I made a late decision to attend the DTLA United event last Sunday and I am glad I did because my two favorite beers were from a DTLA brewery that has been hit or miss in the past,
that brewery being Boomtown. But their brand new Ignorant NE DIPA has excellent label art and is really good (though I am still partial to Mic Czech). I also tried their Little Shady Dark Lager and it was top notch too. The malt really got to shine.
Sour wise both the Mumford Something Borrowed Sour IPA and the Dry River F1 were excellent. My second and third favorites whose beers I now expect to be good or the very least unique.
The only down beer of the few I tasted was from Arts District, my now perennial back of the pack of the DTLA group. I had Nigel, which the placard said was hazy but Untappd claims is a Mild. The beer I had was neither. Maybe by that point the heat had gotten to me. Despite the rain earlier in the week, this event seems to always be bathed in penetrating sun. The good idea to have special barleywine tappings is great on paper but I could not bring myself to taste even one over 10% bruiser.
The event has expanded it’s footprint to include the mini Street between the Triangle and Angel City which allowed for elbow room and a bit more seating but misting stations or pop-up tents were sorely in need to keep the sun at bay. I certainly would have stayed longer with a tent to shade me.
The format of this event works for me though I think it might also work to sell flights in a separate area. One from each brewery and the barleywine for say $15 because with each brewery bringing only two beers, it is a quick festival with only 7 breweries pouring, that is 14 beers in small doses minus any you may have already imbibed before.
