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Long Beach Beer Lab is celebrating both their 5th Year Anniversary and ultimate Oktober Lager Festival that will conclude on October 23rd but before then are some festive beers to try.
August
– Oktoberfest Marzen
– West Coast Lager with Casa Agria
September
– Oktoberfriends Festbier Vol. 1 The Long Beach Beer Lab version
– Oktoberfriends Festbier Vol. 2 The HopSaint version
– Crispy Pair of Levi’s Rice and Beans Pils with Untitled Art
Throwing some numbers at you. The event calendar for 8one8 Brewing which is headlined, in my mind, the Anniversary. Busy times in the Valley starting tomorrow!
(818) DAY: 8-18-22
7 Year Anniversary Party: 8-20-22
(818) Oktoberfest: 9-17-22 – 9-18-22
One of the yearly fun events on the L.A. beer calendar is the Avocado Festival at Angel City Brewery.
Angel City goes all out for this event and the crowd does as well.
A great way to finish July. That is the main takeaway from the 1st Anniversary party at Far Field Beer Co.
It took a year but I finally was able to have a drink at Far Field in their second floor space with pretty seafoam green tables and barrels that allowed one (me) to look over the 1st anniversary crowd that arrived to celebrate the brewery among the car repair shops on Rosecrans.
And to start with, Hyper Link their dry hopped pilsner. The pils pours a darker yellow color with an aggressive hop hit that the style holds up pretty well without tipping out of balance. The draft list was nice and big for the occasion with an oyster stout, Italian pilsner as well as their new Triple IPA, Triangularity.
The brewery section was open as many vendors were open from warm cookies to flowers to tea were on hand. The music was pumping forcing conversation up a notch and dogs and kids were underfoot lending a backyard family gathering feel to the sweltering day.
The beer line was a bit slow but never aggressively long though a second line might have helped as would an ixnay on flights, of which I saw many.
TRIPA was my second choice. Both silky and spiky at the same time. The alcohol was softened though it did have a tiny touch of butteryness to it underneath along with a tropical fruit note as well.
Brew at the Zoo is back for 2022. The Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park will re-welcome Brew at the Zoo on August 12th. I have been and I love beer festivals where you have anything additional to beer and not just a sweltering L.A. parking lot.
You help the zoo and you get beer.
Far Field Beer Co. is turning 1 and is going to have a weekend of celebration to mark the occasion.
Fun Part # 1 – “Throughout the weekend we will be having plenty of vendors stopping by including Mintburgers, Ritaroxurtacos, Bomba! Yucateco Delicacy, El Fogón, TranquiliTEA, CalaverasZapotecas, Cursed Collective, Rooted Harmony, Brieautifully Made, KNFB Boutique, Three Gems Jewelry, Highest Good Crystals, Pikkalicious Michi Mix y Mas, Resin Beauty LA, MadGal Cookies, Ili’s Magic Kitchen, and live music by Vast Deference and DJ Jimmy Mack TV.”
Fun Part # 2 – “Just Luv Creamery will be serving up special edition ice cream made with Dark Matter: Our Imperial Stout with notes of coffee, vanilla, and molasses.”
Arts District spot in massive Aliso complex that had a Mumford sign for a hot minute might instead get Arrow Lodge Brewing. I say might because too many times, I have seen a liquor application sign posted and nothing happening.
So file this under, hopeful waiting because having Arrow Lodge closer than Covina would be good. Though it is a tough call as to what is worse finding parking in the Arts District or driving the parking lot that is the 210 freeway.
The Downtown L.A. outpost of Karl Strauss has been dark during Covid but this month will re-open for business.
The heritage San Diego brewery has been ramping up collaborations in the last couple of years and it may be a good time re-experience their flagship Red Trolley ale too.
Other than one cool summer school week, the thought of going to summer camp for anything would normally be a pass but tomorrow in Long Beach could be the exception with…. Camp Trademark (aka 3rd anniversary) on July 16th.
Food from: Flacos Tacos, AGL’s Craft Meats, Vegan Hooligans and Colossus Bread.
Presale RSVP + Merch HERE.
Well, this news can be filed under BIG. Figueroa Mountain Brewing will be taking over four brewpubs currently held by Tony Yanow. Bluebird Brasserie, Broxton, Stalking Horse and the biggie Mohawk Bend.
You can read all about the changes coming HERE from Hopped which broke the news on the eve of L.A. Beer Week.
Per my usual operating procedure, I needed to sit with the news a bit before I commented. I think that any time a medium/ large chain like FMB can add a stand-alone pilot and R&D brewery is a no-brainer. I also like the idea of a lager centric brewery, a little less but if that craft lager train arrives in trend town, it will be a super smart play.
The other two, confuse me, Mexican styled lagers are big but that could have been rolled into the German lagerhaus plan. The SoCal Cerveceros are in the ascendancy with members opening and running breweries across L.A. which makes that Agua Sante idea much less appealing.
As for Mohawk Bend, will it be FMB Presents Mohawk Bend? Or Mohawk Bend a FMB Joint? I don’t see how it furthers the brand. The absence of Sunset Beer might help but it seems more restaurant play than brewing. And it gives me a bit off more than can be chewed vibe.
Time will tell of course and I will be most interested to see which of the four locations becomes the busiest.