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. Look in the left sidebar, SUBSCRIBE to Food GPS and you’ll receive the L.A. BEER BLAST by e-mail.

Phil Leinhart has been brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang since January 2007. The New Jersey native previously spent a dozen years with Anheuser-Busch. Since his arrival, Leinhart has helped Brewery Ommegang achieve national distribution while still producing high-quality Belgian-style beers. He recently discussed his background and approach over the phone. CLICK HERE TO READ THE Q&A

Paso Robles has cultivated a reputation as a reasonable alternative to more prominent wine hubs like Napa, Sonoma and Santa Barbara. Still, there are certain mavericks that believe beer isn’t the be and end all of beverages. Adam Firestone was so convinced of this belief that in 2007, he sold Firestone Vineyard to Bill Foley of Foley Wine Estates. Firestone and David Walker started Firestone Walker Brewing Co. at his family’s Los Olivos winery in 1996 and opened a larger Paso Robles facility in 2001. With brewmaster Matt Brynildson’s help, they’ve gained an increasingly positive reputation among beer geeks and have multiplied their market share. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FIRESTONE WALKER

On the last Tuesday of each month, Library Alehouse hosts a benefit for a different nonprofit. On December 29, the 14-year-old alehouse honored the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, a “membership supported advocacy organization working to improve the bicycling environment and quality of life in Los Angeles County.” CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE HOLIDAY BREWFEST

Brew & You columnist Sean Inman starts off the new year with a rundown of California Beer Festivals in 2010. Click here for Inman’s top picks.

BEACHWOOD BBQ
131 Main Street, Seal Beach, 562 493 4500

New draught options at Gabriel Gordon’s noted Seal Beach beer bar include The Bruery Rugbrod, De Ranke Pere Noel, Ridgeway Very Bad Elf, Black Diamond Brewing Free Style Belgian Blonde, New Belgium Dandelion, Stone Old Guardian 2006 and Bear Republic Heritage Wee Heavy. Track changes to Gordon’s 24-tap blackboard menu via HOP CAM.

Blue Palms Brewhouse
6124 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, 323 464 2337

Blue Palms proprietor Brian Lenzo is currently curating a roster that includes Avery Old Jubilation, Craftsman Holiday Spruce, Nogne O God Jul, Victory Moonglow, Avery Collaboration Not Litigation, Eagle Rock Manifesto and Mikkeller Til Via Fra.

On January 20, Lenzo is rolling out the red carpet for The Bruery. Meet Patrick and Rachel Rue, Tyler King and Jonas Nemura from the 2009 Food GPS Brewery of the Year. The night begins at 6:30 PM with a private VIP Tasting. For $25 (or $30 at the door), you’ll get to hang with The Bruery crew, experience a four-stage beer and cheese pairing, and taste two limited-edition beers, including the first pint of Mischief. The VIP tasting is limited to 25 people. General admission starts at 7 PM. A four-beer/four-cheese pairing costs $14. On tap, you’ll find Orchard White, Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, Rugbrod, Humulus XPA and more beers TBD. There’s even a raffle at 9 PM for a two-night, three-day stay in Vegas.

>BOHO
6372 West Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, 323 465 8500

According to Verdugo Bar co-owner Ryan Sweeney, who oversees BoHo’s beer list, you’ll now find the first kegs of Kern River Just Outstanding IPA in Los Angeles.

BOTTLEROCK LA
1050 South Flower Street, Downtown, 213 747 1100

Last night, resident beer expert Alex Macy announced, “Right now, the big thing is Abacus back on draft!”

THE DAILY PINT
2310 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, 310 450 7631

The tap selection at Phil McGovern’s Santa Monica bar now includes Green Flash Nut Brown Ale, Kasteel Rouge, Victory Harvest Pilsener, Victory Moonglow Weizenbock, New Belgium Fall Wild Ale (“Lips of Faith”), Lost Coast Brother Thelonious, and on cask, Stone Pale Ale with coriander, and Stone Cali-Belgique with Hollington and Stafford hops. Tomorrow at 6 PM, The Pint will be tapping some of the Stone/BrewDog collaboration, Bashah, a Black Belgian Style Double IPA that was brewed in Scotland.

THE FIFTH AMENDMENT ALEHOUSE
129 Broadway, Santa Monica, 310 386 1428

According to resident beer expert Dave Watrous, new beers on tap for 2010 include Ballast Point Brewing Sculpin Single IPA ( should tap Thursday evening), Port Brewing Santa’s Little Helper, Ballast Point Brewing Victory at Sea (should tap early next week), Chimay Grand Reserve Trippel, Grimbergen Belgian Double and Dogfish Head Palo Santo Maron.

“We still have a limited amount of Black Xantus in bottles as well as Firestone Walker 13th Anniversary.”

“We are also hosting Pacific Gravity’s First Friday event tomorrow night and we will be having a meet and greet with Jeremy Raub from Eagle Rock Brewing. He will be bringing in some special home brew batches and speaking about the process of opening a brewery.”

