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I do not like doing these types of posts but they are part of business and also a reminder to visit those taprooms that you want to stay around.
Pacific Plate Brewing in Monrovia will be closing up shop on May 31st. The large whole that Covid dug for small business operations was just too large to fill back in.
My lucky number is 9 and this year it is Pacific Plate Brewery’s lucky number too as they celebrate their 9th Anniversary in Monrovia. And they have a special beer ready, Black Obsidian – “A bourbon barrel coffee stout that hits all the right notes. The beer was aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels creating a final product that is rich in vanilla, chocolate, coffee and bourbon.”
Summer might be pilsner weather but it is also tropical weather some days when the humidity hovers overhead. So why not lean into it hard and go tropical and triple…
Pacific Plate has worked with these fruits before. I expect they will get that pineapple to hop ratio right.
Reaching year 8 is great. Pacific Plate Brewing has notched that level now and have released a big Saison in honor of it. Let’s review it here….
Very barrel. Oodles of wood notes. Idaho 7 and Cashmere hops? Sure. The barrel crushes them. Some Saison spice notes escapes the rum barrel vortex. But when I think anniversary beer, I want something big. This is big. It is only 8.5% but it stops you in its tracks.
You will notice activity in a different spot the next time you visit Pacific Plate Brewing because they have a new drinking space straight across from their brewery on Myrtle Avenue.
There will be music and an art installation and even a climbing wall but what is most significant for the Glendale – Open Arts Music will be the….
⊹ CRAFT BEER GARDEN at the Alex Theatre Forecourt ⊹
which will feature:
Brewyard Beer Company LLC
Eagle Rock Brewery
MacLeod Ale Brewing Co.
Pacific Plate Brewing Co.
Might make for a great explore Glendale day. Or you could condo comparison shop, we have a lot of those.
The Monrovia based (with Glendale taproom) Pacific Plate is turning 4 this month. And after an exclusive Mug Club Night on Friday, they will roll out the carpet for the rest of the fans..
MAIN CELEBRATION – Saturday August 26th Noon to 10pm
with:
Outdoor Beer Garden – Noon to 10pm
4th Anniversary Tropical Triple IPA Release @ Noon
Charity Raffle – 9:00pm
Food Truck – Noon to 9:30pm
Classic Cars – Noon to 4pm
Live Band – The Lance and Gary Show 6:00pm to 9:00pm
THE NEXT DAY – Sunday August 27th Noon to 10pm
Outdoor Beer Garden Noon to 9pm
Live Band – TBA 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Craft Beer Trivia Night 7:30pm – Prizes!
Test your knowledge on Craft Beer styles and brewing
Pacific Plate Brewing is teaming up with the Global Conservation Force to help the Pangolin with The Pangolin Defender, a California Common Beer.
This is the 4th in the series that started with the White Rhino IPA, Earth Shaker Stout and Tall Blonde Hef (for giraffes).
The Glendale taproom will open at Noon and the event will kick off at 4pm. There will be a “Pangolin conservation presentation, a silent auction filled with awesome art and an epic raffle.”
Our next sleigh stop is Monrovia, California and Pacific Plate Brewing for their Belgian take on a Christmas Ale.
Pacific Plate hosted a holiday weekend, IPA 4th of July. I arrived via the Gold Line which drops you off a mere 4 block from the brewery without the hassle of traveling the increasingly worsening traffic of the 210 East. And I had my beer in time to catch the pk’s of Germany vs. Italy in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Euros. Worst penalty kicks I have seen in a while. Buffon did all he could do in goal for Italy but I have seen grade schoolers do better.
I settled down with the 6 beer flight and jotted down my notes:
Mango IPA – lighter orange not as cloudy as guava. Potpourri a bit. Bitter first.
Guava IPA – wins the fruit IPA cup. Cloudy. Grapefruit. Fruit first.
San Andreas IPA – grassy and a little weird. Not as good as the rest.
South Pacific Smoked IPA – Very smoky. Good balance even though the burnt notes take over.
Widowmaker DIPA – caramel. Sugar. Bitterness comes in at the end.
Black Widow Black IPA – British at first then the hops kick in.
Overall, the Guava is the leader for me with the Black IPA coming in second. With more hop bite, the Smoked South Pacific could sneak into the top three.
Next anniversary for the Monrovia brewery is in August. Number three.
