I enjoy and maybe will enjoy again, the Eagle Rock Brewery Session Fest. This month Westsiders can enjoy a new low ABV festival at Three Weavers Brewing. And it has quite the brewery list from both near and far…
Lite-r
Brew at the Zoo Back for 2022
Brew at the Zoo is back for 2022. The Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park will re-welcome Brew at the Zoo on August 12th. I have been and I love beer festivals where you have anything additional to beer and not just a sweltering L.A. parking lot.
You help the zoo and you get beer.
LABW13 – Sour Friends
If you are strong of stomach and want to explore the sour side of beer, well the Sour Friends are back on the 18th at Cellador Ales.
Firkiesta
Take down the tiki and store away the tropical shirts because Firkfest has a new theme for 2019…
June 29th is the date this year and tickets are on sale NOW!
Ranger the Bear Approved
It is hard to believe that the Brew at the L.A. Zoo will be turning 8 this year but that is indeed what will happen on Friday, August 3rd from 7pm to 11pm. Or you can VIP it and start at 6pm.
The Brewery at Simzy’s Burbank has stepped up again and has brewed up a Zoo beer with ingredients chosen by the L.A. Zoo’s American black bear, Ranger (excellent name for a bear, by the way). “Specially crafted for Brew at the L.A. Zoo, the pale ale has notes of hibiscus flowers and honey, ingredients picked by Ranger himself.”
Here are the participating breweries that I think you should taste from (others are either part of SABInBev or trendy spiked drinks)
101 Cider House, Alosta Brewing Co., Angel City Brewery, Baja Brewing Company, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Brewyard Beer Company,Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Five Threads Brewing, Four Sons Brewing, Innovation Brew Works, KeVita, King Harbor Brewing Company, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Latitude 33 Brewing, MacLeod Ale Brewing Co., Pizza Port Brewing Company, San Fernando Brewing Co.,Stone Brewing, The Bruery, Three Weavers Brewing Co., Transplants Brewing Company, Verdugo West Brewing Company, Yorkshire Square Brewery, and more…
Here are the ticket prices….
Online advance purchase: $65
Designated Driver admission includes unlimited soft drinks: $35
VIP admission: $135
Box office: $75
…and HERE is where you get the tickets.
United 2018
Locals Rock
On Sunday, September 15th Rock & Brews in El Segundo celebrates their 3rd Annual Local Craft Beer Festival from 12-5PM
Here is the information from their press release, “This will be a beer fest of unrivaled magnitude; both a beer fest to pay homage to the booming local craft beer scene of Los Angeles, and secondly, a Rock & Roll circus extravaganza! Yes, you read that correctly. 15 of the best local craft breweries that LA has to offer will be present, showcasing and pouring their delicious liquid goodness. The breweries will be bringing both flagship beers, and beers so rare, you have a better chance of spotting Big Foot than these beers anywhere else. To accompany the beer, there will be many fun carnival-esque games such as dunk tanks, high-strikers and more. Try your luck to win the games and receive weird, whacky, and fun prizes! Bring the whole family! Great beer, food, music, games, and freakshow costumes all rolled into one great event.”
Participating Breweries include:
El Segundo Brewing Company
Strand Brewing
Eagle Rock
Smog City
Monkish
The Bruery
Abigail
Hangar 24
Golden Road Brewing
Port Town Brewing
Ohana Brewing
Bootleggers
The Dudes’ Brewing
Cosmic Ales
“The event is $50.00 for the drinking admission, $10 designated driver tickets and $10 for the kiddos. Adult tickets include: Admission, commemorative glassware, ten 4 oz pours, and unlimited games! Non-drinking ticket includes: sodas, cotton candy, popcorn, and unlimited games! Food includes: Tri-tip and pulled pork sliders, pretzels and more for sale.”
Taste of Long Beach
Long Beach will play host to the 3rd iteration of the Taste of Brews later this month on the 24th.
It will again be held at the Lighthouse Park and benefit the Long Beach Marine Institute. Skip past the Journey tribute band “The Journey Experience” and 80s cover band “The Pac Men” and head to the taps manned by Golden Road, Karl Strauss, Sam Adams and Firestone as well as Rock Bottom, Beachwood, Belmont, El Segundo, San Pedro and Strand Brewing Co. Plus several breweries from the Inland Empire like Hangar 24, Wiens, Inland Empire, Craft Brewing and Packinghouse will also be on hand.
Now I have not been to this event so I cannot vouch for it. But if you are averse to driving to the IE to try their beers. This might make a perfect opportunity to try them at the beach. Plus Beachwood is never a bad sign.
Firestone-Walker Invitational (the recap)
As threatened here is my recap of the Firestone-Walker Invitational that was held on Saturday……
With a beer stained shirt, I left the 2013 Firestone-Walker Invitational Beer Festival dizzy from the variety of beers and breweries on display and maybe the triple digit heat too.
The Mid-State Fairgrounds was hopping with crowds attracted by an impressive worldwide brewery list with beers that are rare within miles of their home breweries, let alone seen in California. Dark Lord from Indiana’s Three Floyds or Hunaphu from Peoples Choice winning brewery, Cigar City from Florida.
Both highly rated beers and both excellent but in my opinion, three others made my Best in Show List (plus an honorable mention in Tipo Pils from Birrificio Italiano).
#3 – Dos Osos IPA from Revolution Brewing. A collaborative hop bomb between the 3 year old Chicago brewery and Firestone-Walker. Was super fresh with a great bouquet.
#2 – Nefarious DIPA from Boneyard Brewing. For a big DIPA this (again very fresh) Double was light and nimble.
# 1 – Prickly Passion Saison aged in Peach Whiskey barrels from the venerable New Belgium. My first beer of the day and one that struck a chord that I measured all the rest of the days beers on. Had a bright fruit note that balanced with a smooth and light barrel flavor.
OK, on to my beer festival check list:
water: plentiful (they also had cool zone blowers and misters at most stations to keep things cool)
food: plentiful (and free with admission) I certainly enjoyed the cupcakes but you could really do some great beer pairings.
crowds: There were long lines but that was to be expected. You could easily move about the fairgrounds and if one line was too long another fantastic brewery was close by.
Considering the heat and the massive beer geek popularity of the beers on hand this was well-run and smooth operation. (Which was not a surprise to me)
This will be an annual pilgrimage for me.
Firestone-Walker Invitational (the photos)
Tomorrow, I will give the full rundown on my first time at the second Firestone-Walker Invitational, to whet your appetite, here are some photos from my day in Paso Robles….
From Firestone’s Pivo, New Belgium’s Peach Whiskey Barrel aged Prickly Passion Saison, Bell’s Raspberry Wild One and lastly barrel aged Dark Lord from Three Floyds.