Tag: Burbank

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Back to the West

With L.A. pushing their brewery count higher, it can be hard to make return visits to check out how a brewery is progressing. Which is important, because brewing skill and recipes don’t always stand still.

With that in mind, I returned to Verdugo West to check out what was happening and lo and behold ran into brewer Chris Walowski and tasted a flight of recent beers and talked shop in Burbank.

The list was split between light and dark with the popular Gigli lager that uses that underused adjunct, rice. It pours really clear yello with a bit of a sweet aroma. Then there was Hoppy 30th a macro based beer with rice as well and then a Double IPA’s worth of hops. I hope this beer comes back for 31st at least.

On the dark side of the ledger was Kalon, a rare schwarzbier that had good roast and was solidly Germanic followed by the Q2 IPA which was a Black IPA. A style that has had a free fall out of favor. This erred too far on the roast side and could have used some extra hop push to it.

I will have to keep returning.

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1st Visit – Verdugo West

Verdugo West threw open their doors on the 11th for a soft opening and I was there to check out the new Burbank brewery tucked up against the 5 freeway.

My favorite beer from brewer Chris Walowski was the Jack Roller pale ale. Nice and crisp without being a heavy-handed hop bomb that some so-called pales can be.

The Wax Wing blonde was my second choice. Solid and clean with good carbonation. What Plane? was the third of the core beers on tap and it was a solid entry in the porter/stout category.

They also were pouring variants of those three. Dry Hopped pale, ginger Wax Wing and a coffee What Plane? None of which were markedly improved by the additions. All seemed a little out of balance. Sometimes adding to an existing beer without allowing for room for both to breath can be hard.

The thin space was crowded with people from Burbank who had been coming in a stream since the opening at 4pm. There are still some kinks to work out which is what a soft open is supposed to reveal. The menu board needs work. Only the core beers were up and could use more description in the manner that say, Chapman Crafted has done. Payment was a little slow and the limited space combined with that to make the bar area a bit traffic jammy. Again, once people learn the system, the people will be served quicker and be out of the way.

You can also order food from sister company Market City, which is a plus.

A solid start for the newest brewery in Burbank.

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Pre-Opening Visit – Lincoln Beer Co.

I had the opportunity last week to check out the space that Lincoln Beer Co. of Burbank calls home.

I spoke with Patrick Dunn, the head brewer about the brewery on an overcast day at their facility and taproom to come on Lima Street.

The space, as I have seen with the new set of breweries lately, has room for more tanks and fermenters which bodes well. A camper was parked in the warehouse space as well, the temporary home of brewery consultants who helped Dunn with the Pioneer brewing system (which was a struggle to get up and running correctly).

The brite tanks were, contrary to most breweries, tucked into the spacious cold box. A measure that has both pros and cons in my mind. Dunn and partner Ryan Lipson met in college and started home brewing and you know the story. All they needed was the funding to get started.

Now they await a CUP so that they can begin the taproom build out and get customers through the doors.

You will see a “homework” assignment and Beer of the Week over on Food GPS in the coming weeks.

Now onto the pair of beers tasted.

Honeysuckle session IPA was clean and crisp. A good option for those who want their hops and less ABV. It didn’t make me go wow, but for this early in the learning curve, it was done well.

Winter Fiesta is their Winter Warmer that combines the spice of habanero pepper with the soothing aroma and cooling of vanilla. I have a low pepper pain threshold but this mash-up, though hot, didn’t sear like other habanero beers that I have encountered.

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Next Month – Verdugo West

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I posted recently about a new brewery that I knew close to zero about except for three things. That its name would be Verdugo West, that Chris Walowski, formerly of Smog City, would be the brewer and that it would be in Burbank.

Now we have more information to pass along with the biggest news being that they open next month. The brewery is part of the MCC Hospitality Group helmed by partners, Chipper Pastron and Sal Casola Jr.

Verdugo West Brewing Co. is located at 156 W. Verdugo Ave. in Burbank in the usual for breweries industrial park with a 4,500-square-foot production brewery.

