Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Smog City has entered into a new partnership with the Dignity Health Sports Park home of MLS LA Galaxy in Carson. Quasar Blonde Ale will be available at the stadium in the hot new 19.2oz can format. “Quasar Blonde Ale is an easy drinking approachable 4.8% blonde ale with smooth malt notes and subtle hop flavor that keep you refreshed the whole match all the way to full time!”
I am RCTID (Portland MLS fans will get it) but it is still quite the coup for Party Beer Co. just off the Expo Line in West Adams to gain LAFC official status. That means when football action starts back up, you will have a nice new craft beer to have while watching and cheering the Timbers, oops, LAFC.
After reading about $20 beers up in San Francisco and having paid $15 at StubHub center, I was a bit scared and wary walking into the new Banc of California Stadium to see the LAFC take on my Portland Timbers.
I have to say that the field and stadium are really great. Since it was a weekday game, the food options seemed less than 100%. There was no Bludso’s (the metal shield was down and locked), and the Beer Belly spot did not have a food menu leaving tacos and hot dogs basically for food.
And though the beer selection was fine. 805 from Firestone, Expatriate from Three Weavers, Mumford on tap, Iron Triangle cans. But nothing was less than $12 that I could see. And as much as the 805 called me. I could not pay $9 more (which would be 3 more 805’s) than the cost at Trader Joe’s.
A mixed bag then. Good choice – bad price. And I would not suggest sneaking in any, The list of prohibited items was loooong and any bag brought in was supposed to be clear. So, go to DTLA. Mikkeller or Modern Times or even the Whole Foods bar, pre (or post drink) then hop on the Expo Line.
If I were the L.A. Galaxy, no need to have a beer sponsor, just package your beer as ZlatanAle and it will sell.
That being said, the original L.A. MLS team has teamed with the Kona Brewing Company making the brewery with both mainland and island operations the official craft beer of the LA Galaxy.
As part of the pairing there will be a new “Kona Lanai” bar at StubHub Center in Carson serving Big Wave Golden Ale, Longboard Island Lager and Hanalei Island IPA (the only one of the three that I have not tasted) plus taps of seasonal beers.
Sounds fine by me, though I am not really the target market since the beer pricing is so astronomical that I would much rather pre or post drink at the nearby Phantom Carriage.
Portland has a slew of MLS Timbers beers but the latest celebrates the chainsaw toting Timber Jim. This new NW IPA is not only organic per Hopworks usual MO but will also help out Meals on Wheels as a portion of each sale will be donated to the charity.
I will be contacting my Mom for a special delivery of this new beer.
With the MLS season concluding today with the Galaxy of Los Angeles taking on the Revolution of New England, it seemed a good time to re-imagine what the jerseys would look like if craft breweries were the shirt sponsors.
And courtesy of Backheel you can see what it would look like if the Bruery was on the pitch vs. Harpoon.
Of course, I root for team Hair of the Dog……
Despite living in Los Angeles, I am not a Galaxy fan. I may not be Timber’s Army either but I definitely root for my hometown team and what better way to do that then by drinking some Widmer Green & Gold!
In honor of the Portland Timber MLS kick-off and since they start the season in Colorado.
They can pick-up this logger beer…..
…from Ska Brewing in Durango.
The new MLS Portland Timbers kick-off their season today!
Nothing better than to watch with one of these….
Or you can pick up the official craft brew of Timber Jim. Check out the story at Brewpublic.