LA Breweries

[krduckman]

Im in LA for the week. Any good microbreweries anyone might recommend?

 

[BootstrapBill]

I can't remember the brewery but you might want to check out what they have in Pasadena.

 

[ktblunden]

If you'll be in town later in the week and over the weekend, LA Beer Week starts on Thursday. http://www.labeerweek.com/events_by_day.php

Eagle Rock is good. If you want to make the drive down there are a ton of fantastic breweries in Orange County.

 

[weirdboy]

In Pasadena you'd be thinking of Craftsman. I have heard that they aren't going full-time anymore, but that is second-hand from a friend.

There are several great breweries around LA nowadays. I'll try to organize by rough location.

North LA/Glendale Area

1. Golden Road Brewing
   I am not a huge fan of their beers, but they make decent beer and they have a huge tap room located in a very industrial area that's a bit tricky to access next to a railroad track
2. Eagle Rock Brewing
   In addition to the more popular pale ale, IPA, witbier, etc. these guys have a tasty dark mild, which is a style you almost never see.
3. Craftsman Brewing
   This guy makes great craft beer and has been an LA staple for years. I don't think there is a taproom or anything, and I have heard from friends who say he's cut down production and is essentially in semi-retirement. If anything is available, you can usually find it at Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena.

South Bay

1. Strand Brewing
   These guys make a very tasty pale ale, which is their "flagship" beer, but have since branched out to make more styles. Most of them are hoppy; IPA's, CDA's, etc., although recently they have been selling a Berliner-Weisse which is fantastic. These guys have a tap room that I think is open every night, but not 100%.
2. Monkish Brewing
   Henry Nguyen started this brewery maybe 6-8 months ago and has been doing quite well since. As the name implies, he focuses on Belgian styles. I am a fan of the Pour Toi personally...I guess you'd call it a Belgian Pale or maybe Biere de Garde.
3. El Segundo Brewing
   My homebrew club just had a meeting at Rob's tap room, conveniently located across the street from Rock & Brews (a craft beer bar/restaurant). He's got your standard pale ale/IPA selections in addition to an imperial stout and a wheat IPA. Good beers.
4. Abigaile
   This is a brewpub that serves up some really good dishes (not standard pub fare). Last time I was there was right when they were getting the brewery up and running, so I was tasting stuff that was not quite in "production" yet. That being said, I thought the bourbon vanilla porter was coming along nicely, and I really liked the Rye IPA that was on deck at the time.
5. Red Car Brewery
   You will see this listing pop up if you search on Google and whatnot. Just....stay away. Go to one of the others I listed. Monkish is quite close to here.

Long Beach

1. Beachwood Brewing & BBQ
   In addition to excellent food. It is certainly in my top 3 of BBQ in LA, and the other stuff on their menu, like the fried pickles, the mussels, or the duck fat fries, are just killer. They also make some great beers, and have a good selection of other craft beer if you don't like theirs.
2. Belmont Brewing
   I thought I would mention this place just to warn you away. They have decent food, but I cannot recommend their beer.

Orange County

1. The Bruery
   Pretty famous and nationally regarded ever since their huge 18+% stout Black Tuesday reached the top of the "best beers" list on BeerAdvocate a few years ago. They tend to focus mostly on Belgian-inspired beers, including lots of sours, although you can find a wide variety of styles and flavors represented. They have a newly-expanded tap room at the brewery with 40+ taps, and another tasting room that also has a selection of gourmet cheeses in downtown Orange.
2. Bootleggers
   These guys just make really good beer. They don't really stick to any particular theme or regional influence. Their constant rotation beers are a German Hef, a pale ale, an IPA, a Belgian golden strong, and a coffee stout.
3. Noble Ale Works
   I haven't actually been to their tap room yet, so I don't have first-hand information, but I have heard it's nice. I have had their IIPA and their ESB, and liked both of them.

There are some other places around town that I didn't mention. However, if you tell me what part of town you're in I might be able to steer you to something closer.



There are also at least 3 more breweries I am aware of that are in the process of setting up operations, who ought to be operational within another couple of months.

 

[terrapinj]

couple others I enjoy

Ladyface in Agoura Hills and Smog City (not sure if they have a tap room open yet)

 

[weirdboy]

couple others I enjoy

Ladyface in Agoura Hills and Smog City (not sure if they have a tap room open yet)

Smog City is currently moving their facilities to the South Bay. If you live in or near Torrance, you might stop by the City Hall on Wednesday at 7pm when they will have their permit hearing.


Ladyface makes good beer....I didn't list them just because they are quite a trek from what I think of as "LA". Although if you are somewhere up the 101 that way, they are by far the best choice.



Another up that way is a place called the LAB Brewing. I have never been there, and haven't had any of their beers, though, so no idea if it's worth the trip.

 

[chemman14]

Smog City is currently moving their facilities to the South Bay. If you live in or near Torrance, you might stop by the City Hall on Wednesday at 7pm when they will have their permit hearing.


Ladyface makes good beer....I didn't list them just because they are quite a trek from what I think of as "LA". Although if you are somewhere up the 101 that way, they are by far the best choice.



Another up that way is a place called the LAB Brewing. I have never been there, and haven't had any of their beers, though, so no idea if it's worth the trip.

I haven't heard great things about lab, and my opinion on ladyface is meh. Overpriced beers and mostly snooty ******** that hangout/work there.

 

[ktblunden]

Another up that way is a place called the LAB Brewing. I have never been there, and haven't had any of their beers, though, so no idea if it's worth the trip.

I was not impressed with LAB. Had a full taster flight of everything they make and it all seemed pretty mediocre. Service was terrible as well.

 

[krduckman]

Thanks for info! I'll give them a shot.

 

[berebrando]

Haven Brewing in Pasadena makes good beer... and their french fries are absolutely fantastic!

 

[terrapinj]

where are you going to be?

may have recommendations for good bars etc as well

 

[krduckman]

where are you going to be?

may have recommendations for good bars etc as well

Close to LAX

 

[terrapinj]

El Segundo will be closest to you

4 Points Sheraton LAX has a great beer bar there, Brewsters - the manager was a SN Beer camp this year and is releasing his baltic porter on tap there on Weds

Strand isn't too far from there in Torrance but the tap room is closed Mon-Wed

 

[krduckman]

El Segundo will be closest to you

4 Points Sheraton LAX has a great beer bar there, Brewsters - the manager was a SN Beer camp this year and is releasing his baltic porter on tap there on Weds

Strand isn't too far from there in Torrance but the tap room is closed Mon-Wed

I'm right across the street from the Sheraton. I'll check it out.