Tag: L.A. Beer Week

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#LABW8 Kickoff Festival – The Review

As threatened, here is my take of the Kickoff Festival to L.A. Beer Week…
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Usually I go to a craft beer festival and wander like a hobbit looking for a second breakfast but for the LA Beer Week Kickoff Festival, I was assigned to the Stone Brewing booth to pour. And pour I did save for a brief taste blitz midway through the the fest.

Which means this post is less about beers drunk in a Nick Hornby list manner and more about the people that walked past or stopped and ordered a beer.

First off being under a tent when LA is baking hard is a much better place to be than in the flow of the throng. With a prodigious amount of sunscreen I avoided getting burnt. Stone had two beers flowing. Made easier by the fact that both were double IPAs north of 9%. Enjoy By Independence Day and Mocha IPA.

The Mocha was quite good. Hops in the aroma, followed by coffee with a milky chocolate finish. No wonder that the small keg kicked pretty fast. It was pretty good timing to be with Stone reps after news had broken that brewmaster Mitch Steele was leaving for a new brewing endeavor. They were as wrong footed by the news as most of us were.
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Most of the conversations were broken by surges of crowds. The life of a fest-Ista is not glamorous. It involves moving kegs and gear. Getting the beer to a decent temp despite the heat and fielding the same question repeatedly.

(I came to regret saying please enjoy when handing a glass of Enjoy By over the table)

I was able to try the Pilsner from Enegren, the unfiltered Pilsner from Brouwerij West, the new grisette from Monkish, another Pilsner from State Brewing and a Watermelon Chili IPA from Ladyface of all places. Notably, I had my first Sante Adairus beer too, their saison, Bernice. I missed Homage and Pocock as well as a couple Drake’s beers even though they were right across from me.

There were some funny little hats and a few strange outfits but mostly people who were there to enjoy some beer.  Thankfully there were only a couple glass breaks for people to inexplicably cheer for.  I will get into the set-up and quibbles later though.

The take-away is that the ticket to entry was a ticket to try all of LA craft beer in one spot.  All you had to do was find some shade to enjoy the beers in.

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#LABW8 Kickoff Festival – The Photos

Now that the 8th L.A. Beer Week Kickoff Festival is complete, here is part one of BSP coverage. Tomorrow, my review of the festival…

Welcome to LA Center Studios!
Welcome to LA Center Studios!

Under the Stone tent.
Under the Stone tent.

Beer Bloggers prepping the Unity IPA for pouring.
Beer Bloggers prepping the Unity IPA for pouring.

One of my tasting stops. Waiting for the Saison to stop foaming.
One of my tasting stops. Waiting for the Saison to stop foaming.

The latest IPA from Monkish Brewing.
The latest IPA from Monkish Brewing.

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BSP’s L.A. Beer Week Schedule

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This is where you will find Sean during the next week. (And yes, I am still not imbibing on Monday & Tuesday of each week) As you will see, I am sticking close to my Glendale roots.

Saturday, June 18th – Kick-off Festival
Sunday, June 19th – Cellarmaker Brewing @ The Hermosillo
Monday, June 20th – Off (unless something special comes up)
Tuesday, June 21st – Off (unless something special comes up)
Wednesday, June 22nd – Beer Belly Goes to Oregon
Thursday, June 23rd – DTLA United Crawl
Friday, June 24th – Brasserie Dupont & Lost Abbey @ the Glendale Tap
Saturday, June 25th – Straight Outta LA @ Craft Beer Cellar-Eagle Rock
Sunday, June 26th – Torrance Block Party @ the Glendale Tap

Today is a good day to make your own schedule since most events should be up on the L.A. Beer Week calendar by now.

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L.A. Beer Week – Update 3

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Only 3 Days until L.A. Beer Week fires up for 2016. Two weeks ago, I highlighted many, many cool events and last week, I suggested three more. If you still have gaps in your schedule take a look at these…

June 19th – Popfuji at Brouwerij West
A L.A. Beer Week event about a pilsner? Yup, the beautiful coastal setting of Brouwerij West will host music, food trucks and their new pilsner.

June 20th – Rockmill Brewing
Blue Palms has Ohio roots so it comes as no surprise that one of their tap take-overs features Rockmill and their farmhouse ales.

June 22nd – Playing Favorites
Library Alehouse hosts not only Smog City Brewing but Beachwood Brewing and the 2016 Sierra Nevada Beer Camp beers on one night! Choice overload will happen.

