Category: L.A. Beer Week

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LABW10 – 5 Events to Check

Here is a really early look at L.A. Beer Week events that you may want to add to your schedule for celebrating the week in Los Angeles beer…

1. Monday, June 18th @ Eagle Rock Brewery Public House
“Come one, come all to learn a bit about the beer world from our esteemed panel of brewers/brewery owners (Highland Park Brewery, Three Weavers, Societe Brewing and Eagle Rock Brewery)! The kicker? Each panelist will be presented with hot wings that get progressively hotter throughout the panel. Sayre Piotrkowski, Bay Area beer evangelist will be moderating this SUPER HOT and hilarious panel. Can they take the heat? Can YOU? If you aren’t scurred, you should come try the flight of hot wings plus beers designated by the panelists to quell the inferno in their mouths. Each of the hot wings will be prepared with special hot sauces prepared by Chef Jerry Su, so they’ll be both delicious and SPICY!”

2. Tuesday, June 19th @ Harajuku Taproom
“Harajuku Taproom is a taproom for Baird Beer from Shizuoka, JAPAN. We will be celebrating LA Beer Week with a wide selection of Japanese Craft Beer from Baird Beer, several guest taps including Coedo and Hitachino, and some Japan-themed local LA beers. 21 beers on tap, special flights, representatives from Coedo, pouring some samples of their beer offering, a presentation on Baird Beer, and a discussion of Japanese Craft Beer by Tomm Carroll, LA Correspondent for Celebrator Beer News, and regular writer for Beer Paper LA.”

3. Thursday, June 21st @ Naja’s Place
“Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach will once again host the Battle of the Guilds; a three-Guild tap takeover between Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. Come support the home team and help LA win back the highly-coveted Golden Keg!”

4. Saturday, June 23rd @ Three Weavers Brewing
“Join us at our brewery in Inglewood for the 1st Annual Brewmo Pseudo-Sumo Showdown, where brewers from all around will square off in a brew-tal battle for eternal glory and a chance to hold the world-renowned Brewmo Pseudo-Sumo Belt of the Beermasters. We’ll have our parking lot turned into a sumo wrestling arena where you can drink some beer while you watch your favorite brewers lay it all on the line as they strap themselves into giant sumo wrestling suits and fight! It will be TOTAL PSEUDO-SUMO MADNESS. Free admission for 21+ with valid ID; our doors open at High Noon.”

5. Sunday, June 24th
“Why not finish the week at Milkfarm for the grand finale? ‘Cause in case you didn’t know….BEER LOVES CHEESE and CHEESE REALLY LOVES BEER! We’ll kick-off the class with a welcome pour of this year’s Unity Beer hosted by LA Ale Works! Alyssa, Milkfarm Cheesemonger and Craft Beer Cellar’s Beer Queen, will then guide you through FIVE unique, LA-brewed beers paired with FIVE delicious American cheeses (and/or cheese-based yummies). This class is meant to highlight the importance of the current-day artisan, and how they affect their communities. You’ll also get an overview of the brewing process, as well as learn the differences between many of the major beer styles….oh and you’ll learn a thing or two about CHEESE of course!”

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Get Enthused!


If you want to take another dive into the rabbit hole of L.A. #independent beer, why not become a certified, enthusiast?

The L.A. County Brewers Guild has created a nice set of perks and benefits for those who join…

1 – Enthusiast Membership Card which gets you discounts at various breweries and Allied Member retailers.
2 – Your choice of either a LABG Men’s or Women’s T-Shirt or Women’s Tank Top.
3 – 20% Off L.A. Beer Week Kickoff VIP Tickets (on up to 4 tickets)
4 – Up to $20 off L.A. Beer and Food VIP Tickets ($10 off per ticket, up to 2 tickets)
5 – Bi-Annual L.A. Brewers Guild Maps
6 – Early Access or MEMBERS ONLY Event Invitations (new for 2018!)
7 – 10% Off Online Merchandise at labrewersguild.org

NEW in 2018:
8 – Special Ticket Access to LABG Summer Baseball Game (Catch the boys in Blue with us at our annual Guild baseball game. Limited, First Come, First Serve ticket availability)
9 – Special Invitation to 1 Holiday Bottle Share (Close the year with us at one of 2 private events. Split into 2 dates to keep events intimate.)
10 – Beer Education Opportunities

Plus 25+ breweries grant discounts.

