1st Visit – The Stalking Horse

I headed down to Pico recently to test drive the Stalking Horse beer menu and see what their take on British beer is like.

The night brought many samples from their 9 strong list of beers. Of those, I sampled six including a full pour of the English Style Pale Ale, West Pico.

From that group, I was most impressed by Shark Sandwich a nice ESB that really sparkled and had a bigger than usual hit of hop bite to it. The Happy Hour Cream Ale will be a big hit. Simple and unassuming and pairs well with the food offerings on the menu.

I had the chance to talk to Brandon Edwards who is a Pizza Port alum and it sounds like he and head brewer Noah Regenery have a good rapport as well as ease from switching from Stalking Horse and brewing on the Westside and then being at Bluebird Brasserie in the Valley with Belgian beer and communicating from wherever they may be, which includes a third brewery that is coming soon that doesn’t have a style restriction on it.

PS – I also had my first taste of Impossible burger and was frankly cool with it. I was expecting a fakey taste but was pleasantly surprised. Or the beer was that good.

Stalking Horse

The Stalking Horse is kind of an ominous name for a new British pub themed venture but with the history of Tony Yanow in L.A. beer and with a brewer with Pizza Port experience on the resume, the former Steingarten spot could make West Pico a destination.

The brewer in question is Brandon Edwards who has returned to California after working at Columbus Brewing Co.

No specific beers have been talked about but the general starting place is “inspired by English traditions”. There will be multiple taps that will feature English style beer,and the 7-barrel system will be right behind glass for you to drink by. Brewing should be starting soon.