L.A. Beer Blast C50

Craft Beer Los Angeles

Golden Road Brewing lets visitors coast into their colorful Atwater Village brewpub.

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. This will be the last L.A. Beer Blast until 2012. Happy Holidays!

Brew & You

This week in Brew & You: The big reveal on the best beers of 2011 and a new homework assignment to complete in a post titled The Year in Beer.

Q&A with FiftyFifty Brewing co-founders Andy Barr and Alicia Barr

Alicia Barr and husband Andy Barr spent more than a decade working together at Hewlett-Packard, left the tech world and headed for the mountains to launch FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee. On December 19, the Barrs appeared at Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse to help promote the launch of Los Angeles distribution with several rare bourbon barrel-aged beers. We met on the patio and the couple shared several hop and malt-inspired insights. Click Here to Learn More.

Barbara’s at the Brewery

On tap at Barbara’s are Craftsman’s Acorn Saison, Drake’s Winter Warmer, Victory Yakima Glory Black IPA, Avery Old Jubilation and Port Santa’s Li’l Helper.

Beachwood BBQ – Seal Beach

Beachwood chef-owner Gabe Gordon currently features Beachwood’s Laurel IPA, Sierra Nevada Empire Strikes Black ’08, Scaldis Noel, Deschutes Jubel 2010 and Port Brewing Older Viscosity in Seal Beach. Track changes to Beachwood BBQ’s 24-tap menu via Hop Cam.

“We hope you’ll join us in celebrating our 5 Year Anniversary with a week long 5 beers for 5 years Celebration! We’ve asked 5 brewers to create a special beer for each day of the week:

Thursday 12/22 – Anniversary Beer #3 from The Bruery
Friday 12/23 – Anniversary Beer #4 from Lost Abbey and Anniversary Beer #5 from Ballast Point.

12/27- Tax Free Tuesday – Beachwood BBQ will pick up the sales tax for our customers all day.

12/31 – New Year’s Eve we’ll have a specially paired six-course dinner available along with our normal BBQ menu in Seal Beach.”

Beachwood BBQ – Long Beach

The Long Beach location of Beachwood features Eagle Rock’s Jubilee, 50/50 brandy barrel Eclipse, Sierra Nevada Hoptimum, Bruery Four Calling Birds and Alesmith’s Yulesmith on cask. Track changes to Beachwood BBQ’s 24-tap menu via Hop Cam.

Beer Belly

On tap at Jimmy and Yume Han’s Koreatown establishment: The Bruery Mischief, Cismontane Smokin’ Santiago, Bootlegger’s Mint Chocolate Porter, El Segundo White Dog, Surf Brewery Surfer’s Point Vienna Lager, Smog City LA Saison, Cismontane Southern Hemisphere (Cyclone Yasi), Golden Road Schwartz Stout, Surf Brewery Mondo’s Cream Ale, Smog City XPA, El Segundo Blue House Pale, Black Market Bavarian Hefeweizen.

Hoppy Holidaze Year 1 (December 26-30)

Bruery 4 Calling Birds (Belgian Strong Dark Ale, 11%), Eagle Rock Jubilee (Old Ale, 7.8%),Craftsman Holiday Spruce Ale (Spruce Ale, 7.2%), TAPS Barleywine (English Barleywine, 10.0%), Hangar 24 Winter Warmer (Winter Ale, 7.8%), Ladyface Midnight Special (Smoked Scottish Ale, 9.2%), Cismontane Dead Santa (Dark Ale, 6.2%), Cismontane Brut du Sauvin (Champagne Ale, 10.5%), Alesmith Speedway Stout (Imperial Stout, 12%), Lagunitas Gnarlywine (Barleywine, 10.6%), Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti (Russian Imperial Stout, 9.5%), St. Bernardus Christmas Ale (Belgian Strong Dark Ale, 10.0%) Ommegang Adoration (Belgian Strong Dark Ale, 10.0%) and A’Chouffe N’ice Chouffe (Belgian Strong Dark Ale, 10.0%)

CLOSED Dec.24+25 & Dec.31 + Jan.1

Blue Palms Brewhouse

Blue Palms taps are pouring 50/50 Rockslide IPA, Ladyface La Trappastine with brett, Golden Road Schwartz stout, Russian River Blind Pig IPA and Triple Rock Dragon’s Milk brown among many others. Track changes to Blue Palms Brewhouse’s 24-tap menu on their website.

