Why does the beer suck in L.A?

[Brewsmith]

I know that most people on this site are from outside CA, but you would think that Los Angeles being the major center (or centre depending on which continent you're on) that it is would have some of the best beer, or at least one of the best selections of beer around. You have to search hard to even find a brew pub. And the selection at the super market isn't that great either. The only thing you can get from Sierra Nevada is the pale ale. From further north you can find Red Hook ESB (got some in the fridge right now) but that's it. This summer I visited relatives and friends in Salem and Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. I drove back with the entire back seat of my car filled with beer you can't find anyhwere down here. Best beer run ever. Screw it. I'm moving to Washington.

 

[Ed_Savage]

"I'm moving to Washington."

Or you could move to Portland, Beervana!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2286

 

[ryser2k]

I'm in Northern Virginia right now, and Sierra Pale Ale and Red Hook ESB are just about the only microbrews you'll see in any supermarket around here. Occasionally you'll get lucky and they'll have the local favorite, Old Dominion.

 

[Walker]

I know that most people on this site are from outside CA, but you would think that Los Angeles being the major center (or centre depending on which continent you're on) that it is would have some of the best beer, or at least one of the best selections of beer around. You have to search hard to even find a brew pub. And the selection at the super market isn't that great either.

Dude... have you ever checked out Whole Foods Market? I recently moved from San Jose, CA to Raleigh, NC, and Whole Foods in San Jose had a pretty good selection of beers... Some of which I had NEVER heard of. There are two of them in/near LA, but I don't know how far you are from these places:

Brentwood
Whole Foods Market
11737 San Vicente Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310.826.4433
310.826.6653 fax
Store hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Fairfax
Whole Foods Market
6350 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.964.6800
323.964.6830 fax

-walker

 

[Brewsmith]

There are a couple of stores that carry a good selection of stuff, like Trader Joe's, and Beverages and More, but you need to go way out your way sometimes to find it. L.A.'s a big blace so I sure that somewhere you can find just about anything. I would love to sample just some of the selection that you guys get back east, or in the midwest. I think the closest major microbrewery to me would be Stone out of San Diego, and it's difficult to find even that stuff here! I think part of it is just the people. Most people here are just going too fast, except on the freeway, to enjoy a good beer. If enough people would request beer to have in stock, I'm sure they would carry it. Case in point: My cousin is the manager at a sports bar. I went last monday night to see if I could pick up some empties for bottling. You would think that after the entire weekend of Baseball and Football plus the Monday Night game the would sell at least one Sam Adams, but no. She even checked the register. Not a single one sold. All pitchers of the usual watery stuff. At least they carry Fat Tire on tap now. So I had a real beer and left.

 

[Brewsmith]

Or you could move to Portland, Beervana!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2286

Yeah, don't rub it in. The next time I head up that way I'm doing a marathon brewery tour.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

You need to make a beer run to Milwaukee. You will not be disappointed.

I imagine wine is the big thing in CA.

 

[Dude]

You need to make a beer run to Milwaukee. You will not be disappointed.

What/where do you recommend? I'll be there next weekend--need a place to quaff.

 

[Brewsmith]

I imagine wine is the big thing in CA.

Yeah, even the regular grocery stores are full of hundreds of different wines, not to mention the specialty shops. But good luck finding any beer from outside CA.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

When I saw this title I thought, "I've had plenty of good beer in Latin America?"

 

[SteveM]

I was in Newport once and I saw an upstairs brew pub - the draft house brew was on special - maybe $2.50 a pint, and it was Monday during football season - jackpot! Monday Night Football and draft house brew!

What a mistake - one of the worst beers I ever had. The lesson I took was, stick with wine in Cali.

 

[Rookie]

It doesn't matter if the beer sucks in L.A. as there isn't enough good beer in the world to make me go back there.
If you are moving to Beervania (Portland) and are looking to buy a house look across the river in Vancouver, Washington. I bought one two years ago when I gave up looking for one I could afford in Oregon.
Just don't wait too long as prices over here are climbingggg.

 

[david_42]

Beverages and More, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods

http://www.celebrator.com lists about 40 brewpubs in your area. Bonaventure and Luna in LA itself.

