Beer and Descanso Gardens

One of the calmest and tranquil places in Los Angeles is Descanso Gardens. Nestled in the mountains above my home in Glendale, the garden played host to the first LA Beer Week Finale Festival in 2009. And this year they are joining in on the Beer Week festivities with a day devoted to brew, on week from today.

The main attraction is a biergarten from 3-8pm. But there will also be a Home Brew class and how to grow wheat and barley class that you have to sign up for beforehand. It is a great place to stop and smell the roses and listen to your beer as Fred Eckhardt would say.

LA Beer Week – Descanso Gardens

This capstone event to LA Beer Week did not have the look or the feel of a first year attempt. This was very classy. From the location of Descanso Gardens to the music being played to the great selection of beer and cider.

It was a chance (at a very reasonable price) to sample old favorites and try some of the hotly anticipated beers that are new to the market. Nectar Ales had some Black Xantus on hand. Gentleman Scholar was pouring their Espresso Stout. Telegraph brought down an excellent Harvest Rye that was brewed primarily for the vintners of Santa Barbara. Duvel had their “Green” on hand and Craftsman brought a wet-hop ale that was quite tasty. There was a good mix of styles and regions represented.

The one thing that I worried about was the crowd. Usually the unlimited pours brings out the beast in some people who are not their to expand their palates but rather to wreck them. But that was not the case. It was a friendly and fun atmosphere.

Thanks to Jay, Scott, Dennis, Ryan, Brandon and to all else who volunteered and took time out to make this happen.

Where are you?

You better be at Descanso Gardens for the LA Beer Week extravaganza.

I will be there volunteering so if you see me come up and say hello and let me know what beer you have had and which is your favorite.

LA Beer Week – Descanso Garden event brewery list

A mighty impressive list (I highlighted what I am excited about)…

Abita Brewery
Allagash Brewing Company
Ballast Point Brewing Co
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Belhaven Brewery
Bières de Chimay S.A.
Bootlegger’s Brewery
Brasserie d’Achouffe
Brasserie Lefebvre
Brewbakers
Brewery Ommegang
Brewery St-Feuillien
Brouwerij Het Anker
Brouwerij Huyghe
Brouwerij-brasserie Van Honsebrouck
Cerveza Cucapá
Coronado Brewing Co.
Craftsman Brewing
Dale Bros. Brewery
De Koninck
Duvel Moortgat
Eagle Rock Brewery
Eel River Brewing Co
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Fuller Smith & Turner (Fullers)
G. Schneider & Sohn
Green Flash Brewing Company
Greene King
Hacker-Pschorr Bräu München
König Ludwig Schloßbrauerei Kaltenberg
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Lost Coast Brewery
Malheur (de Landtsheer Brouwerij)
Moosbacher (Scheuerer Brewery)
Newport Beach Brewing Co.
North Coast Brewing Company
Paulaner Brauerei München
Port Brewing Company
Schloss Eggenberg Brewery
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Shmaltz Brewing Company.
Skyscraper Brewing
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Speakeasy Brewery
Steelhead Brewing Company – Irvine
Stone Brewing Company
Taps Fish House & Brewery
Telegraph Brewing
The Bruery
The Lost Abbey
Unibroue
Wells & Young’s Brewing Company
Wychwood Brewery

Click HERE to get to the LA Beer Week site