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 meet industry leaders. The L.A. Beer Blast normally arrives 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.
Brew & You
This week in Brew & You: We get a “Kick” out of some recent beer books and another craft beer homework assignment to complete in a post titled Back to the Beer Bookshelf.
Q&A with brewmaster Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø (Evil Twin Brewing)
In a world with a global economy, a new band of gypsy brewers can make beer where they please with complete disregard for borders. One such individual is Evil Twin Brewing’s Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, who owns the famed Ølbutikken bottle shop in Copenhagen, imports and distributes craft beer throughout Europe, and until recently, also worked as a full-time school teacher. His brother also just happens to be Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, another gypsy brewer that owns the Mikkeller label. Click Here to Learn More
From Echo Park bar owner Elizabeth Fischbach: “Here’s what I have this week: Eagle Rock Populist, Stone Smoked Porter, Mad River Steelhead XPA, and Sudwerk Imperial PIlsner.”
Beachwood chef-owner Gabe Gordon currently features draught beers such as Drake’s Aroma Coma, Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire, Innstadt Hefeweizen, Moylan’s Special Bitter and La Trappe Isid’or in Seal Beach. And in Long Beach, Brouwerij West Tripel, Allagash Dubbel, Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA, Ballast Point Even Keel session ale and Speakeasy Double Daddy. Track changes to Beachwood BBQ’s 24-tap menu via Hop Cam.
September 6 – 11, Beachwood SourFest 2011 will feature over 70 kegs, a trio of Special Brewers’ Nights during the week and special sour-friendly menu items.
Beer Belly
On tap at Jimmy and Yume Han’s new establishment: “Cismontane Galaxy Coulter IPA dry-hopped w/ Galaxy hops, Cismontane Black’s Dawn, Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA, Ladyface IPA, Telegraph Cervesa de Fiesta Pilsner, Craftsman Heavenly Hefeweizen, Craftsman Smoked Black Lager, Cismontane Coulter IPA, Brouwerij West Blond, Stone Pale Ale, Cismontane Citizen and Eagle Rock Vanilla Solidarity on nitro-tap.
On Deck: Cismontane Antigua Caturra Coffee Citizen, The Bruery Autumn Maple, Eagle Rock Populist IPA, Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, TAPS Irish Red and Eagle Rock Solidarity on Nitro-tap.
This Labor Day Sunday (9/4) be a part of our Backyard Boogie as we welcome the group that defines what the Backyard Boogie is in Los Angeles: The Park’s Finest. The Park’s Finest will be cooking up some of our favorite BBQ dishes (from 3pm-8pm), and the Beer Belly family will have beer pairing recommendations for your grub. So what’s on the menu? Menu ($10 plate): Pork ribs, Tri-tip, Pulled pork, Chicken wings, Pan de sal. Yo, but wait…there’s more. All BBQ proceeds will be going to help The Park’s Finest team get their first retail location set-up.”
Blue Palms taps are pouring Triple Rock Jack’s Back Bitter, Ballast Point Smoke Screen Helles, Big Sky Old Blue Hair barleywine, Speakeasy Butchertown Black and Alesmith Speedway Stout on cask among many others. Track changes to Blue Palms Brewhouse’s 24-tap menu Here
From bar manager Rory Snipes: “New beers on tap include Ventura’s Surf Brewery Wahine Wheat and Shaka XPA, Black Market Rye IPA and Brown Ale, El Segundo Blue House IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Russian River Blind Pig, Bear Republic Mach 10 DIPA, Stone 15th Anniversary, Craftsman Oyster Stout, Great Divide Yeti and Telegraph Petit Obscura.”
The Bottle Room
On tap are El Segundo Blue House IPA, Bruery Mischief, Craftsman Smoked Black Lager, Hair of the Dog Blue Dot IPA and Speakeasy Betrayal red among many other handles.
The latest from Wen Yeh at BRU HAUS: “Draft specials: Black Market Rye IPA, Ayinger Oktoberfest, Märzen, Lagunitas IPA, Firestone Pale Ale 31. Bottle specials: Augustiner-Bräu München, Hop Stoopid, Dogfish Head Festina Peche.
Beers on draft right now at City Tavern: Cismontane Antigua coffee, coffee infused California common, Ladyface Red Rye, Moylans Kilt Lifter Scotch ale, Telegraph Petite Obscura American wild ale, El Segundo Blue House pale, The Bruery Autumn Maple, Bear Republic and Mach 10 double IPA.
