Past Breaking News (Part 1)- Figueroa Bend

Well, this news can be filed under BIG.  Figueroa Mountain Brewing will be taking over four brewpubs currently held by Tony Yanow.  Bluebird Brasserie, Broxton, Stalking Horse and the biggie Mohawk Bend.

You can read all about the changes coming HERE from Hopped which broke the news on the eve of L.A. Beer Week.

Per my usual operating procedure, I needed to sit with the news a bit before I commented.  I think that any time a medium/ large chain like FMB can add a stand-alone pilot and R&D brewery is a no-brainer.  I also like the idea of a lager centric brewery, a little less but if that craft lager train arrives in trend town, it will be a super smart play.

The other two, confuse me, Mexican styled lagers are big but that could have been rolled into the German lagerhaus plan.  The SoCal Cerveceros are in the ascendancy with members opening and running breweries across L.A. which makes that Agua Sante idea much less appealing.

As for Mohawk Bend, will it be FMB Presents Mohawk Bend?  Or Mohawk Bend a FMB Joint?  I don’t see how it furthers the brand.  The absence of Sunset Beer might help but it seems more restaurant play than brewing. And it gives me a bit off more than can be chewed vibe.

Time will tell of course and I will be most interested to see which of the four locations becomes the busiest.

Darting Away

I have, personally, not found it super easy to order a crowler from the Tny Yanow group of L.A. breweries. Then again, I do not like passing my info everywhere online. But if I can get some beers in delivery, maybe I will. Those more savvy than me might already be ahead of me here.

The Terror

I like the interior feel of Bluebird Brasserie on Ventura Boulevard. The outdoor patio, the stone walls, just enough dark. And apparently, they are doing an early Halloween in conjunction with Dirk Rogers to create a spooky scene, filled with Belgian beers. The frights start April 1st (hoping I am not being taken in by a hoax, yet again) so you can visit before the middle of the month or in April.

Tony is 9

Good beer homes in Los Angeles are nearing that double-digit number, one of which, Tony’s Darts Away is coming up on their 9th Anniversary. and you’re all invited to the Beer Bash!

As per tradition, the party start at midnight on Friday, May 10, with the tapping of our new batch of Darts Away IPA. Bluebird Brasserie and the New Original Breweries did the brewing honor for the anniversary strong IPA.

On both Saturday and Sunday, May 11 & 12, a new keg will be tapped every hour. Follow the Social of Medias to find out if a super rare beer or your favorite brewery will be going on tap.

1st Visit – Bluebird Brasserie

Finally, I made my way out to the final of the three new Tony Yanow ABC brewpubs, Bluebird Brasserie.

Here is the beers drunk quick recap:

TJ’s Tripel
Comes out strong. Orange notes. Smooth. Silky.

Chapeau du Jour Amber
Woodsy. Light. Grassy. Oaty. A bit unbalanced.

Stay Gold
Light. Decent blonde. A bit bland. Could use some Belgian character.

Les Incompetents Rillo hoppy Saison
Really nice. Good hop hit. With a side order of Saison.

The space looks bigger in the website photos but this is essentially one room with a bar at the back of the space. With the sunlight coming through either open or shut windows, it is less Castle-esque and more whimsical brick arches. A Harry Potter film was playing on the TV (too many) and I felt I was watching from inside Hogwarts minus the Butterbeer.

In the Tap Lines for April 2018

header_attractions
I hope you are on the lookout for Fool’s today. Lot’s of social media hijinks will be afoot. Maybe even some Russian ones. So break out an RIS and find the funniest April Fool / Easter memes.

~ e-visits to three breweries from flyover country.
~ special featured reviews of new canned beers.
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Legacy of Spies from John Le Carre
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your April started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) April 2nd – Bluebird Brasserie Grand Opening
2) April 7th – Wolf Creek’s 21st Birthday

The Bluebird is Flying


I still have not checked out the British themed Stalking Horse from the Artisanal Brewers Collective (ABC) and now they are introducing a Belgian addition to the family.

Bluebird Brasserie will open in Sherman Oakson April 2, 2018. This Belgian pub will have “beer brewed on site, themed cocktails, and a traditional menu featuring delicacies like Beer Cheese Croquettes, Moules-Frites and Liege Waffles for dessert.”

Noah Regnery will be concocting the “house beers” “while the remainder of the tap list will be replete with 10 taps of Belgian-style beers from known breweries such as The Lost Abbey, The Bruery, Allagash, Ommegang and more. A curated bottle list rounds out the beer menu with Belgian offerings such as Duvel, St. Bernardus 12, Deus, as well as some Trappist beers such as Orval, Chimay Red and Westmalle Tripel.”

But plan ahead because this new Pub/Brasserie will have limited reservations and allow in limited walk-ins for dinner only for the first two weeks of opening- starting at 5pm. Once that phase is complete they will be open from 12:00pm-12:00am on Sunday-Wednesday, and 12:00pm-2:00am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.