THE GOLDEN STATE
426 North Fairfax Avenue, Fairfax, 323 782 8331

According to The Golden State co-owner Jason Bernstein, you’ll now find kegs of Drake’s 1500, Craftsman 1903, Alesmith Grand Cru, Deschutes Abyss, Firestone Union Jack, The Bruery’s Rugbrod, Old Rasputin, New Belgium La Folie, Allagash Curieux and Lagunitas Brown Shugga. In bottles, we just got Hair of the Dog Adam, Jolly Pumpkin Mercaibo and Stone/ Brewdog Bashah.

LADYFACE ALEHOUSE & BRASSERIE
29281 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, 818 477 4566

According to owner Cyrena Nouzille, “If you missed celebrating National Fruit Cake Toss Day with us on Monday, no worries, Ladyface Alehouse is always celebrating something. That great American statesman and brewer Benjamin Franklin is having a birthday on the 17th. In honor of the man, our own inventor, Brewer David, has created an experimental Belgian Amber. “Blind Ambition” may be a one time brew, so come and tell us what you think and get it while it lasts.

Ladyface’s gorgeous growlers have arrived and our own Blonde and IPA are in the tanks and ready for takeout. There are currently 13 guest ales on tap, with Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine our latest arrival. Finally, the sweet smell of barley mash outside our office window reminds us to tell you that Dave’s Tripel is coming in a couple of weeks. Watch for it on the Beer Blast, then head over to Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie, where “Beer makes everything fine.”

LIBRARY ALEHOUSE
2911 Main Street, Santa Monica, 310 314 4855

On January 12 from 4 PM – 7 PM, Library Alehouse welcomes the head brewer from the only Trappist brewery outside of Belgium, Koninghoeven. Expect Koningshoeven quadruple and Isid’or on draft.

LUCKY BALDWIN’S
17 South Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, 626 795 0652

New beers on tap at Lucky Baldwin’s include Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge, Victory Lager, Lost Coast Old Abbey Ale, Anchor Porter, Green Flash Barleywine and Stone Cali-Belgique.

LUCKY BALDWIN’S DELIRIUM CAFE
21 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre, 626 355 1140

According to Jamie, a staffer at Lucky Baldwin’s eastern outpost, the current draught line-up features new Belgian options like Corsendonk Pale Ale, Leffe Brune, Grotten Brown, Kasteel Brown, St. Bernardus Abt 12, La Chouffe Houblon and Straffe Hendrik. If you’re looking Stateside, Lucky Baldwin’s is now pouring Russian River Blind Pig, Anchor Porter and Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi.

McG’s
21356 Devonshire Street, Chatsworth, 818 734 7056

According to resident Beer Geek David Stickel, “McG’s has some Hopsickle on right now, a couple Christmas beers, Anchor and Affligem Noel are still on, plus some heavy-hitting stouts: Stone IRS, Old Rasputin, and the Alaskan Baltic Porter (10%). Also just tapped: Lost Abbey Judgment Day.

STUFFED SANDWICH
1145 East Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, 626 285 9161

Here’s the update from co-owner Marlene Samaniego:

Here’s this month’s Porters & Stouts lineup:

And, we have a few more kegs of stouts when these run dry!

38 Degrees
100 West Main Street, Alhambra, 626 282 2038

According to 38 Degrees co-owner Clay Harding, “2010 is going to be another fantastic year for Craft brews!!! New on tap this week I’ve added Gift of the Magi, Mad River Rorschach One Wheat Wine, Old Horizontal Barley Wine, a new IPA from Port brewing called Mondo, a new release from Ommegang called Chocolate Indulgence, Hobgoblin, Saxo Blonde and Avec Les Bons Voeux. For those who haven’t tried Manifesto Wit from Eagle Rock Brewing come enjoy a glass with me at 38. All my guests have been killing kegs and it will be on tap here for a while.”

VERDUGO BAR
3408 Verdugo Road, Glassell Park, 323 257 3408

According to co-owner Ryan Sweeney, you’ll now find the first kegs of Kern River Just Outstanding IPA in Los Angeles (here and BoHo), St. Louis Peach, first time on draught, Eagle Rock Manifesto, Victory Yukima Twilight, an 8.9% double black IPA. On deck: Velvet Merkin, Port Brewing Mongo IPA. They also just scored bottles of BrewDog/Stone Bashah, a Belgian-style double Indian Pale Ale and Nogne O/Mikkeller American Wild Ale.

THE YORK
5018 York Boulevard, Highland Park, 323 255 9675

According to The York manager Mary Drenthe, “This week I’m excited to say we added Eagle Rock Brewery’s Manifesto Wit Bier to the lineup. We’re also pouring Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin, an oatmeal stout, Lagunitas’ Brown Shugga, and Napa Smith Lost Dog Red Ale. And remember to come in Monday through Friday from 3-7PM for $4 draft beers! Happy New Year to all!”