The L.A. BEER BLAST is designed to let Food GPS readers know what’s new at select L.A. bars and restaurants with great beer selections. You’ll also discover beer-related events in the area and learn about industry leaders. Expect a new L.A. BEER BLAST every Thursday evening, in time for the weekend rush. This week only, the blast is Wednesday night instead. Look in the left sidebar, SUBSCRIBE to Food GPS and you’ll receive the L.A. BEER BLAST by e-mail.

L.A. BEER FLOAT SHOWDOWN II

Boneyard Bistro, Ladyface Alehouse, Simmzy’s and Tony’s Darts Away have all stepped up to battle for a new beer float crown. On October 10, as part of L.A. Beer Week, Food GPS presents L.A. Beer Float Showdown II. Four teams will converge on Verdugo Bar to create culinary fireworks, and the bar that emerges as the victor is up to you.

B.A.M. FEST

On October 2 from 1 PM – 6 PM, Santa Monica’s 18th Street Arts Center hosts their inaugural B.A.M. Fest, working with Library Alehouse to showcase Beer, Art and Music. The fundraiser will benefit the center, a “nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art making.”

Guests should expect galleries, open artist studios, live bands and more than 20 breweries, including New Belgium, Stone, Lagunitas, Ballast Point, Green Flash, Allagash, Boston Beer Co./Samuel Adams, Crispin, Deschutes, Duvel, Eel River, Firestone Walker, Hofbrauhaus, Karl Strauss, North Coast, Pizza Port and Sudwerk. Tickets cost $35 and are available HERE or at the door of the event.

BEACHWOOD BBQ

Beachwood chef-owner Gabe Gordon currently features draught beers like The Bruery Humulus Lager, Kern River Pumpkin Ale, BrewDog Punk IPA, Rogue Double Dead Guy, Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza, Moylan’s Dragoon Dry Irish Stout (on nitro), Anchor Humming and Port Panzer Imperial Pils. Track changes to Beachwood BBQ’s 24-tap menu via HOP CAM

BLUE PALMS BREWHOUSE

Tonight is Great Divide Night at Blue Palms, featuring Smoked Baltic Porter, Yeti (Russian Imperial Stout), Titan IPA, Hibernation (Old Ale), Hades (Belgian Strong Pale Ale) and Hercules (Double Imperial IPA). Track changes to Blue Palms Brewhouse’s 24-tap menu via HERE

BONEYARD BISTRO

According to Boneyard Bistro bar manager Rory Snipes, “New beers on tap include Port Brewing High Tide, Bootlegger’s Black Phoenix, Anderson Valley Imperial Boont Amber, Avery Dugana, Schonramer Gold, Kostritzer Oktoberfest, Schneider Aventinus and Stone Smoked Porter with Chipotle. Beers from Great Divide will be popping up throughout the week! In the meantime come have a German beer and a plate of house-made sausages for Oktoberfest.”

BOTTLEROCK

According to Gretchen Douglass, BottleRock’s Director of Marketing & Events, beers on tap in Culver City currently include Deschutes Inversion IPA, Hofbrau Oktoberfest, New Belgium Hoptober, Stone Session Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, Bear Republic Nut Brown, New Belgium Belgo IPA and Lagunitas Little Sumpin.

At BottleRock’s downtown branch, you’ll currently find draught beers like Avery White Rascal, Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale, Eel River Organic Porter, Lost Coast Downtown Brown, North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner, Houblon Chouffe, Mc Chouffe, New Belgium Ranger IPA, Maredsous 10, Allagash Curieux, Allagash White, Oskar Blues Ten-Fidy Imperial Stout, La Chouffe, Schneider Weisse Hefe-Weizenbier, Stone IPA, Lil Devil Ale and Duvel Green.

THE BOTTLE ROOM

According to Tuesday night’s update from chef-owner Tony Alcazar, “New on Tap: Avery Dugana, Oskar Blue’s Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Victory Festbier, Craftsman Oktoberfest, The Lost Abbey Deliverance, and St. Feuillen La Blanche. Also, we are expecting a nice delivery this week, Great Divide Brewing, Stone Vanilla Smoked Porter, Unibroue Trois Pistoles, Ayinger Oktoberfest, and a special one-off from Ommegang. (more details next week).”

