pear salad were great.
To conclude, a special shout out to Chip and Erika for shuttle service and helpful tips.
Took a Lyft from LoDo to Novel Strand Brewing for a first visit to a truly neighborhood spot. Houses on the other three corners. Looks like a typical pub or coffee house, which it also is in the AM. Had the Ninja Shit and Green Showers on the beertenders recommendation. Both were easy drinkers.
After a Vieux Carre cocktail night, it was time to hit a really good brewery triangle centered on Larimer Street. First point was Our Mutual Friend Brewing where I taster tray-ed a few beers from their selection that held quite a few Belgian and funky choices like their two time GABF winner Biere Ovale. Which was quite a tart burst. I also quite enjoyed the Industry Appreciation IPA. You can’t miss the space as it is brightly colored outside.
Ratio BeerWorks is the punk brewery and again, Denver surprises with an eclectic beer list including a scotch ale and multiple saisons such as the carrot and elderflower that I chose. Bigger footprint than OMF but familiar garage door, indoor-outdoor set-up just one block up from OMF.
A slightly longer walk of three blocks led me to the very large industrial space of Bierstadt Lagerhaus where I had to notch the beer bucket list item of a slow pour pils at the source. The presentation, after the requisite time had elapsed, was spot on with the fancy gold embossed glass and the little paper doily and the parfait of foam is something to see. And of course to taste.