Link-Hop-tober-Fest

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For the weekend of the 19th and 20th, Atwater Village will become a California-ized version of a later than normal (on the calendar) Oktoberfest.  Here is the information and most importantly, the brewery list for the event.

LINK N HOPS OKTOBERFEST!
Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th, from 1 pm-5 pm each day

“Join us for our first annual Oktoberfest as we celebrate the fall season with craft beer and great food for two days in a row in Atwater Village!  Sip on a variety of seasonal specialty beers by four amazing Southern California breweries and munch on a savory sausage with Belgian fries. Enjoy the cooler fall weather of Los Angeles at Atwater Village’s own sausage and craft beer spot, Link N Hops.

Each brewery will feature Oktoberfest- or Fall-inspired specialty beers like Pumpkin and amber ales. The breweries involved include Bootleggers, Hangar 24, New Belgium, and Golden Road.”

Here are your pricing options and the site to buy the tickets is HERE

A $27 ticket gets you six tasters of 6 ounces each, plus a food option, which includes a sausage sandwich plus fries (one day per ticket).
A $20 ticket gets you six tasters of 6 ounces each (no food, one day per ticket). At the door prices will be higher.

#LABW5 Pick of the Night – Thursday 9/26

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Each morning throught L.A. Beer Week, I will give you my Pick of the Night.  The ONE event I think rises to the top of the list.  Some days that choice will be harder and there might be 1A and 1B’s (if I get wishy-washy).  I will endeavor to pick events you can just head out to.  But if tickets are required, I will mention it.  But expect crowds.  Craft beer and craft beer in L.A. is popular.

Belgian Take Over w/Monkish & New Belgium at Village Tavern
Thursday September 26th 2013 7:00 pm-10:00 pm

Thursday Sept 26th New Belgium & Monkish Brewery Tap take over and Pint Night give away. Rare and Selective beers from both breweries on tap.

I have yet to visit the Village even though it is in nearby Atwater so this is a perfect excuse to see the decor and ambience.  And the beer too.  Those are two strong breweries paired together.

Village Tavern

Atwater Village (and home of the recently held Beer-Wine and Food Fest) is becoming my go-to beer destination and not only because it is so close to me in Glendale.

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First was 55 Degrees Wine and Beer and their excellent bottle selection.  Bill’s Liquor across the way has a nicely curated bottle list too.  Then Link n Hops opened up taps and now the Village Tavern….

Check out the story here.  Mexican food and craft beer.  A great combo.  I just hope they have a Vienna Lager on tap.

 

Link N Hops

Link N Hops is the latest addition to the L.A.Craft Beer Scene.

It is a pretty and welcoming space next door to 55 Degree Wine (and beer) with lots of warming wood and a tremendous shiny wood bar.

The tap list during the soft opening had some local options in Eagle Rock Populist and Golden Road Point the Way as well as the Palate Wrecker from Green Flash. Oh and some nice Non-IPA options as well.

The tap lines had a beautiful photo-esque mural of an old L.A. bridge on the wall above them that matched silver for silver. And to complete the local touch the main communal table had the street names of the neighborhood stenciled on top.

And if you are a fan of the sausage and beer combo. Now you have another spot with quality sausage of both the vege and full meat versions.

Golden Road – pub update

Other people have posted the news, but in case anyone in Los Angeles has not heard, here is the latest news from Golden Road Brewing…
Los Angeles, CA (January 2012) – “With the completion of their newest addition, the pub, Golden Road Brewing has achieved their vision of becoming the next great craft beer destination in Los Angeles. Starting mid-January, the newly renovated yellow building (in their collection of primary colored warehouses) in Atwater Village will be open to the public from 11 AM to 11 PM daily and feature growler fills, a to-go deli case, and an impressive array of vegan and non vegan small bites, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Add in weekly back patio BBQ’s on Saturday and Sunday with rotating burger and beer specials and The Pub at Golden Road is officially the perfect place to kick back with a beer and a bite, raising a glass and toasting every time the train whizzes by.

After opening the brewery doors in October and introducing their first two signature beers, Point the Way IPA and Golden Road Hefeweizen, the Golden Road team immediately focused their energy on three things: brewing as much quality beer as possible, getting a can line up and running (look for Golden Road cans in stores early 2012!), and putting the finishing touches on the pub space. Explains co-founder Meg Gill, “From the start, we’ve wanted to make the brewery a destination and really invite people into our process. People can come and see where the beer is made and then immediately taste it, which really lets you appreciate the craft and care that we put into it.”

When searching for a chef for this extension of the brewery, co-founders Tony Yanow and Meg Gill looked high and low for someone who would be able to create a menu that would complement and showcase the Golden Road beers. As a passionate home-brewer, Chef Adam Levoe possesses an impressive mix of beer and food creativity, which made him the best candidate for the job and a wonderful addition to the Golden Road team. After graduating from the California School of Culinary Arts in 2001, Levoe worked throughout Southern California at a wide range of casual and fine-dining establishments, from Roxanne’s Raw Vegan Cuisine to Medeline’s Wine Bar and Bistro in Pasadena, and, most recently, Quadruple Brasserie in Pasadena. For The Pub at Golden Road he has crafted a menu with plentiful vegan and non-vegan options, each designed to pair beautifully with a cold brew.