THE DAILY PINT

Phil McGovern’s Santa Monica bar recently added draught beers like New Belgium Hoptober golden ale, and on cask, Stone Smoked Arrogant Bastard with Chino hops and Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous with Amarillo hops.

THE GOLDEN STATE

According to last night’s update from co-owner James Starr, “Here are the beers we have on: Bruery Mischief, Craftsman Triple White Sage, Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza, Port Serpents Stout, Bruery Rugbrod, Craftsman 1903 and Bootleggers Golden Chaos.

Here are beers that will be on this week: Rubicon IPA, Anderson Valley Imperial Boont Ale and Coney Island Albino Python.”

LADYFACE ALEHOUSE & BRASSERIE

According to manager Robyn Britton, “It’s Oktoberfest time! This Friday, Oct 1st, we’re releasing our new Weizenbock, a dark German-style wheat beer with chocolate & raisin tones, accented by notes of cloves and banana. And we’ll be serving traditional Bavarian pretzels the whole month of October. The Cask of the Week is “Deutsches Stern” – Weizenbock infused with star anise. It joins Ladyface IPA, Palo Comado XPA, Blind Ambition Amber, Picture City Porter, La Blonde and, on Friday, Ladyface Weizenbock.

Ballast Point’s Sculpin IPA, Abandon Ship Smoked Lager and Black Marlin Porter, Stone’s Sublimely Self-Righteous, Marin IPA, St. Feuillien Bière de l’Amitié, Sudwerk Imperial Pils, St. Louis Gueuze, Professor Fitz’s 1809 and Drake’s Aroma Prieta are on tap. On deck – Russian River Blind Pig, Spaten Oktoberfest, Anderson Valley Brother David Tripel and Ballast Point’s Big Eye IPA. This Saturday & Sunday, look for us at the Reyes Adobe Days Beer Garden in Agoura Hills.

NAJA’S PLACE

According to assistant manager Martin Svab, “Nothing really new this week…getting ready for L.A. Beer Week. A few things that went up in the last couple of days [include] Lucifer and Flying Dog Ragin’ Bitch IPA.”

SIMMZY’S

According to manager Peter Shuey, “Marin IPA is up and flowing, took us awhile to snatch it up. Some great Lost Abbey brews are on the way this week along with Craftsman Oktoberfest, Houblon Chouffe, Mad River DIPA, Anchor Humming and Lagunitas’ Little sumpin’ wild. We’ll have some unbelievable stuff in house during Beer Week as well featuring some very rare Stone brews and introducing The Great Divide to everyone! Cheers.”

38 DEGREES

According to co-owner Clay Harding, “38 Degrees is proud to welcome Great Divide Brewing to the So Cal market and show off some of the fantastic brews on draught and in bottles! Join us from 5 – 7 pm Saturday the 2nd of October along with Dave Duffy of Great Divide Brewing. Featuring taps like Smoked Baltic Porter, Hercules, Titan IPA, Yeti, Hibernation and Hades with surprise bottle offerings.”

TONY’S DARTS AWAY

According to manager Paige Reilly, “We had a great Hangar 24 Brewery Night last night, and still have some great offerings like their newest Oktoberfest Beer and the PRO-AM IPA. Also, Lost Abbey Deliverance and Speakeasy Double Daddy.”

VENDOME TOLUCA LAKE

Vendome Toluca Lake staffers have assembled 15 beers for Saturday afternoon’s Hoptoberfest. From 2 PM -5 PM, staffers will be pouring tasters of each beer for $10, focusing on “fragrant and juicy American hop varieties along with some essential Oktoberfest beers.” Beers will include Weihenstephaner Festbier, Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest, Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, Avery IPA, AleSmith IPA, Drake’s Denogginizer Imperial IP and Moylan’s Hopsickle.