Featured Brewery on the Table Taps: From September 2nd – 16th we will be featuring Eagle Rock Brewery’s beers on our three Table Tap tables. You will be able to pour off three different styles of Eagle Rocks’ amazing beers at your booth. Solidarity, Populist, Revolution, and Manifesto will rotate on those handles plus possibly a couple of other styles that aren’t seen outside the tasting room at Eagle Rock very often. Make reservations over the phone (310) 838-9739 or on our website as soon as possible to guarantee a spot at the tables during those two weeks.
Upcoming events at City Tavern: Ladyface Tasting Dinner. Thursday, September 15th. 7pm. 5 course “PICNIC” dinner featuring pairings with Ladyface Alehouse beers. $46.
The latest from Eli Wilson at Congregation: “To celebrate the first year anniversary party, the Long Beach chapter will feature Brewdog Tokyo, Firestone Parabola, Russian River Consecration, Bootleggers Knuckle Sandwich, Moylans Heaven Hill Aged Blarney Wine, and De Molen Blood Sweat Tears, and Ballast Point Sculpin.
Since last Thursday, Phil McGovern’s iconic Santa Monica bar has added Stone IPA with Chinook Hops on cask.
On tap beer wise are Manifesto wit, Revolution XPA, Solidarity and Nitro Revolution. On the Food truck front, Friday brings TK Truck and Grill ‘em All rolls in on Saturday night.
From Jimmy Smith at the Little Tokyo bar: “Cismontane Antigua Cattura Citizen, New Belgium Lips of Faith Kick, Hanger 24 Polycot, Ballast Point Sculpin, Eagle Rock Manifesto, Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black Ale, Avery Eighteen, Alesmith Speedway Stout, Firestone Walker’s Reserve Porter Bear Republic Mach 10, Lost Abbey Ten Commandments, Great Divide Old Ruffian.
On Deck: Drakes Aroma Coma, New Belgium Lips of Faith Clutch, El Segundo Blue House IPA, Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin ’10, Uinta Duhbe Double Black IPA, Telegraph Fiesta Pilsner.” Also on September 6th, “Join us at the Far Bar as we welcome our friends from the beautiful Agoura Hills of North LA County for a eclectic Five Course and Beer Dinner and Meet the Brewer night. Ladyface is currently brewing some of the finest Craft and Belgian-Inspired style ales in Southern Ca and they’re still in their infancy mind you! (Under 2 years old). Come out and meet Co Founder/Brewmaster Dave Griffith and Co-Founder Cyrena Nouzelle for a night of great company, delicious food and outstanding beer!”
Draught beers on Fairfax include Ballast Point Sculpin, Ommegang BPA, Beer Valley Delta 9, Life and Limb 2 from Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head, Black Market Hefeweizen, Iron Fist Dubbel Fisted, Bruery Autumn Maple and 1903 and Fireworks saison from Craftsman in Pasadena.
According to Ladyface rep Robyn Britton, “Cask of the Week is “Three Tickets To Paradise”, our Trois Filles Tripel with Grains of Paradise. On Monday we released our newest seasonal ale – All-Organic Palo Comado XPA. Some guests joining the Ladyface ales are Ballast Point Sculpin, North Coast Grand Cru, Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, and Stone 15th Anniversary.
School is back in session. Your Flight of the Week assignment (featuring Marin IPA, Victory Whirlwind Wit, Anderson Valley Hop Ottin and Ballast Point Calico) – taste, compare, contrast. Jazz this Sunday at 5pm on the patio. And tickets now on sale for our Fall Brewmaster’s Dinner October 19th.”
Here is the latest from Alex Davis at the Library Alehouse, “Next week on Wednesday, September 7th at 6pm, we’re hosting Dogfish Head Study Hall, an event of epic proportions. We’ll have the following on tap: 120 Minute IPA, World Wide Stout, Olde School Barleywine, Vintage Palo Santo Marron, Red and White, Theobroma, Sah’tea, Chateau Jiahu, Punkin and Festina Peche. We’ll have a few flights and pairing bites available as well. Pack the milk thistle.
On tap right now I have a Sierra Nevada Allocation Ale (a Beer Camp beer from our Sierra distributor), New Belgium Abbey Grand Cru, Trippel and La Folie, Ballast Point Piper Down and Tongue Buckler and just a little bit of Russian River Pliny the Elder and Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous.
