With the soon to be opening of Feathered Serpent, you can now make a visit way out to San Dimas and hit up two of our eastern brewing brethren. HighPoint being the other. Set your Waze.
Landing/Sliding on the 27th
Botanical
On Saturday July 13th from 5:30 – 7:30pm you can combine “Blooms, Brews and Live Music in Westwood courtesy of Broxton Beer and the UCLA Botanical Garden
Here are the details: “Broxton beers + food options curated by California native Chef Kyle Brown. Grab a brew and a bite to explore the Botanical Garden or enjoy live music picnic style in the Nest Amphitheater. All ages welcome • Garden admission is free all day • Pets welcome on leash • Cash or card accepted • ID required for alcohol purchases • Consider bringing your own cup to reduce waste • Evenings can get chilly–bring a blanket • This event is free, but please RSVP!”
Trade Hog
You may know that Trademark Brewing is close to opening (or open now as of posting date). It is on my list of breweries to watch as Long Beach continues to grow apace.
Near them in the Washington neighborhood of Long Beach will reside the super small Hog Canyon Brewing. Founded by Larry Chavez, this nano is looking to open later this year, probably Q4 and start up with what will be by necessity a rotating set of beers.
Look for 1st Visit reviews of TM first and then Hog Canyon as I try to stay current with the scene to the south.
1st Visit – Relentless / Eagle Rock
Temecula has come to Eagle Rock in the form of Relentless Brewing. I have spoken with the folks behind the bar, restaurant and distillery but here are my first impressions…
The corner space is a bit small with a reverse L shaped bar fronted by a few stools with crown cap seats (which I thought was a nice design touch). There are a few tables in front with a garage door that can be opened onto Colorado Boulevard. With the tables and stools filed, the place can get a bit loud. That volume and the liquor bottles on shelves make this look on initial blush like a regular cocktail bar.
Beer wise it is primarily other local beers now. Relentless soft opened during L.A. Beer Week so having options like Imperial Western, Lincoln, Indie, Smog City and Boomtown was a smart go since they did not have their own beers available in quantity yet. They have around 18 taps and the beer menu is divided into light and refreshing, malty, hoppier and sours and funks.
The only house beers were in the hoppy and sour categories. I ordered Blitz Storm Hazy but it was out and bartender somewhat weirdly recommended an Offshoot Hazy instead of something from their own line. So I picked out an IPA and a sour to taste. Below are my mini-reviews…
Dank You So Much – OK. Piney, West Coast. Sticky. Some citrus peel, a skosh bit of butter
Tequila My Vibe – quite tart. Guava forward. Pretty cocktail color. Tequila barrel doesn’t really show. Maybe some apricot and really light peach
Tijuana Brewery Primer
I have seen other L.A. and San Diego beer writers journey to our neighbors to the south to check out what Mexico (Tijuana specifically) can add to craft beer and it is on my list to do as well and one way that it will be easier is if you take this handy list written by Beth Demmon with you.
Freshie Friday
Looks like that once a month, Three Weavers will have a Friday can sale from their Inglewood tap room. The first being the above Kveik-y Juicy IPA.
So plan your commute home at the end of the week, accordinglyy.
Smog Farmers
If you are a fan of Farmer’s Markets, well, you will be a bigger fan after hearing this. The Torrance brewery will be bringing Smog City beer to the Hollywood Farmers Market!
Owners Porter and Laurie at their will have a booth at North Cahuenga and Selma Avenue and will be open between 8am-1pm on Sundays.
First beer list has the following available:
Coffee Porter
Smog City IPA
Sabre-Toothed Squirrel
Little Bo Pils
Bourbon O.E.
White Peach Saison
June Lady
For you next Paso Robles trip
You always strike up mini-conversations at the FWIBF and this year was no different. I ran into a couple starting a new brewery in Fresno that I will keep an eye on but by this time next year, Paso Robles may have a new biergarten near downtown.
On the corner of 13th and Railroad will be the beer service structure, featuring 24 to 30 taps from local brewers as well as national brands. Food will be served as well as games like horseshoes. This was thought to be ready late last year but the opening date has been pushed.
There is also a brewery on Ramada Drive, no, not that one but further towards Templeton is another brewery/bar with the name KiloKilo. I found very little information about it but maybe next year, I will take a quick peek since I will be in that area anyway.
Oga’s Cantina Taplist
Looks like the taplist for Oga’s Cantina inside the Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland is taking shape…
- Bad Motivator IPA: An India Pale Ale made with Galaxy and Comet hops with tropical fruit tones from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- White Wampa Ale: A Hefeweizen wheat beer with banana and citrus flavors from Ballast Point Brewing Co.
- Gold Squadron Lager: A golden lager with lavender and plum flavors from Blue Point Brewing Co.
- Gamorrean Ale: A red ale with roasted caramel and grapefruit flavors from New Belgium Brewing Co.
- Spice Runner: A gluten-free hard apple cider with a dark red color and spices from Angry Orchard Cider Co.
Of this group the obvious first choices are from Sierra Nevada and New Belgium with the ABInBev owned Blue Point being the one to avoid considering that these are probably going to be on the expensive side.
(Note: I have started to see many posts about the beer and the prices, I think these beers will be popular but the other drinks will take hold. I expect Disneyland to revamp the beer line-up before the end of the year as they have already revised entrance and how to get in)
Firestone Walker Invitational – Full Recap
It is easy to write an Invitational recap. Talk about the heat. Talk about your favorite beers. Talk about the lines. Talk about how well this event is run and voila, word count is hit.
I will instead focus on a different tack…
Each FWIBF is safe, structured and similar. That may seem like faint praise but it is not. I know that everything will run smoothly. They will be ready with information weeks before the event, they will follow up, badges will be handed out, the BBQ will start on time and the festival, well, the festival will have too much. I would like to spend three days going through the beers.
What is great is that there are the in-between times where you can explore Paso Robles and you had best explore it because for a smaller, out of the way town, there is a lot of beverages to check out and food to eat. I have my own schedule of visiting Silva Brewing, Twisted and Glazed Donuts and Tin City but you can do the new Field of Light exhibit now or hit up Templeton and their quaint Main Street. Or head to the other side of the 101 and all the wineries there. Firestone also has a morning after wine brunch to ease you back into Sunday and to be able to talk about the beers from the day before.
This year, my wife and I stayed in an airstream trailer outside of town that overlooked a vineyard and had a friendly pit bull named Ladybug along with chickens and rabbits and a beautiful night sky. Next year, I might stay in a different part of town (if I go of course, let’s not get ahead of ourselves). Who knows, I might go up next year even if I don’t go to the festival. I might head north just to visit all the breweries that I can’t get to like Tent City or in SLO.
As far as the festival itself, it is all just nitpicking but I have come up with some quick greater than – less than notes from the 28+ samples that I tasted on the day.
Great Leap from China > Balter from Australia
Green Cheek booth display = Alvarado Street booth display
Side Project line > Garage Project line (due to The Bruery doing ½ of the beer presentation of one Garage Project beer)
Pils as Festival collab beer > barrel-aged collab
Not following my own set festival rules because I am easily distracted > following my own set festival rules
Oh, and my favorite brewery was Rare Barrel. They have seriously dialed into my taste buds. Sadly, I did not like the two Hair of the Dog beers that I sampled even though I was really pumped for them to be there. I also missed Sante Adairus and Russian River which is very, very bad of me.