Could be a real money-saver for the fervent beer fan!

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Let’s do the Numbers

Though you could just look at a busy taproom for anecdotal evidence of the economic impact of #independent beer in L.A. The Los Angeles County Brewers Guild has gone one better and working with the UCLA Applied Research Department has the data to back up the positive claims.

The guild commissioned “an economic impact analysis report detailing the contributions of local, small, and independent craft breweries within our region.”

Frances Lopez, the fearless leader of the Guild has it boiled down to both graphical form….

…and other highlights:

1. This economic impact represents a 45% increase relative to a 2015 study by the National University System Institute for Policy Research (NUSIPR).

2. Guild brewery members’ economic activity generated $22 Million in tax revenue of which $13 Million went to state and local municipalities.

3. There were zero reported brewery closures in Los Angeles County within the last 5 years.

4. L.A. County has grown from under 5 operating craft breweries in 2009 to over 76 within the county as of April 2018.

5. The Guild is projected to be home to over 80 independent craft breweries in the county by the end of 2018.

“All data compiled features numbers exclusive to small and independent craft brewers in L.A. County as defined by the Brewers Association and does not include any businesses formerly craft or whose main operations are based outside of the county.”

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L.A. Beer Week – # 10 – All the Details


The 10th Annual L.A. Beer Week is here! Join us for our big Kickoff Festival on Saturday, June 16th at the Los Angeles Center Studios in the heart of Downtown L.A.! We are bringing the heat this summer with an awesome festival featuring 90 independent craft breweries, live music, great local food, games, a photo booth from Snap Yourself!, Hollywood Curling, and more!

Produced by the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild, #LABW10 will feature the largest number of Los Angeles County-based craft breweries — more than any other festival in town! We’ll also have some very special guest breweries! Join us and support your local brewers and the nonprofit organization that strives to foster craft beer culture in L.A. County. Admission includes a keepsake glass and unlimited tastes of over 180 beers from 90 breweries. This is surely a not-to-miss summer festival!

VIP Tickets include a premium keepsake glass, early entry at 12pm, and access to our new VIP Lounge area.

EARLY BIRD PRICING APRIL 6 – MAY 1, 2018:
Early Bird General Admission: $45
Early Bird VIP Admission: $65
Designated Driver: $25
(* 2017 Enthusiast members receive 20% off up to 4 tickets – use your member number on your Enthusiast ID UNTIL MAY 1ST. AFTER MAY 1ST, YOU MUST BE A 2018 ENTHUSIAST MEMBER TO GET DISCOUNTED)

REGULAR PRICING MAY 2 – JUNE 15, 2018
General Admission: $50
VIP Admission: $70
Designated Driver: $25
(*2018 Enthusiast members receive 20% off up to 4 tickets – use your member number on your Enthusiast ID)

**Day of ticket sales are NOT guaranteed. Should we have any tickets available on June 16th at the door, prices will be $55 General Admission, $75 VIP, and $25 Designated Driver**

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Recap – MacLeod’s 3rd Anniversary


Sometimes it takes me time to catch-up. In the case of MacLeod’s, it took until anniversary three before I made it out to try their cask ale extravaganza.

In addition to their main bar, which held their house cask beers plus three from their staff brewing program. There was a wooden set-just as you entered the taproom and one back in the brewery to showcase beers from a wide swath of local L.A. breweries.

An intriguing aspect was that two past MacLeod brewers had beers tapped from their new breweries, Andy Black at Yorkshire Square brought Castle Dangerous Export Stout and Josiah Blomquist at Iron Triangle had their Dark Ale.

There were also a pair of intriguing sours available as well. Both Dry River and Cellador were in casks next to each other. With the Firegold # 6 with grapefruit from the latter being particulary good. I also enjoyed the Ladyface IPA with tangerine and habanero. Not too spicy and not too fruity but both flavors came through well.

Despite the overbearing valley heat, everyone was having a good time mingling and going from cask and cask.

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LABW9 Kick-Off Festival – The Needs Work

Yesterday, I posted up some photos and notes of my experience at the Kick-Off Festival for L.A. Beer Week. I had a grand old time with my only difficulty being pacing myself in the heat.