Backing those up are Dupont Foret Blanche, Port Brewing Mongo Double IPA, Heretic Evil Cousin Double IPA, AleSmith IPA and Great Divide Belgian-Style Yeti.” Check the Library Alehouse Facebook page for updates.
Mediterraneo
Adam Aro reports these new brews on tap: “Reissdorf Kolsch, Weihenstephaner hef, Craftsman 1903 lager & Triple White Sage & Honesty Ale, Abbot Ale (nitro), North Coast Le Merle, Flying Dog Gonzo imp. porter and Ballast Point Sextant oatmeal stout on nitro, Ballast Point Calico amber, El Segundo Blue House IPA, Pliny the Elder, Brewdog Tokyo, Deschutes Black Butte porter, Wandering Aengus Apple Anthem cider, Strand 24th st. pale, Blanche de Bruxxels, La Chouffe, New Belgium Dunkelweiss, St. Bernardus tripel, Avery Joe’s pils, Maredsous 8, Lagunitas Lucky 13alt, Stone SSR, Dogfish Festina Peche, 90 min, Theobroma, Palo Santo, Olde School barley wine, and Life and Limb 2 (Sierra Nevada collaboration). Cask is Cismontane Citizen dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin. Coming soon- Cismontane Dos Cone Es IIpa, North Coast Grand Cru, Avery Collaboration not Litigation, Port Shark Attack double red. Casks coming from Stone, El Segundo Brewing, Strand, and Ballast Point.”
Pouring at Mohawk Bend from Paige Reilly: “We’ve got: Eagle Rock Populist IPA, Cismontane Citizen on CASK, Heretic Brewing Evil Cousin, Drake’s Batch 3000 Black Ale, Eel River Triple Exultation, Blue House IPA, Stone 14th Emperial IPA, and Craftsman’s Oyster Stout just to name a few of our 70 taps!!!
Also, get ready for us to launch our first out-of-state brewery, Grand Teton, on Wednesday, September 7th. See you all here!”
From Martin Svab at Naja’s, “College Football this weekend! Both USC & UCLA kick off this season on Saturday at 12:30pm. During the games all locally brewed beers (Strand, El Segundo, Brouwerij West, etc) will be $1 off. Local teams… Local craft beer!”
The latest update from assistant manager Josh Salinas: “This weekend we are pouring El Segundo Brewing Blue House IPA, Cismontane’s Antigua Caturra Citizen, Lost Abbey Devotion Ale, Craftsman Fireworks, TAPS Schwarzbier, and Craftsman 1903 Lager. On deck we have North Coast Pranqster and Telegraph Stock Porter.”
P.S. 612
Recently tapped at PS 612 downtown: Great Divide Hades – Belgian Strong Golden Ale.
From Justin Blake at Dave Furano and Michael Zislis’ El Segundo biergarten: “This week we are pouring Port Brewing Mongo, Bear Republic Mach 10, Eagle Rock Populist IPA, Alesmith Old Numbskull, Drakes 1500, Lost Abbey Devotion, Bruery Mischief, Alesmith Speedway Stout, El Segundo Blue House IPA, Oskar Blues Old Chub, Dogfish Head Theobroma, and Saison Dupont among many others. We also have bottles of Stone/Baird/Ishii Japanese Green Tea IPA, Orval, Russian River Consecration and Russian River Pliny the Elder. On deck, we have Jever Pilsner, Bootlegger’s Doggery Brown, Cismontane Coulter IPA, Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Beer Valley Jackalope Imperial Pumpkin, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, and Dogfish Head Punkin. Also, next Wednesday, September 7th, we are a having a pint night with Ballast Point.”
The latest from general manager Micah Schiesel: “We searched low and high and we found The Lost Continent Double IPA, surprising how hard it was to find an entire Lost Continent, hold onto your seats and fasten your safety belt, Bear Republic Mach 10 has arrived. Need something dark and hoppy, how about Stone’s 15th Anniversary. Feeling lucky and looking for a hoppy red, Lagunitas Lucky 13 would be a good choice. Want to feel special, Sierra Nevada’s Allocation Ale just showed up as well…Pliny arrived too…!” Track changes to Simmzy’s tap list Here
Steingarten
Here is what’s new at Steingarten LA.
