LA/San Diego Trip - What Brewpubs & Breweries Do I Have To Hit?

[arturo7]

That's a pretty cool idea, Brew.

Regarding the Belmont Brewery, it deserves a place on that map regardless of quality simply because it is a brewery. Too bad there is not a way to leave a review.

There is a pretty cool iPhone application called Find Craft Beer. It uses your location to generate a list of nearby craft brew sources.

 

[JaimeTheLimey]

My SD list would be:
Stone
Alesmith
PizzaPort
Green Flash
Lost Abbey
Mission

LA:
Don't know a ton of places but:
LadyFace Ale House (Agoura Hills)
Father's Office (Santa Monica)
Laurel Tavern (Studio City and probably 2nd to Father's Office. Great food)
Verdugo Bar (Eagle Rock - Never been but supposed to be very good)

 

[carnevoodoo]

My SD list would be:
Stone
Alesmith
PizzaPort
Green Flash
Lost Abbey
Mission

LA:
Don't know a ton of places but:
LadyFace Ale House (Agoura Hills)
Father's Office (Santa Monica)
Laurel Tavern (Studio City and probably 2nd to Father's Office. Great food)
Verdugo Bar (Eagle Rock - Never been but supposed to be very good)

Any reason you're skipping Ballast Point on that list?

 

[billvon]

Mission

Agreed on Mission, but warning - Mission Brewery is not in Mission Brewery Plaza! Mission Brewery Plaza is a very visible building on the way to the airport, and has led many a beer seeker astray.

 

[weirdboy]

My SD list would be:
Verdugo Bar (Eagle Rock - Never been but supposed to be very good)

I've been to Verdugo several times. They usually have a good selection of beers, but in my experience the service there isn't that great. I have had good service there once or twice, but usually it takes forever to get a drink and the staff don't know much about the beers. On the other hand, last time I was there they were pouring drinks in pint glasses that were supposed to be in 6oz or 8oz glasses, and in one case they gave me a 1L glass instead of a pint. I ended up paying something like $20 for $50 worth of beer.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Agreed on Mission, but warning - Mission Brewery is not in Mission Brewery Plaza! Mission Brewery Plaza is a very visible building on the way to the airport, and has led many a beer seeker astray.

New English is brewing in there now. They have a lot of potential to be a very good addition to San Diego.

 

[billvon]

New English is brewing in there now.

Interesting! I'll have to check that out; thanks for the tip.

 

[JaimeTheLimey]

Any reason you're skipping Ballast Point on that list?

Nope.

I've been to Verdugo several times. They usually have a good selection of beers, but in my experience the service there isn't that great. I have had good service there once or twice, but usually it takes forever to get a drink and the staff don't know much about the beers. On the other hand, last time I was there they were pouring drinks in pint glasses that were supposed to be in 6oz or 8oz glasses, and in one case they gave me a 1L glass instead of a pint. I ended up paying something like $20 for $50 worth of beer.

Disappointed to hear that. I read an article from some beer writer that it was one of the best place in LA to get a brew. I will have to dig it up so you guys can flame him.

 

[JaimeTheLimey]

Well the article can be found on their site:
http://www.verdugobar.com/index.php?/press/
LA's Best-Kept Beer-Bar Secret by Tomm Carroll was the article.

Doesn't bother me so much about the service; it's a bar after all. But when the staff doesn't know what they're serving? That really bothers me.

 

[ToddO]

Belmont Brewery is worth a trip if you are in the area and probably better than some of the other LA spots mentioned. I also dont think they're beer is all that but the happy hour is great - 3.50 pints or something like that and they always have some Stone or similar on tap as well. It is in a great spot and perfect around sundown. Food is so-so as well and spendy so stick with the appees. Oh, and the waitresses there are usually pretty hot.

 

[weirdboy]

On the other hand, you can get $5 pints of Pliny the Elder at Cafe Boogaloo in Hermosa Beach for happy hour.

 

[Brewsmith]

Weird, I've probably asked this before, but where in LA are you? We need to get together for a beer sometime. $5 Pliny sounds good.