Boneyard Bistro

From bar manager Rory Snipes: “New beer on tap this week includes Avery Maharajah, Russian River Blind Pig, Golden Road Schwartz Stout, Beer Valley Judas Yeast Winter Ale, Anchor Christmas, Cismontane Cyclone Yasi and Pandion Pale, Rubicon Monkey Knife Fight and Bear Republic Nor Cal Ale. On New Year’s Ever we want to say thank you to everyone who helped make 2011 an awesome year – come in for $3 pints of Strand Pale and 25% off all other draft beers all night long, and of course food and cocktail specials as well! Both this and last year’s Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux will be on tap.”

The Bottle Room

It’s finally here. It’s the “3rd Annual Uptown Whittier Santa Hat Pub Crawl.” Thursday, December 22nd starting at 6:00pm. Please check out all specials and please follow designated times for all pub/bar visits.

BruHaus

The latest from Wen Yeh at BruHaus, “On Draft: Trois Pistoles, Delirium Noel, Lagunitas Sucks, Blanche de Chambly, Flying Dog Raging Bitch, Magic Hat #9, Piraat, Ommegang Rare Vos, Weihenstephan Kristalweiss, Tripel Karmeliet, Hofbrau Original, Pranqster, Malheur 12, Duvel Single, Reissdorf Kolsch, Paulaner Pils, Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, Shipyard XXXX IPA, Schneider Edelweiss (Organic), Weihenstephan Vitus, Delirium and Lindeman’s Framboise

Bottle: N’ice Chouffe, Ommegang Adoration, Old Rasputin XIV”

“BRÜ HAUS New Years Eve Masquerade Ball 2012 tickets are on sale now! Drink all you want for one ticket price with a wide selection of drinks from the fully-stocked bars from 8pm – 1:30am. Don’t miss this guaranteed sellout event, with complimentary appetizers and DJ Pickle blazing the booth this New Years Eve 2012 at BRÜ HAUS. Doors open from 8pm – 2am. Dress code in effect. Upscale attire is a must. Absolutely no baggy or sporty clothing.”

City Tavern

City Tavern will be rotating holiday beers on multiple handles while they last. All through the month 4-5 handles will be dedicated to these dark, spiced, barrel aged, and seasonal brews.

“Join us New Year’s Eve to ring in 2012…Dinner from 3:30pm to 10pm (reservations suggested)…Then join us after ten for a City Tavern Beer Garden…Open bar for 22 draft beers, bottled beer, wine & champagne…W/ dinner $58 / without $68. Call for reservations as seating will be limited. Beer Garden will be sponsored by Firestone Walker, Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas & Ballast Point. So take away some free swag like T-shirts, church keys & those sought after co- branded pint glasses. Free party favors, a DJ, midnight champagne toast all included.”

Congregation Ale House

Here is the latest from the Congregation: “The Chosen One(s): Long Beach Chapter, Saint Rogue Red – Azusa Chapter, Alesmith X American Pale Ale – Pasadena Chapter, TAPS Pumpkin Ale. Cheers!”

The Daily Pint

Since last Thursday, Phil McGovern’s iconic Santa Monica bar has added Stone Double Dry Hopped Ruination, Alaskan Smoked Porter and Telegraph Rye XPA to it’s taps.

Eagle Rock Brewery

On tap beer wise Solidarity, Solidarity on nitro, Manifesto wit, Revolution XPA, Populist IPA and Jubilee holiday ale. On the Food truck front, Friday brings the Bun truck.