The 15 barrel brewhouse will be steam-powered which is the first time I have typed that on this blog.

MCC Hospitality Group’s has a large group of properties which, include Market City Caffe in Burbank, Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro at The Grove, JuiceFarm in Pasadena, Vanishing Point Winery in Napa, as well as several restaurants and juice bars in Las Vegas. That doesn’t scream confidence builder except for the winery asset. I generally prefer my breweries to not just be another notch in a corporate belt. But I will check the beer out first.

The Verdugo West taproom (once open) will be open Wednesday and Thursday 4-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 12-10 p.m. and Sunday 12-8 p.m.

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Verdugo West

A cryptic Facebook post from Chris Walowski, formerly of a bumblebee costume at Smog City hinted at a late 2016 opening for a brewery in Burbank.

Verdugo West doesn’t pop-up in Google searches yet but as the opening draws closer, that will probably change and we will learn more about this latest addition to the brewing scene.

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6 Years of Darts Away

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Break out your hashtags and tastes for hops when Tony’s Dart Away goes all #TDA6th starting tomorrow and going through the weekend.

There will be the near ritualistic hourly tappings (between 10am-7pm) of special & rare California-brewed beers + the return of a brand new* Darts Away IPA that you can get in a commemorative pint glass for sale for $10 (which includes a pour of the anniversary hop bomb)!

For those Sour Cottontails out there, Sunday will be “Sour Easter” with each hour bringing a new sour.

*For those who didn’t want to drink an SABInBevMiller IPA, do not fear. Eagle Rock Brewery has stepped up to brew the Tony’s IPA this year.

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Simmzy’s – Burbank

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There was always a couple reasons as to why I didn’t get out to Simmzy’s more often.  One it was in Manhattan Beach (then Belmont Shores) which is not an easy 405 drive or parking experience.  Secondly, it is teeny-tiny and super popular.

Well, those two problems have been alleviated for me.  With the new Burbank location that has some elbow room to it.  The same food concept reigns here with a curated menu of items that should hold a choice for everyone in your party.  Or just the S’more Pudding for dinner.  OK, I had the Bleu Cheese Burger which was really good though a bit tall to fit into my mouth.

The beer menu shows great diversity as well.  Locals? Check.  El Segundo, Smog City and MacLeod on tap.  Styles? Covered.  Porter to brown to ESB to IPA.  And you can order up a Simmzy’s Flight as well to get a broad spectrum of tastes.  I can see studios converging to the corner of Olive and Alameda for lunch often.

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The 4th Dart

It’s anniversary time again at Tony’s Darts Away!

And that means beers aplenty both rare and hoppy.
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Here are the initial details for those who like to plan.

Starts on Saturday, April 5th and heads through the 6th, from 10 a.m. to close
Thet will “be tapping a heavy-hitting lineup of high sought after and interesting beers every hour to hour and a half, including but not limited to:

[the return of] DARTS AWAY IPA Golden Road Brewing (brewed by the TDA team with GRB)
Grapefruit Sculpin Ballast Point
Angel’s Share Lost Abbey
BeRazzled The Bruery”
So check  on their Twitter leading up to the event @tonysda

price: NO admission fee; $10 for a commemorative glass and one pour of Darts Away IPA or $10 for the glass.

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An Expanded Story

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Story Tavern in Burbank  which is just over a year old now will be doubling their space with a party tonight.

To celebrate the expansion of 8 more taps and a game room, “Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company will be in the house this Thursday at 6:30PM to shower Story’s patrons with a wealth of delicious rarities, most of which have previously never been available in LA! Flights will be available.”

Draft List: Bag of Cats IPL, San Rafael Red Ale, Magpie Porter ,Monkeys with TypeRYEters ,Our Belgian Pale ,Irish Stout ,Wrangler Wheat and on CASK: Hoppy Poppy IPA

 

 

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#LABW5 Pick of the Night – Thursday 9/19

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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.

For the first day, head to…..

Eagle Rock Brewing’s The Right Brews (Cask X Nitro X CO2) at Story Tavern

What better way to start the party than with Eagle Rock Brewing.