After opening with limited hours and an abbreviated menu in mid-December, the pub is finally ready to open its’ doors wide. With an expanded menu that now features a full array of

bar-friendly items, salads, sandwiches and entrées, and new daily hours from 11 AM – 11 PM, the brewery will have something to satisfy any craving at any time of day. Customers can come for a beer and a steak, or a quick lunch to go and a growler for the road. The pub also has signature Golden Road gear available for purchase, including glassware, recyclable bags, t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and, starting mid-January, cans of the Golden Road beers as well.

The spacious, newly renovated warehouse features a take-away deli case for quick lunch pick-ups, where adventurous salads like the vegan Coconut ‘Noodle’ (shredded young thai coconut with julienned vegetables, spicy cashews and an almond chili sauce), and ‘Miso Crabby’ (blue crab meat with shaved cucumber, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes with miso vinaigrette) will be available along with sandwiches, including the Roast Beef (roasted in house with caramelized onions and peppers and blue cheese mousse) and vegan Bahn Mi (pickled carrots, jalapeño, cucumber, bell peppers, fresh herbs and tofu with Sriracha mayo).

Comfort foods such as meatballs (served with spicy vegan cornbread), twice-baked potatoes and an assortment of fritters (all available in vegan and non-vegan iterations) are all offered on the bar menu. For heartier entrées, the main menu features a Braised Pork Shank (braised in whatever extra beer specials the pub available week to week), a Sloppy Joseph (with Porter braised beef short-ribs and house made BBQ sauce) and a vegan Crispy Sundried Tomato Polenta, among other items.

With high ceilings and an industrial grey interior, small touches like the chalkboard menu behind the 30 foot bar announcing new brews on tap in bright colors, the vintage beer logo lights and the dark wood tables really bring the room to life, making the spacious warehouse feel comfortable and warm. An automated jukebox allows the space to transform with the clientele, with music ranging from Johnny Cash to The Grateful Dead at any given time.

Of course, the heart of the brewpub will be the twenty bar taps, which will house all of the Golden Road brews (five to start, but more as they produce new varietals), and up to fifteen guest taps, reserved for breweries that the Golden Road team holds in high regard. Says Brewmaster Jon Carpenter, “Our beers will not just be from California, but will primarily stay in the USA. All beers will come from friends of ours, as we want to support people that we respect and admire such as Dogfish Head, Oskar Blues, Firestone Walker, Avery, Stone and Hangar 24.” The goal for the pub is to provide a space for patrons to experience the best that craft beer has to offer, locally and nationally, with great food and a great vibe to match.

The new pub will seat approximately 80 people, with space for an additional 72 on the patio. The Pub at Golden Road is located at 5410 W. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90039, there is an ample parking lot adjacent to the building, and street parking available.”

I have eaten and (had beer) there a few times now and I really like the space (especially the patio) and the club sandwich that I have ordered twice now is quite good. It doesn’t hurt that it is a 25 minute walk from my apartment either.

Golden Road Brewing

Golden Road has been on the fast track. I didn’t expect so many beers so quickly and now the restaurant is ready too.

The grand opening is coming later but you can still head to the railroad tracks on the Glendale / Atwater border and get food and beer and sit outside and enjoy the glorious SoCal Holiday weather.

I was there on Saturday afternoon and had the Rosemary Turkey club which was quite delicious along with the new Stout and Point the Way IPA.

It is a lovely, bright and airy space that is lovely to sit and explore the range of beers from Jon Carpenter and his brewing crew as well as the many guest taps too.

So if you find yourself at the Glendale Galleria shopping for Christmas check out the food as well as the beer just a mile or so away.

Golden Road Brewing

As if running a successful bar in Burbank wasn’t enough.

As if partnering on the ColLAboration events wasn’t enough.

As if opening a huge 65 tap bar wasn’t enough.

Well now Tony Yanow is really going big. And this will be huge for the LA craft beer community. Last night, I along with other craft beer writers got the sneak peak at the facility and more importantly the team behind Golden Road Brewing.

Jon, Meg and Tony

Jon Carpenter (brewmaster) is originally from San Diego but you may recognize him from the late lamented Brewmasters show because he was most recently at Dogfish Head.

Meg Gill (co-founder and Presidnet) comes from two brewing hot spots Boulder and Oskar Blue’s and San Francisco and Speakeasy Ales and Lagers. Combined with Tony they have taken over three distinctively colored buildings next to the train tracks in Atwater Village (on the dividing line of LA and Glendale).

There will be a pub in the yellow building. A barrel aging facility in the red and the blue building will hold the brewing operations.

The styles are yet to be determined. Too early in the development stage for that but don’t be surprised to see a hoppy California style brew. And it will be canned! The line has been purchased. Obviously with a barrel room their will be aged beers done but again too early to give definitive answers as to what kind though the word sour was bandied about.

If I can be corny for a moment, craft beer in LA looks golden right now.