Last year, I poured beer and that insulates you from what is going on around you to an extent. Fest goers are much happier when beer is being poured in their glass. This year, I was right up front as people streamed into L.A. Center Studios and that is where most of my notes are from and about.

Let’s dip into my suggestion box and see what we find….
SIGNS – Not much, if any, was seen around the L.A. Center Studios. Where it was most conspicuous is at the entrance. First, I saw no sign pointing you to where it was. No sign for volunteer entrance. Nothing for media. There needed to be those plus a sign signifying where the VIP line started and another saying General Admission line started. Maybe a line on the concrete with a volunteer (like me) standing there. Plus more signs posted along the line routes telling people where to line up and then another person walking the line, telling people which line they were in and what would be happening when the floodgates opened. There is literally no going overboard with signage and information.

That extends to the second slip in the suggestion box, BOOTH ID – Some breweries brought their A tents, but in summer fest season couple with L.A. Beer Week, some people can’t or simply don’t have them. So some sort of uniform sign (yeah, back on this kick again) so that you can easily find a brewery, and while we are at it. Placards that say what beers are being poured. Some breweries will use them and others won’t need them but at least you are covered.

Our next suggestion is targeted to NEW BREWERIES – There needed to be more love thrown their way. Maybe cluster the new breweries together on the grassy area. Maybe have a passport where you win a prize for trying a beer from at least five of the new breweries.

Finally, SHADE / MISTERS – I know it is an expense but two years on the hot tarmac a block off of the 110 Freeway in June sorta requires it. Maybe put it by the stage and encourage dancing in that area.

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LABW9 Kick-Off Festival – The Good

Saturday marked the 9th L.A. Beer Week starting with the Kick-Off Festival celebrating the L.A. County Brewer’s Guild members.

Here are some photos and notes from the hot and muggy day…

To show my gratitude for all that the Guild does for independent beer, I volunteered and was assigned the front lines. Scanning tickets and wristbanding guests at the entrance to the ever growing list of breweries.

After my duty was done, the first beer that I had poured into my cool little glass was the Unity 2017 IPA which was bright and refreshing in the heat. My first really wow beer was (the above) cerveza from the new Brewery Rex…

Firestone Walker had a cool tent with David Walker in attendance pouring beers like the new Adversus. And there were plenty of hops abounding like Melting Faces from Transplants…

… or two from Burbank’s Lincoln Beer…

You could get the wonderful Don’t Maize Me Bro from Eagle Rock, or a pilsner from Mumford. But my favorites on the day were the Firegold # 6 from Cellador which had a great balance of grapefruit, pith and sour. State Brewing had a orange and mega hazy From Here to Gardena that is on my list to get again as soon as I can. Lastly, I got one of the last pours of the anniversary Seis Del Segundo from El Segundo BC which really well balanced.

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LA Beer Week starts TOMORROW!

I have highlighted some of the #LABW9 events earlier this month but here are my picks for each and every day of the 2017 L.A. Beer Week.

Saturday, June 17th
Mexican Beer Festival at Mikkeller DTLA
“Join us for the LA Beer Week opening festivities with a celebration of the Mexican Craft Beer Scene. Free entry, as always, and a killer line up of the best breweries South of the Border.”
Featuring:

Cerveza Fauna, Mexicali
Border Psycho, Tijuana
Cerverceria AguaMala, Ensenada
Cerverceria Wendlandt, Ensenada
Cerverceria Insurgente, Tijuana

+ One time only Mexican food specials!

Sunday, June 18th
“Smog City’s bi-annual LABW bourbon barrel-aged, sour, experimental, and wild beer event, Rarest of the Rare, is coming back and it’s bigger and better than ever!

Packed with cellared beers brewed and bottled at Smog; including sour releases that’ll leave you salivating and bourbon barrel-aged beers to warm your soul.

Last held in 2015, Rarest of the Rare left no stone unturned and this year will be no different. Mark your calendars as this a unique opportunity to get the most comprehensive tasting of Smog City beers on tap. Do. Not. Miss. It.”

