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I rode the rails to Azusa a few days back to check out the current state of the mega complex that Lagunitas is building since they now have opened up a temporary taproom, to taste their wares in.
Here is my report in photos….
I will talk more about my OK first visit on Food GPS.
Pop-Ups are not just for restaurants and fashion, they can also be for beer as Lagunitas is proving with their Azusa Pop-Up TapRoom which opens April 8th. This will be the temp while the permanent space is being constructed with a hoped for opening date of August this year.
Here are the details….
– TapRoom hours: Wed-Sun 3pm – 9pm
– Live music begins at 4:20 and goes til 7:30-ish
– Local food trucks will provide tasty food until our kitchen in completed
No news on whether brewing is happening yet or is also set to begin later this year.
The cities listed on the label for the next One Hitter beer from Lagunitas Brewing tell me that the upcoming Azusa location is still down the road…
…but at least we have these new beers to enjoy while adjusting our countdown to new brewery clocks.
(Which seem to be resetting a lot what with all the newbies coming around)
With Lagunitas Brewing Company coming to Azusa means that one of their signature events will be coming soon. Their epic Beer Circus will be unveiled in big cities Miami, Chicago, New York and smaller like Petaluma, Azusa.
Keep in mind, it is an adult themed circus where you will see things they cannot unsee and …
“Each Circus will benefit a local non-profit and we look forward to sharing some freaktacular entertainment, amazing sights, foot stomping music and lots & lots of beer & food.”
I didn’t know what to expect when I got off the bus filled with City of Azusa government officials and a few beer media folk at the 3rd location of Lagunitas Brewing.
I have been to location 1 in Petaluma but not location 2 in Chicago. What I saw in Azusa is probably closer to 2 than 1.
It is ‘uge as Bernie Sanders would say. You wouldn’t be faulted for wanting a golf cart to get around. There are three massive airplane hangar sized buildings. Currently they are empty of brewing equipment and bottling equipment and taprooms so it was hard for me to envision the final “look” of the campus. But to give you perspective, the first building that you see upon taking a left into the parking area is where they held their first bash held a bunch of people, three pouring stations, a bunch of couches (of course) and still have room to rope off a circle for some roller derby action. All without feeling elbow to elbow with people.
All I could think of was that you could probably fit 20 or so L.A. breweries into the space that Lagunitas will be using. It is set-up to accommodate delivery trucks with roll up doors on one side. Tanks will be stationed like sentinels outside. And you can just make out (on a clear day) the iconic Miller sign in next door Irwindale. There will be a beer garden and an amphitheater for musical acts and as things ramp up some cellaring action as well as a merchandise store.
We all will need to wait basically for a year from now before visiting. The expected opening time is spring 2017. In the meantime, there will be the Lagunitas Circus in September
We are now about a year out from drinking Lagunitas beer in Azusa because (as you will see) there is still much work to be done.
Back in 2010, Congregation Ale House opened its Long Beach Chapter for “mass”. Fast forward to 2015 and they have (3) locations AND a brewery. And the time has come for a party.
Tomorrow, Saturday, September 5th 2015 all Chapters will be festive. There will be commemorative glassware + 8 different Congregation Ales brews.
Another + the below specials:
Saison Mule – Saison with Ginger and Lime Peel
Passion Tea Kolsch – Kolsch infused with Tazo Passion Tea
Peach Consummatum – Imperial IPA with Macerated Peaches
Quadruple Hopped Batch 100 – Imperial Amber IPA with hops in the KEG
So Tweet Master Tony dropped this on the social media…..
If I had been told that Lagunitas was coming to L.A., I would not have been shocked at all. Chicago is up and going and that means that sights could be turned to another location for the fast growing Petaluma based brewer.
But Azusa was a shock. If they were going valley, I would have liked them to come to Glendale instead of the umpteenth bleeping condo project.
Questions abound. What will this mean to the L.A. Beer scene? Do they join the L.A. County Brewer’s Guild? What kind of taproom are they envisioning? How will they co-exist with the Congregation’s, Alosta’s and Sanctum’s that have already set up shop?
Answers to come in 2017, I guess.
Congregation Ale House has begun brewing operation!. Caleb McLaughlin, formerly of Rogue Brewing is at the helm. I set out to Azusa to try some of the new beers and take some photos, since I can’t share beer over the interwebs, here is the latter….
The lovely brick building in Azusa is easy to get to and plenty of parking.
Your two Congregation brewers!
The beers on tap.
Not only did Firestone-Walker put on a great show (from all eyewitness accounts) at their 1st beerfest. Not only are they expanding tanks but they are on the road and bringing their beer to L.A. Last week I mentioned an event at the Federal Bar in North Hollywood and now more traffic to wend their way through….
“Sir David Walker starring in The TRILOGY
Join us Thursday, June 28th at All Congregation Alehouse Chapters as we celebrate the latest release of Firestone Walker Parabola.
Sir David Walker will be the first to host a Chapter neer event at all 3 Chapters in one evening.
Join us at 6PM in Azusa, 8PM in Pasadena and 10PM in Long Beach!”