June 23rd – WWYB Winner
Each year Angel City holds a contest for those who think they can craft a recipe, this year the winner is a Strawberry Gose.

June 24th – Rock & Brews Cellar and Aged Beer Night
Rock & Brews El Segundo will open up its vault to showcase its collection of aged beers.

…and in general, if you have a free night and want an #LABW8 fix, then head to Sunset Beer Co. They have a full range of events including Societe, Toolbox and many more.

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Sean Suggests for June 2016

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Let’s go with fruit this month but not fruited IPA’s. Beers where fruit is a + addition and not a marketing trick. In addition to these beers, don’t forget to buy a bottle of the Unity 2016 IPA too!

~LIGHT
Bootlegger’s/ Lemongrass Wit 5.5% ABV
“Our summer seasonal release, Lemongrass White, is the perfect beer to relax with during the long summer days. This refreshing beer is balanced with bright citrus notes from the lemongrass, bitter orange peel, and coriander.”

~MEDIUM
Boulevard/ Tropical Pale 5.9% ABV
“Inspired by our collaboration with Florida’s famed Cigar City Brewing, Tropical Pale Ale marries our passion for balanced pale ales with the bright refreshing flavors of grapefruit and passion fruit accented by juicy, citrusy hops. Pack your bags and bring your taste buds.”

~DARK
Telegraph/ Gypsy Ale 8.0% ABV
“Inspired by the exuberance of the Romani Gypsy culture. Telegraph Gypsy Ale celebrates the restless and adventurous spirit in all of us. We brewed it with rye, unmalted wheat, and locally grown plums. Then we fermented it with Brettanomyces while listening to traditional Gypsy tunes. It’s wild, it’s unique, it’s delicious. So go ahead, stray from that well-trodden ground you are following, grab a bottle, and dance along a crooked path.”

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L.A. Beer Week – Update 2

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Only 10 Days until L.A. Beer Week commences for 2016. Last week, I highlighted many, many cool events. Here are three more…

June 18th – 26th
Flight Test @Mohawk Bend
“Calling all craft beer fans! Challenge your tasting skills in the first L.A. Beer Week Flight Test hosted by Mohawk Bend. Correctly name each beer and brewery in a specially curated Los Angeles flight for a chance to win a craft beer experience at Mohawk Bend.
The Prize: Winner will receive a private craft beer and artisan pizza tasting for up to eight people.”

Wednesday, June 22nd @ Beer Belly
Join us for a special night of beers from the Pacific Northwest. Featuring beers from Cascade, Boneyard, Logsdon, Double Mountain, Crux, Fat Heads, Buoy, and Breakdside. If you’ve never had the chance to try standout beers like Shrieking Violet and Notorious TIPA now is the time.
TAPLIST:
• Cascade Shrieking Violet
• Cascade Figaro
• Boneyard Notorious TIPA
• Boneyard Hop Venom
• Logsdon Conversion
• Fat Heads PDX IBUisive IPA
• Breakside Salted Caramel Stout
• Breakside Rainbows and Unicorns
• Double Mountain Veiled Conspiracy
• Buoy NW Red Ale
• …more to come

Thursday, June 23rd @ Rock & Brews El Segundo
The 2016 Version of “So You Want to Open a Brewery in Los Angeles” with host Tomm Carroll.

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L.A. Beer Week – Update 1

You can head to L.A. Beer Week for up-to-date information but here is the first batch of BSP vetted events:
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June 18 – Craft Beer Cellar in Eagle Rock
Breweries in the South Bay have played a huge part in putting LA on the map, and the scene has exploded in the last year. Don’t have time to make the trip down? Don’t fret! Stop by Craft Beer Cellar Eagle Rock on Saturday, June 18th and see what they’ve been up to. We’ll be paying homage to our friends on the South side by pouring tasty beers from El Segundo, 3 Weavers, Smog City, Monkish, Phantom Carriage, Brouwerij West & More! Flights and full pours of these delicious South Bay brews will be available throughout the day & night. Food Trucks, games, and of course beer!

June 19 – Cask and Ye’ Shall Receive (ticketed)
Join us for two events rolled into one! For L.A. Beer Week, we are hosting Cask & Ye Shall Receive for the third year. This year’s event will be even bigger and better than last year’s event, as we have more space, and more brewery friends! We will be featuring 18-24 casks from some of the best breweries in California. This is a great chance to check out a rare cask offering from many of your favorite Southland breweries!

