Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
bottle shops, pubs and breweries
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.
One of my bottle shops stops is Talon Tap & Wine in Eagle Rock. Friendly people, you have a great selection that you can buy single cans of and there is a nice little bar in the back if you want to catch a game.
And this year, they are turning 5! There will be a special day of celebration for it on Saturday, October 5th.
I am a beer traveler. When I go to a destination, part of my prep is a list of breweries to visit. That list will always be too long. Part of the reason why is that there are guides like San Diego Beer News that put a lot onto a plate.
And since fall is a great time to travel with fares down from summer highs until the holidays hit, you should check out the guides again since I have already told you about them before.
There are new ones out though!
You can start HERE with the local San Diego breweries.
Then head HERE for the rest of the U.S.
I have another Instagram handle for L.A. craft beer fans to follow. @laaleworks_hermosa.
Los Angeles Ale Works will debut their 3rd location in Hermosa Beach in 2025. You can check out the announcement video HERE.