Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
bottle shops, pubs and breweries
Those who curate solid craft beer lists should be followed. In that spirit, Jimmy Smith who until recently worked the kegs at Glendale Tap is now handling the beer program at Spoke Bicycle Cafe in Frogtown.
No, you do not need a bike helmet or those too tight shorts to enter, just a love of beer. Check it out Thursday through Sunday.
I do not know how one person can cover the vast San Diego craft beer scene. Too much. Way too much. But read HERE for info on four, yes four new breweries…
Doing a new brewery crawl might be an easier ask.
San Diego Beer News is my go to travel source. Writer Brandon Hernandez doesn’t just cover his city but also travels to other beer-y California and other states breweries.
I highly recommend his latest guide, this time Santa Rosa.
La Jara Brewing opened yesterday, marking the first brewery in Norwalk. La Jara is headed by partners and co-owners Jason Sullivan, co-head brewer Derek Johnstone, as well as Derek’s dad, Randy Johnstone.
Despite recent losses, LA is a large metropolitan area that still has pockets where local beer is still absent.
I will plan a visit and report back on the beer and tasting room.
I made a drive out to Julian with two agendas. Pie from one of the many pie establishments in the small mountain town and beer from both breweries to pair with all that pie crust.
First was Nickel Beer Co. which reminded me of Happy Valley back in Portland. A corner location that looked to be a roadside hangout now brewery.
Inside was a memento filled small room with the taps, I picked out a sampler tray and set to tasting on the patio to enjoy the sun and wind and blue sky.
Unfortunately, three of the five beers exhibited off flavors which is something since I don’t usually pick “off” up much. The Farmer Jon Strong Pale was unique but not greatly hoppy. The Apple Pie Ale was as advertised but the others did not make the grade. I was hoping that the Pink Boots beer being a DIPA would be a saving grace, but alas, not to be.
On the other end of Julian is the aptly named Julian Beer Company with plenty of front patio seating in front of a pair of red barns to watch Pacific Coast Trail hikers going past.
I had a sampler tray with lovely taster glasses but alas, though better than Nickel, the beers were only so-so. My favorite was the Rye IPA, Pistol Whipped. If the Grave Digger was labeled as a dark lager and not a Dopplebock, I would have ranked that a bit higher. I had another Pink Boots IPA and it was a bit underdone.
To be blunt, the two Julian ciders that I had were easily the best drinks of the trip.
High Fives to Karl Strauss Brewing for reaching birthday # 33!
And then extra kudos for going with a Baltic Porter and then a few more slaps on the back for aging in Tawny Port barrels.
Yesterday, the good news we have been waiting for dropped…
Yup, The Firestone Walker Invitational is BACK. And yes the all caps is very much needed.
Here is the list of breweries and the collaboration beer will be a done with Green Cheek of Anaheim., “Parrotphrase,” a dry-hopped grisette ale.
So many breweries that I can’t choose which excite me more. Bale Breaker, both Clouds, Thornbridge and Pinthouse would be my starting points.
And there is more…
“Firestone Walker today also unveiled the “Ultimate Firestone Walker Experience” sweepstakes, which includes two tickets to the 2022 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest.
The full prize also includes private tours and behind-the-scenes experiences at Firestone Walker’s Venice and Paso Robles breweries, and three nights at local hotels plus lunch and dinner at the brewery taprooms.
The sweepstakes is open from now through April 3 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Interested craft beer fans may submit their entry via the Ultimate Firestone Walker Experience sweepstakes page. The winner will be randomly drawn after the close of the sweepstakes period.”
Beachwood is going to be sliding a new location to us in 2022. Not yet in Glendale unfortunately but at the 2nd & PCH location…
Certain L.A. ‘burbs have beer everywhere. Torrance, DTLA, El Segundo has three and Long Beach has always been a player as well.
One aspect of a beer-y city are secondary spots like food pods and bottle shops. This is all prelude to an introduction to Stateside Crafts on Atlantic in north Long Beach.
Bottle shop and tasting room. Always good to have.
I headed south one Saturday to peek inside…
…and I found a lovely curated spot with pantry snack items on one side and in the middle with a cooler on the right side as you enter. Being mere blocks from Ambitious Ales and Liberation Brewing meant those were represented but not competing with them. I found a Crowns & Hops beer that I had not seen before along wit a Riip IPA but overall the selection was smaller than Hop Merchants, Talon and especially Sunset Beer which is my marker for SKUs.
But, if you are in the neighborhood, check it out. They certainly had a different choice than my regular haunts which is a good sign plus, snacks is a great thing to grab too.
The FOMO beer trading crowd was probably out in force when the Anaheim edition of Monkish opened before Christmas. With an appropriately named beer…
I will visit sometime early in 2022 and will report about the 2nd location – 1st visit.