June 19 – Cellarmaker @ Highland Park Brewing
Cellarmaker from SF will take over our beer projector all day, with several beers of their own as well as the newest Cellarmaker/Highland Park Brewery Collaboration Beer.

June 20 – Pink Boots Tap-Takeover at Three Weavers (ticketed)
On Monday, June 20, we’re handing over our tasting room license to the Pink Boots Society for a night of killer beers, great food, good cheer, and fundraising for a worthy cause. 100% of the proceeds from this night go directly to the Pink Boots Society Scholarship Fund.

June 23 – Brewyard on Brand
The Famous and The Moose Den in Glendale will be featuring Brewyard craft beer not only on our taps but also on our Menus! Talented chef James Begg has prepared a special and extremely delicious menu that not only compliments the various styles of beers that our local Glendale brewery offers but includes them in some of the recipes! If you have any questions about Brewyard craft beer you won’t have to look too far. The brewers/owners of Brewyard Beer Company will also be here to either talk shop with you or just joke around for an enjoyable evening.

June 23 – Noon – DTLA Beer Hop

June 25 – Gold Line Beer Crawl

June 25 – 11:30am – 38 Degrees 7th Anniversary Celebration
38 Degrees Ale House & Grill is turning 7!! Please visit this page as we get closer to our big day, where we will unveil our completely bonkers lineup of rare, delicious, barrel aged and uber fresh beers. Per usual, this will not be a ticketed event, all are welcome to join us for flights, tasters and full pours. This will be the LA Beer Week event that you won’t want to miss.

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In the Tap Lines for June 2016

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We have arrived into summer and the month where L.A. Beer Week lives, tomorrow will be the first post of many with picks for the week+ of beer in the City of Angels, but first, extensive coverage of the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival with special new releases like STiVO pils and Double Rye DBA, plus:

~ e-visits to three breweries featured at the Firestone Walker Invitational. Creature Comforts, Side Project & Mahrs Brau.
~ special featured reviews of the L.A. Beer Week Unity beer, a cellared 2015 and the new 2016 IPA.
~ 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 The Regional Office is Under Attack .
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world

Here are two events to get your June started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) June 11th – Beer and Jerky Pairing at Southland Beer
2) June 12th – Mumford Brewing 1st Anniversary

…and here is the beer photo of the month
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United L.A.

Three Weavers Brewing Co. played host to the L.A. Beer Week Unity brew for 2016 along with more than twenty other L.A. craft breweries.
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This is year 2 of the rotation around the L.A. brewing area. Smog City held the mantle last year with their Tart Saison and now we head to IPA land. At least it isn’t a fruit IPA. And at least, there will be two as-yet-unnamed hop varietals in the mix. Otherwise this style choice seemed a little predictable and not so edgy. Like greenlighting a sequel instead of an indie flick.

HBC 522 & HBC 342 were used in the brewing. Hops still so new that you really have to dig in Google to get descriptions or characteristics. The latter is described as having an aroma that is mild, pleasant, citrusy, and tropical, with some melon notes as well. 522 is being positioned as a Centennial-esque hop.

With Alexandra Nowell, the brewmaster at Three Weavers, at the helm for the April 20th brewdate, you can expect a great example of an L.A. styled IPA. Unity IPA 2016 will debut before L.A. Beer Week at a special release party at Three Weavers Brewery in Inglewood on Friday, May 27th.

After that, look for bottles to send to those who can’t make it for L.A. Beer Week. Make sure they drink it fresh though.

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Three Months + to LA Beer Week

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Yes, the marquee event of L.A. Beer Week is over three months away but the Early Bird ticket buying time starts on the 4th. At 10am. It is the best time to grab your tickets to taste the best of L.A. breweries and to celebrate the 8th annual L.A. Beer Week which runs from June 18-26,2016

This year the festival moves from USC to Downtown L.A. at the Los Angeles Center Studios. Come June 18th there will be beer from over 75 craft breweries, music, food trucks, games and most importantly SHADE! Cause June is way hot. (Thanks for nothing El Frackin’ Nino)

To repeat: Early Bird Tickets for the June 18th event go on sale at 10am on Friday, March 4th. Head HERE to buy.