Tag: Ladyface Ale Companie

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Ladyface Down

The last of the pioneering Los Angeles breweries and the second this year has called it quits.  Ladyface Ale Companie which changed over to Tavern Tomoko + Ladyface Brewery will be closing just before Christmas on 12/22.

Ladyface Ale Companie & Brasserie was established in late 2009 by Cyrena Nouzile.  That year brought us Strand Brewing and Eagle Rock Brewery as well.  Brewmaster Dave Griffiths was at the controls of award-winning Belgian, French and American style ales. La Blonde, La Grisette, Blind Ambition Abbey Ale, Trois Filles Tripel, and seasonal ales such as La Trappistine Belgian Dark Strong Ale, Blue-Belly Barleywine and Dérailleur Bière-de-Garde which was a favorite of mine.

Nouzile and Ladyface Ale Companie were proudly independently owned and operated and an active member of the Brewers Association, California Craft Brewers Association and especially the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild.

Pete Lee, turned from a Ladyface customer to owner when he bought the brewery and restaurant from Nouzile and channged the Brasserie to Tavern Tomoko while still keeping the beers under the Ladyface banner which I thought was a confusing choice.  

Later beers such as Animé, a Japanese pale ale brewed with jasmine rice and Sorachi hops and Atlas Shrugged, a barrel-aged dark strong anniversary ale did not get wide distribution and much like the other ’09ers, they could not re-create the buzz they had in early years.

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Three Ladyface 4-Packs

4-Pack Release Alert and Ladyface Brewery is a combo I did not think I would write. But here we are with the Agoura Hills first ever canned releases. Featured in the trio starting with the appropriate Trois Filles Belgian Tripel, Ladyface IPA, and Anime Pale Ale.

I would tend to the Tripel but am tempted to try the Pale Ale for the first time.

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Haven’t Read the Book….

…but I will try this beer. Here is how Ladyface Ale Companie describes this anniversary beer, “we created an ale that reflects those years – big, strong, boozy, and a little bittersweet. “Atlas Shrugged” is a blend of our barrel-aged Imperial Stout and Belgian Barleywine, with dry oak tannins meeting bittersweet chocolate and rum raisin. An ABV of 11% may lead you to deep, complex thoughts.”

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3 OG Anniversaries

Sunday, January 20th – “Ladyface 9th Anniversary Celebration & Block Party, plus the chance to purchase one of the coveted Anniversary glasses (special limited release) that brings you happy hour pricing all year, any day, any time on Ladyface Ales. Purchase your Anniversary glass on this day and fill it with “Dreamer” our 9th Anniversary Ale–a barrel aged Barleywine!”


Saturday, January 26th – Eagle Rock 9th Anniversary “Can you believe we’ve been brewing at our little brewery for NINE years?? We’re ecstatic to be able to celebrate with you! Save the date and get ready to PARTY! More details to come!”


TBD – Strand Brewing 9th Anniversary – ???

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Strong


A week ago, Ladyface brewed a new beer. Not amazing in itself but this beer, Backbone IPA was created to raise funds after the devastating fire that was practically at their doorstep. They collaborated with other local breweries for this “Strength in Community” release. Ladyface has partnered with the charity campaigns of YMCA’s LVFireRelief and the Ventura County Community Foundation ensures that 100% of the proceeds benefit those affected by the recent tragedies.

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Grading on the Curve


Laydface Ale Companie up in Agoura Hills, doesn’t bottle a lot. So when they do and it is part of their Ingenuity Series, you might want to head out and pick up a couple.

Gaussian Curve is the latest, a Barrel-aged Saison, with “complex notes of honey and biscuit. Neutral red wine barrels have plotted a unique and delicate earthiness as well as soft wild yeast tartness over many months of aging in our cellar, yielding a modern balance that is definitely ahead of the curve..”

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In the Tap Lines for February 2017

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Now that Herr Gropenfuhrer has been installed as POTUS and the contractors at the White House are getting stiffed on invoices, it is the time to drink up, for the end of the world is nigh. So keep checking in to see what to drink and where to go in L.A. in February.

~ e-visits to three breweries from around the world like the Hong Kong Beer Company and Microbrewery Le Castor + 1 more.
~ special featured reviews of Beer Duos.
~ 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 Dark Matter from Blake Crouch.
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your February started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) February 4th – Melvin Brewing from Washington State invades Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach
2) February 5th – Super Bowl Sunday at Surly Goat West Hollywood

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Ladyface Invitiational – Recap

Last weekend, I trundled up to Agoura Hills to check out the Ladyface Invitational for 2017….

What a difference a day makes. Saturday was bright an chilly with a blue sky above. On Sunday, as I drove up the 101 to Ladyface, it was grey and rainy and you could barely see ahead of you.

The whole party was forced inside due to the rain which changed the dynamics a bit but I gotta say that Cyrena and crew improvised well. Tucking tables into the brewery and adding signage to help the fest goers navigate in tight quarters.

The beer list was quite the different beast from other festivals that I have been at. It was quite stout heavy and sour heavy. If you were looking for hops, you had two full throated IPA’s but past that, old ales, sour stouts and saisons were in force.

I quite liked the anniversary beer, The Shepherdess. It was strong but not warming. Good solid beer with some spice hints. Perfect for a rainy day. Other standouts were the Saison Bernice from Sante Adairius and the return of The Messenger from Three Weavers and Noble Ale Works.

My only quibble is the amount of pours allowed. The wristband allowed for 20. On a rainy day no less. 10 pours tops though I prefer 5 personally. It forces you to slow down and enjoy more rather than racing from beer to beer. And there was plenty of good beer to choose from. Beer that is normally sold in larger format bottles for over $20.00. Much better to try a small amount and see if it blows you away.

Next year, let’s hope the rains waits until Monday to come down.

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Ladyface Shepherdess


Ladyface Ale Companie has released the details for both its 7th Anniversary ale – The Shepherdess (along with some local history) and their special Invitational later this month.

“A traditional 7th anniversary gift is wool and The Shepherdess’ name is a nod to the history of Agoura Hills. The city was named after French Basque shepherd Pierre Agoure, who homesteaded the area in 1871.”

The new beer from Brewmaster David Griffiths is a Belgian-style Barleywine that is “aged 20 months in California red wine barrels”. It will be released on January 16, on draft and in 1-liter Anniversary growlers, and 500 ml bottles.

Then on Sunday, January 22, Ladyface plays host to its 2nd annual invitational boutique beer festival and party. This year “will feature hand-selected special releases, barrel-aged, and hard-to find ales from guest breweries such as Russian River, Eagle Rock, Smog City, Sierra Nevada, The Bruery, Sante Adairius, Lost Abbey, Pizza Port, Crooked Stave, Stone, and more to be announced.

Tickets are available HERE.

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Review – Two 6th Anniversaries

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Happy Anniversary to Eagle Rock Brewery. It is hard to imagine that I have been to 6 parties to celebrate another year of beer from my closest brewer.
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ERB shares a birthday with Ladyface (who had their own party going on in Agoura Hills) and the pair both brewed up a Belgian Golden Strong Ale for the day and you could tell both were related but they each had different notes to them.
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By a slight margin, I would take the Zes from Eagle Rock over the version from Ladyface, which I thought was a touch too sour and a little heavier on the palate.

What the future holds will be fun to watch unspool. I never would of thought that ERB would have a restaurant even just 2 years ago but now they are a mutli-location spot and growing.