 

[Brewsmith]

BevMo does have a pretty good selection, and luckily they did open one up near me, but again, you would think it would be easy to get more of the great microbrews from your neck of the woods down here. Many of them don't even distribute anywhere close. And on housing prices, I know they're going up, but it's sure a heck of a lot cheaper than LA.

 

[Windaria]

You need to make a beer run to Milwaukee. You will not be disappointed.

I imagine wine is the big thing in CA.

Always strikes me that California is known for being the big wine state in the US... the Columbia Valley has been rated as having some of the best wine in the world, one of the top 3 or 5, though I can't remember which. All I know what that I loved it when I lived up in Washington because you could always find something good. In Texas... well, it is another matter entirely.

Oh, and the microbrews were everywhere there too. Oh how I miss WA.

 

[david_42]

There are a suprising number of good microbreweries and brew pubs in the SF Bay area. I think the big problem in L.A. is zoning and building restrictions. I've seen many stories of brewers that end up outside L.A. because the process of trying to get anything done there was driving them crazy.

At least you don't have the three-tier distribution system that Oregon has. It jacks the prices up quite a bit. An example: T.J.'s "two buck Chuck" wine is three bucks here. By the same token, it becomes very attractive financially for a brewery to be a brewpub.

 

[user 574]

Are there still Albertson's grocery's out in LA? I seem to get a decent enough selection of better brews in southern AZ at Albertson's. Not the real obscure stuff but a fair selection of microbrews/imports. I'd say maybe 30 different brewers.

For real selection you always got to "find" that place. But I know what you mean, need convenience in your proximity without making a road trip out of it.

 

[Walker]

yeah... you can get Fat Tire at Albertsons in CA.

MAN, I wish I had a Fat Tire right now. Only 6 more weeks or so and I can drink my clone.

-walker

 

[Brewsmith]

I found "the place" The Beverages and More that they opened up in town has everything, including beers that don't get distributed here. I may have to reconcider my dislike for Los Angeles, but only a little. My new favorite place to buy beer. I'm still going to have to make a road trip back east to pick up all the great micros out there...(finding my map)...

 

[Sethticlees]

I know that most people on this site are from outside CA, but you would think that Los Angeles being the major center (or centre depending on which continent you're on) that it is would have some of the best beer, or at least one of the best selections of beer around. You have to search hard to even find a brew pub. And the selection at the super market isn't that great either. The only thing you can get from Sierra Nevada is the pale ale. From further north you can find Red Hook ESB (got some in the fridge right now) but that's it. This summer I visited relatives and friends in Salem and Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. I drove back with the entire back seat of my car filled with beer you can't find anyhwere down here. Best beer run ever. Screw it. I'm moving to Washington.

I find it funny that you say this... being as when I last visited California I distinctly remember how pathetic the beer selection had been. Living in Seattle kinda makes me a beer snob by happenstance, but I was truly disappointed when out at the bar you find Samuel Adams is only decent beer available (and by decent I mean least terrible on a long list of terrible domestic and imported beers). Needless to say when it comes to late night taco joints L.A. has got us beat, but when you're talking beer there is no place on earth like Seattle.
We’re so lucky to be surrounded by 100's of excellent breweries. In fact I got 2 awesome micro-breweries within walking distance of my house.

Hale's Ales and Maritime Pacific.


Mongoose IPA clone is all I need.

 

[justbrewit]

i'm actually from way southern cali(about 45 mins north of san diego) and i find great beer all over there! we have 1 bar that has 35 beers on tap, including SN Big Foot. theres a wine and brew celar about a block from there that has about 150-200 different beers from around the world. if you want fresh brew theres like 3 or 4 brewery and grills within maybe 30 miles. i know theres a brew pub in costa mesa that has 140 beers on tap!!!!! even some from heritage brewing(thier in dana point) i guess you just have to ask around like i do. plus i was a pizza delivery guy for a while and met tons of people!!!

 

[Brewsmith]

The Yard House chain of restaraunts has ton's of beer on tap. I went to the original one in Long Beach on saturday before seeing a concert at the LB Sports Arena. The have 250 beers on tap. I had three pints that I'd never had before. Just wish it was closer so I could go during happy hour.