 

[weirdboy]

Weird, I've probably asked this before, but where in LA are you? We need to get together for a beer sometime. $5 Pliny sounds good.

We already did get together for a beer! At Bruery.

$5 Pliny is always good, though.

 

[Brewsmith]

That's right! Well I'm still up for another meet up

 

[carnevoodoo]

Isn't Pliny always 5 bucks? It might be 5.50 some places here, but that's at the most.

 

[weirdboy]

Isn't Pliny always 5 bucks? It might be 5.50 some places here, but that's at the most.

You normally pay $5 for pints of Pliny, in a bar, during normal operating hours?

Which bars are these?

Most places around here you can't get pints of anything for $5, let alone Pliny.

 

[schristian619]

I don't remember ever paying more that $5 for a pint of Pliny. Any of the bars in SD that carry it have it for around $5 (Hamiltons, Toronado, Blind Lady sometimes although its less and you get less since they charge by the size, O'briens)

 

[weirdboy]

I seem to recall Stone World Bistro being $5 but it was definitely not a pint.

 

[Brewsmith]

I think it's more of a LA/OC thing. Everything is just stupidly more expensive. Over at Beachwood BBQ, where they had Pliny the Younger last week, nothing on their list is usually under $6.

 

[arturo7]

Over at Beachwood BBQ, where they had Pliny the Younger last week, nothing on their list is usually under $6.

In a cask, nonetheless.

Too bad I missed it.

 

[billvon]

I seem to recall Stone World Bistro being $5 but it was definitely not a pint.

$4 as of 2 hours ago at Stone.

 

[Brewsmith]

In a cask, nonetheless.

Too bad I missed it.

I missed it too. I was busy at 6pm and got over there about 9 in hopes there was any left. Fat chance. They did have a growler that they had behind the bar for the "in" crowd that couldn't be there earlier, but I'm not that in the know, so I had a Lost Abbey Devotion.

 

[schristian619]

Yeah, Stone may be less than $5, but they serve it in 8oz glasses, as they do all their moderately high alc beers.

 

[BrianTheBrewer]

Yeah, Stone may be less than $5, but they serve it in 8oz glasses, as they do all their moderately high alc beers.

It is still worth it for someone who does not get Pliny all the time.

 

[weirdboy]

The best thing about my last visit to Stone was that the waitress was really nice and brought me a bunch of free tastings of stuff they had on tap, completely unsolicited.

Then we went on the tour and got a ridiculous number of tastings after that, too.

 

[billvon]

The best thing about my last visit to Stone was that the waitress was really nice and brought me a bunch of free tastings of stuff they had on tap, completely unsolicited.

That's not uncommon at many breweries I've been to in San Diego. Sit by the bar, ask a server what they like or what's good and you'll generally get a few free samples. Ballast Point, Lost Abbey, Stone, and Lightning are especially good in that respect; Backstreet and even Rock Bottom if it's quiet.

 

[BrianTheBrewer]

That's not uncommon at many breweries I've been to in San Diego. Sit by the bar, ask a server what they like or what's good and you'll generally get a few free samples. Ballast Point, Lost Abbey, Stone, and Lightning are especially good in that respect; Backstreet and even Rock Bottom if it's quiet.

Ya I agree. Ballast Point was awesome. I never had the Sculpin before and they gave me a free sample and I feel in love. Same with Karl Strauss. Tried the Full Suit Belgian Brown, very good.

 

[riored4v]

subbing for later use. headed back to SD later this month and am wanting to hit some of these places.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Ya I agree. Ballast Point was awesome. I never had the Sculpin before and they gave me a free sample and I feel in love. Same with Karl Strauss. Tried the Full Suit Belgian Brown, very good.

Sculpin is one of the three best single IPAs in San Diego. How's that for a qualified statement?

 

[schristian619]

very true....Stone and just about every other brewery/beer bar in SD is very helpful and will let you sample just about anything. Ballast point is great about that. Next time your there, try a black eye....a mix of their big eye IPA and their black marlin porter...yum. Also agreed on Sculpin. The best IPA from San Diego not made by Apline Brewing Co.