Monday, June 19th
The Local Peasant Beer vs Wine
A five-course chef’s dinner with beer and wine pairings for each course. The beer pairings will be chosen by Kevin and Sara Osborne of Cellador Ales and the wine pairings from local Sommelier Chris Webb, famous from Buzzfeed’s ‘Wine Mom vs. Wine Expert’. Each course gives the competitors a chance to describe their pairing to the group, why they chose it, and an opportunity to defend it against their opponent’s selection.

Tuesday, June 20th
Thinking about starting a brewery or just wondering what brewing is like using a 15BBL Premier Stainless Stacked Combi Brewing system? Ever wonder how homebrewers diving into a large commercial system adjust after 18 months of on-the-job training?

For LA Beer Week we will give you a candid and rare opportunity to experience a full, complete, no bullsh^t brewing day with us from the opening our doors to end of day cleaning! We will show you every step of the brewing process with long winded speeches/rants, samples and lots of pointing at stuff. Lunch and a pint of beer provided. 21 or over. Limited to 20 guests

Purchase your tickets HERE.

Wednesday, June 21st
Sour & Funky Night at The Hermosillo
Once again we’re stacking our taplist with the best sour, funky, mixed culture beers we can find.

Featuring beers from Highland Park Brewery, Sante Adairius, Homage, Cellador, Beachwood Blendery, Firestone Barrelworks, Good Beer Co, Allagash, and more.

Thursday, June 22nd
For LA Beer Week #LABW9, Horse Thief BBQ and Beer Garden continues their summer long Tap Takeover series with DTLA based Concrete Jungle Brewing on Thursday, June 22nd. Free to attend, the Tap Takeover will feature five taps from Concrete Jungle Brewing, available to purchase starting at 5 p.m

Friday, June 23rd
Iron Triangle Tap Takeover at the Pasadena DogHaus
Featuring $6 Pints of:

Iron Triangle GOLD
Iron Triangle DARK ALE
Iron Triangle IPA
Speaks for Herself Amber
Civil Monument Bavarian Hefeweizen
Blue Heron Wheat IPA

Saturday, June 24th
38 Degrees 8th Anniversary
Please join us for our annual celebration, 38 Degrees Ale House & Grill Alhambra’s 8th Anniversary! Just like year’s past, we will be breaking out some very exquisite barrel aged beers along with the freshest hoppy ales. There are no tickets and no cover charge, just stop in and hoist a glass to 8 years with us. Please stay tuned for our killer tap lineup. This is one LA Beer Week event you’ll won’t want to miss.

Sunday, June 25th
Simmzy’s El Segundo – Caskaway III
Come celebrate the closing day of L.A. Beer Week with Tropical and Hawaiian fruit themed casks from El Segundo Brewing Company and whole roasted pigs from Lil’ Simmzy’s on the Deck.

$24 for Roasted Pig plate and 2 Beers. $22 if you wear a Hawaiian Shirt. Live Music and Games Too! And L.A.’s only Advanced Cicerone Greg Bechtel. First Come, First Served…While Supplies Last

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Featured Review – Unity 2017

Time for the moment of truth, what is the review for the 2017 edition of Unity – The LABW beer.

This year hosted and bottled by El Segundo Brewing.

From the tap: the fruit added IPA pours a pretty clear and light orange color. I was wondering if this would be a fruit bomb or if the extra hoppy nature of ESBC would win the day. Turns out neither, really. It is for sure hoppy but it is approachable, dare I say lighter than the baseline for them. The citrus doesn’t come through as strong as I would think considering all the zesting the L.A. brewers did.

From the bottle: More citrus popped out in a few days old bottle. The orange peel bitterness was there, intermingling with the hops. The color is light and the beer is super easy to drink. 22oz is actually an OK size for this IPA.

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LABW9 & Craft Beer Cellar – Eagle Rock


Craft Beer Cellar in Eagle Rock will be very busy for #LABW9. Check out my picks from their roster of fun plans….

Saturday, June 17 – L.A. ALL DAY IPA – L.A. IPA Tap Takeover, 5 to 10 p.m.

Tuesday, June 20 – Transplant Bottle Release Party & Beer Trivia, starts at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 24 – Hecho En the East Side Craft Beer & Art Show, featuring beers brewed in East/Northeast LA, 5 to 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 25 – Beer & Donut Pairing with Donut Friend – 2 to 4 p.m. (must purchase ticket in advance)