Surprisingly Angel City Brewery is the first to name their Mexican lager after one of the most famous and historical spots in Los Angeles, Olvera Street.
The really evocative art is by Elisa Torres Art as curated by ArtShare LA.
Olvera
Spring into Sound
HiDef Brewing can put some spring into your step with a raspberry, peach and passion fruit combo sour ale, Spring Reverb.
1st Visit – Arrow Lodge DTLA
On a recent Saturday, I struck out for the Arts District to visit the new DTLA location of Arrow Lodge Brewing. Arrived a hair late behind a ton of runners who stop at breweries in between running or maybe vice versa.
That long wait time snafu aside, the corner space of the Covina brewery’s DTLA taproom is a bit spare looking and does not have the outdoorsy camp vibe of the original. Concrete floors and walls with a few L.A. sports murals of Fernando Valenzuela and Kobe Bryant. Only a small patio space too and quite loud when full.
Not that I need a big beer list but there were only 8 beers on tap with three being sours / fruited beers. Considering the rain and cold that L.A. rarely gets, a couple heartier beers would have been good.
I liked the name, so I ordered up the Zig Zag Zig IPA which was solid. The beertender did a a tremendous job with the rush crowd and made me feel at home despite the LA Galaxy jersey. (RCTID)
With both Angel City and Arts District within a few minutes slow walk, you can grab one beer at each while avoiding the running crowds.
Boom8
Boomtown Brewery will be celebrating their 8th annivesary and will be bringing out some rare beers. Might want to head to the Arts District to check it out.
Barrel a Clef
Barleywines are always sneaking around the periphery. They pop up here and there but never in stout numbers but there is a new one in Downtown LA at Hi-Def Brewing…
…you will be singing alto after the rye and bourbon.
1st Visit – Native Son DTLA
I made a pre-Christmas trip Downtown to see what was up with the beers and the former Dankness Dojo now Native Son.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the former Modern Times Dankness Dojo hasn’t been really changed / updated all that much. So it was weird to walk in and have it be not a new vibe.
That said, here for the beer and on that front all seems good to start. There were multiple collaboration beers on tap with the L.A. likes of Mumford, Three Weavers, Common Space and even a Pizza Port DIPA collaboration.
I sampled two straight up Native Son beers and was more taken with the the cleverly named Sta-Pils. It had quite a punchy herbal flavor to it. Could have been a touch crisper but thatvis a minor quibble. The Circle Boy IPA was fine. Typical early days of a brewery type. Hoppy but not bright enough for me.
The bartender was very helpful and attentive without being up in your grill and he seemed to be at the ready to explain the Native Son beers and to help you find the right beer for you.
Good to have brewing back in the space and I hope the brewing keeps growing.
NS Not MT
Native Son Bar DTLA joined the family this month. It is now a trio with Santa Ana and Rancho Cucamonga already settled in the beer and cocktail mode. But the former Modern Times Dankness Dojo will be different because it will have house made beer.
The Head Brewer JP Boudwin comes from Modern Times and has worked this brewing equipment as assistant and then head brewer in the skinny location in DTLA.
To start there will be a Mexican Lager, a West Coast and a Hazy IPA for both sides of hop aisle as well as small batch and seasonal beers as well to complement the guest taps.
The interior seems to be just a toned down Modern Times. I understand the idea of paying homage to the previous tenant but MT is not MT now. Why tie yourself to the baggage of the past and the promise of the future version of Modern Times led by Maui Brewing. A complete overhaul with maybe an Easter Egg or two would have been a better choice.
A 1st Visit review will be coming on this blog.
‘Cado 22
One of the yearly fun events on the L.A. beer calendar is the Avocado Festival at Angel City Brewery.
Angel City goes all out for this event and the crowd does as well.
Overgrown
Boomtown Brewery has new Artist Series hoppy beer…
“Overgrowth Hazy DIPA is 8.2% brewed with American Mosaic & New Zealand Motueka hops. Aromas of Clementine, Papaya & Strawberries and jungle-like flavors of Apricot, Papaya & Mango.”
The artist is “Christina Chi is LA based working in animation production. Her art is influenced by playful chunky shapes and saturated colors, a love for silly creatures, brand mascots, old comic strips. Overgrowth was inspired by an innate desire to explore a world filled with little critters. “This is how I imagine a fantasy world would look like if I were four inches tall!”
Arts District Lodge
Arts District spot in massive Aliso complex that had a Mumford sign for a hot minute might instead get Arrow Lodge Brewing. I say might because too many times, I have seen a liquor application sign posted and nothing happening.
So file this under, hopeful waiting because having Arrow Lodge closer than Covina would be good. Though it is a tough call as to what is worse finding parking in the Arts District or driving the parking lot that is the 210 freeway.