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.
Working Towards Hermosa
Seven & Fest
It might be a little past Oktoberfest season but we can easily look past that minor faux pas as ever creative Long Beach Beer Lab is combining the fest atmosphere with their 7th anniversary, making October 20th a two-fer.
Firkenstein 2024
One of the most unique beer festivals out there is Firkenstein, the ghoulish themed cask ale festival from Greg Nagel.
It has a great location in the park area between the Anaheim Packing House and Monkish Brewing. It always has a great roster of brewery attendees and is always a well run event.
Two of Two
Even the most optimistic of Sean’s looked askance when not one but two breweries opened next door to each other on Maple Drive in Monrovia.
Unfortunately, first Wingwalker Brewing called it quits and now Over Town Brewing is pouring its last beers on October 5th. So, if you want to make a last visit, make it soon.
I was able to visit both and they were fine but they never seemed to break out further and were behind the more established Pacific Plate in Monrovia and even they are sadly no longer with us. With those three losses comes an opportunity for a brewery since that city is no clear.
Kiwi Sopranos
Ogopogo Brewing has enlisted Arrow Lodge Brewing on a Nectaron hop pilsner project under the name of Italian Water Management. I had to ponder that name a bit, but I do like it. Just enough off kilter.
Oktoberfest SoCal – Part 5
More Oktoberfest beers from SoCal? You read my mind. We head south to Bixby Knolls and then further south to Orange for two more to look for. First up is Ambitious Ales and right below that is the Chapman Crafted seasonal…
Extra Coast Please
Topa Topa Brewing Co. Brewmaster Casey Harris got together with San Diego’s Craft Coast Beer + Tacos Head Brewer Blake Masoner to collaborate on a new beer, and went with the little seen XPA, one they named Extra Coasty.
The duo “developed a selection of hops and explored different processes to create a beer showcasing clean hop bitterness without the hard, bitter bite nor an aggressive alcohol content that comes with other popular hoppy beer styles.”
And here are those Hops: Mosaic, Strata, Nectaron, Krush; Mosaic Cryo and Mosaic Dyna Boost, oh, if you were curious about the malt, that is Pure Idaho Pilsner, White Wheat, and Carapils.
Spirits Day – Not Plain
Canned cocktails either hew to the classic, your Old Fashioned, Martini or Margarita but newer destined to be classic cocktails have been under represented, but Tip Top in the teeny tiny cans is changing that.
Yes, they have an Old Fashioned but they have teamed with bartender and Attaboy Cocktail bar founder Sam Ross to re-create two of his famous drinks, the Paper Plane and the Penicillin.
Your fancier purveyors like Hi-Lo and Altadena Beverage might get them or you can order online.
Spirits Day – VenMo Whiskey
There was something to be said for the ’50s and ’60s when it comes to not giving a shit. Smoke away. No seatbelts and hell, go to work and instead of getting coffee from a vending machine, get a shot of whiskey…
You can read more about this in this old post from Vinepair, right HERE.
Review – 2 from Replicant (and Germany)
Replicant Beer of Pasadena has found a mystery German brewer to assist with a duo of Oktoberfest appropriate beers. One – a German Pilsner and second – a Kellerbier.
Let’s talk Uhaml first, it pours a bubbly mid yellow color. The first sip gives that refreshing note and minerality. Getting a slight melon notes as well. Bit of excess slickness in the mouthfeel, I would like a shade more crispness. Small issues though because this tastes really good.
Rübezahl, the mountain spirit, pours a yellow / orange mix. Big malt notes here that lead into an initially sharp mouthfeel that turns slippery by the end. Earthy is the best descriptor that I can give to it.