L.A. Beer Week Preview #LABW7

Beer Festival Los Angeles

LA Beer Week returns in 2015, starting with a beer party at Exposition Park.

L.A. Beer Week Recommended Events obviously starts with the main event. 60+ breweries in Exposition Park kicking off LABW7. But it does not end there. Oh no. Here is a tiny (but representative sampling) of the must see events happening between June 20-28.

Collaborations!

Phantom Carriage has teamed up with pre-eminent sour maker, Portland’s Cascade Brewing, to blend up a special barrel-aged sour surprise. The top secret sour will be tapped on Thursday, June 25, at their Torrance gothic taproom. Or you could head Eastside. Bob Kunz at Highland Park Brewery already has one collaboration under his belt with Oregon’s pFriem and now a second with San Francisco’s well-regarded Cellarmaker.

Trivia!

If the Battle of Beer Bands is too loud or you are just a more scholarly type, then Tony’s Darts Away will host a battle of brewer, but with with beer trivia instead of guitars. Starting at 10:30 am and ending at noon on June 27, you can test your knowledge of beer while most others are fast asleep.

Metro!

Follow the Red Line or Olivia the Jeep as Firestone Walker takes L.A. on another Wild Ride of barhopping. Downtown’s City Tavern, Koreatown’s Beer Belly and Hollywood’s Blue Palms Brewhouse each have a secret keg of Paso Robles’ finest. What will be tapped? Sour Opal? Agrestic? Only David Walker knows.

Meet & Greets!

Head to K-Town and Beer Belly on June 24 to meet Boulevard Brewing founder, who will be on hand for Meet the Founders Night # 1. Then on Friday, June 26, meet the founders of Firestone Walker. For the more adventurous head to hidden gem Barbara’s at the Brewery for a trio of great brewers talking about their beers: Mark Jilg of Craftsman, Henry Nguyen of Monkish and Bob Kunz of Highland Park.

Rarities!

Smog City Brewing will tap take-over itself with all sorts of rare sour and barrel aged beers with Rarest of the Rare 2. It was one of their most successful events all year and will be popular again this year if their release of Cuddlebug is any indication. Head to Torrance early on June 27.

Guilds!

June 24, check out the competition from San Diego and San Francisco when the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Guilds convenes at Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach. Who will be the fan favorite and what beer will blow your mind?

Charity!

On Monday, June 22, Three Weavers hosts a Beer Garden of beer-y delights with part of the proceeds heading to the Pink Boots Society that provides scholarship and mentorship for female members of the brewing industry. Plus a Watermelon Saison brewed with 21st Amendment will be on tap.

That should be more than enough to get you amped about the 2015 version of L.A. Beer Week.

If it is LABW time then you know the Beer of the Week will be Unity 2015. But this year will be different from the preceding Unity brews. This year Smog City have taken the mantle from Eagle Rock Brewery. (From now on, each year, a new brewery will host Unity). The style will be an American take on the Farmhouse Ale. You could call it a tart saison. Something light but with enough oomph to do battle with any June Gloom.  The bottles were released yesterday and will be available on tap in finer beer bars.

There is NO beer homework this week, instead, here is another event for you to consider adding to your busy beer schedule: Cask & Ye Shall Receive on June 21. It is a combo anniversary and cask event. Featuring 12-18 casks from your hosts MacLeod Ales. Three sessions to choose from throughout the day plus an informative panel to teach you about cask ale.

Find more of Sean Inman’s writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.

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Sean Inman

Find more of Sean Inman's writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.

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