When the Haven Collective took over the space on De Lacey in Old Town Pasadena, I was happy to have them closer than Old Town Orange.
And I was even happier when Brian Thorson took over brewing duties because the beers jumped in quality. With P.E.D. (Performance Enhancing Drink) being a particular favorite.
But it is no more, apparently the property has reverted to the bank in the wake of the Have Collective splitting. The details are here in the Pasadena Star-News but I am more concerned with where Thorson goes from here.
He is a talented brewer who has upped not only the credibility of brewing in the Los Angeles area but has brought many a good beer to pint glasses while being easy to talk and very modest. And any loss of that kind of talent will be a blow.
Updates to follow when I learn more.
Call me oblivious, but Haven’s closing was a big surprise. Their beer improved with Thorson’s arrival, and it seemed like they did away with some fancy food plating that didn’t seem to fit with the environment. Big loss for Pasadena. Too bad.
In this blog, Twitter world, a business split like this that is under wraps for so long is amazing. I hope that Brian finds a new place to craft his hoppy creations.