Draft: Firestone Walker Solace, Gaffel Kolsch, Port Brewing Panzer Pilsner, Sierra Nevada Tumbler American Brown Ale, Beer Here Dark Hops, Port Brewing Wipeout IPA, Firestone Walker Double Jack, New Belgium Hoptober (American Blonde), Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison, Jacobins Rouge, Spezial Rauchbier (An awesome smoked beer from Bamburg), Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest, Beer Valley Delta Nine IPA, Bruery Autumn Maple, El Segundo Brewing Blue House Pale, Blanche De Bruxelles, New Belgium Clutch Sour Brown, Firestone Walker Parabola, Moylan’s ESB (Nitro) and North Coast Old Rasputin
New in Bottles: Kern River Citra, come and get it while you can!, Russian River Supplication Batch 7, Hannsen’s Oude Kriek, Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek
For the month of September, Marlene Samaniego and husband Sam, “ It’s Stone Brewing Days at the Stuffed Sandwich! We have the 15th Anniversary T-shirts and Glassware, the 22oz and 3 Lt bottles of beer now in stock. And, as in previous years we have brought in cases of older Anniversary, Vertical (a few 03-03-30 ,04-04-04, and 05-05-05’s), Double Bastard and Old Guardian beers for you to add to your collections. We even found a 3 Lt of the 10th Anniversary IPA! Also available are the Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA, Double Dry Hopped Ruination, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, 15th Anniversary Escondidian Black IPA, Cherry Chocolate Stout collaboration, Sublimely Self-Righteous, Lucky Basartd ale, Double Bastard and 2010 Old Guardian barley wine.”
Some of the tap choices in West Hollywood from Andrew Kelley: “Clutch – New Belgium (Sour Brown Ale), Mach 10 – Bear Republic (Imperial IPA), Yearling – Eagle Rock (Flanders Red Ale). On deck: Autumn Maple – The Bruery (Spiced Beer), Black Market 2nd Anniversary (Black IPA) and North Coast Grand Cru (Bourbon Barrel Aged Strong Ale).” To get the latest tap list, check out the Surly Goat Tap List
From Clay Harding in Alhambra: “Another mash up experience of exotic, gourmet burgers and fine ales with old school Hip – Hop in the back ground. Tonight we feature New Belgium Brewing and some new Lips Of Faith series beers Kick and Clutch. Both brand new releases, so come let me know what you think. We will feature other New Belgium favorites in flights and bottles togo!”
Today’s update from Burbank: Ventura’s Surf Patrol, Bootleggers Rustic Rye, Bear Republic Mach 10, Ovila Saison from Sierra Nevada and Black Diamond Hefeweizen among many other taps.
Vendome Toluca Lake’s weekly Beer Tasting is from 2-5 pm on Saturday and Sunday. “Never one to mislead, the “staff” responsible for these beer picks actually consisted of spirits specialist Michael Hayhurst and myself. With that clarification out of the way, this tasting will be sure to appeal to any palate.
This tasting will feature some old favorites such as: Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti, Russian River Supplication, and North Coast Old Stock 09 Cellar Reserve. There will also be some new offerings to sample as well: New Belgium Dunkelweiss, Left Coast Hop Juice, Drakes Expedition Red Ale, and Struise/Stillwater Outblack collaboration, among others.”
The Yard
Here is what is on tap at The Yard from Sean Norris: “Here’s what we got for this week: cask – Qak’d Arrogant Bastard, Allagash white, Scrimshaw pilsner, Hennepin saison, Craftsman lavender sour, Alesmith X, Cismontane, Grand Cru, Bear Republic Mach 10.”
Beer-y Events
Tonight, Surf Brewery Flight Night is at Wades Wines in Agoura Hills from 4:30 to 7:00 pm. Ventura’s Surf Brewery is a new addition to the Southern California beer scene. Owner Bill Riegler will be in our tasting room to pour his beers for everyone to try. Come in and taste their beer for the first time!
Including: County Line Rye, Shocka XPA, Surf Patrol Black IPA and South Swell Double IPA. Come in for a $5 taster flight…and stay to enjoy the 36 flowing beer taps.
B.A.M. Fest will feature 20+ breweries, 4 bands, 3 galleries and food trucks to benefit the 18th Street Arts Center. Tickets and more information can be found here
Red Carpet Wine
On September 4th, Glendale’s Red Carpet Wine is having a Firestone Walker event with BBQ. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the shop or by calling 800-339-0609.
L.A. Beer Blast compiled by Food GPS Beer Editor Sean Inman
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