The Golden State

Draught beers on Fairfax include Ommegang BPA, Stone Double Dry Hopped Sublimely Sel-Righteous, Craftsman 1903, Port Mongo, Firestone-Walker Unfiltered DBA, Eagle Rock Populist, Oskar Blues G’Knight and Ballast Point Victory at Sea. Coming up are Bruery Mischief, Black Market Hefe and Craftsman Angelino Weiss.

Ladyface Ale Companie

From Cyrena at Ladyface: “Our Holiday Cask of the Week is “Yule Fuel” featuring features our Trois Filles Tripel with apples, cinnamon and nutmeg in Calvados with applewood chips. Look for the release of this year’s Midnight Special on Thursday, December 22, Ladyface’s strong Scottish ale. Joining our lineup of Ladyface ales are Russian River Pliny the Elder, Anderson Valley Bro. David’s Dubbel, Avery Dugana, No. Coast Pranqster, Sierra Nevada Celebration. The last four make up our Guest Flight of the Week.

Visit the Ladyface website for more information on upcoming events, including our no cover, no minimum New Year’s Eve. Whether you celebrate Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, all of the above or none, we hope you light a candle and raise a glass with friends and family these winter nights. May your days be merry and bright!”

Library Alehouse

Here is the latest from Alex Davis at the Library Alehouse: “Our Strong Ale Holiday Fest went off with a bang on Monday with FIftyFifty in the house and we still have Totality, Eclipse Four Roses and Eclipse Elijah Craig 12 on tap. Other Strong Ale beer include St. Bernardus Christmas, Eagle Rock Jubilee, Dupon Avec Les Bons Voeux, N’Ice Chouffe, Three Philosophers, Adoration, Noel de Calabaza and Lost Abbey Angel’s Share.

Tomorrow, we’re throwing a Horrible Holiday Music and Ugly Sweater Party. An ugly sweater gets you $2 off your first draft beer. So come to the Alehouse for a drink, wear your worst and get down to some of the most delightfully bad music of the season.

Next week we have couple excellent events during the Strong Ale Fest. On Tuesday the 27th, we welcome LACBC to the Alehouse for their annual fundraiser and we’ll also be releasing Anchor Our Barrel Ale along with Old Foghorn, Christmas 2011 and Christmas 2010 on tap! If you love beer, bikes or both, be there.

Then, on Thursday the 29th, we’ll have The Bruery Belated Christmas with the following SIX beers: Melange No. 3, Cuir, Smoking Wood, Autumn Maple, 4 Calling Birds and Burly Gourd. There’s more than beer though as we’re working on some special pairings that we’ll announce next week. You won’t want to miss it. And of course, pay attention to the Twitter and Facebook feeds to see which excellent strong beers are going on tap!”

Lucky Baldwin’s

“We will be featuring a wide range of Christmas beers and winter warmers all month long! Get in the holiday spirit with a nice xmas beer to warm you right up and put you in the holiday spirit with us at Lucky Baldwins Pubs. We will be having a tshirt/glass special that can be a nice gift for the beer lover in your family! This will be going on at all our 3 locations! Happy Holiday Beer lovers and friends!

And tonight! Join us at our Old Town location for an exclusive tasting of Anchor Christmas Ale from 2003- 2009! Get your ticket for $35. This event will be from 7pm till 10pm.”

Mediterraneo

Adam Aro reports these new brews on tap: “Hop Ruiter, Craftsman Fireworks Saison, Angelinoweiss, Ruddy Bloke Red & Heavenly Hef, N’ice Chouffe, Sierra Nevada Allocation Ale (Beer Camp #52), Dupont Foret Blanche, Estrella Damm, Stone Dbl Dry-hopped IPA, Telegraph Oatmeal Stout (nitro), Lindemans Peche Lambic, Russian River Pliny the Elder, Belhaven Scottish Ale (nitro), Abbot Ale (nitro), Val Dieu Tripel, Ommegang Adoration, Cismontane Dos Cone Es DIPA & Cyclone Yasi, Stone Vertical Epic 10-10-10 & 11-11-11, Sierra Nevada 30th Ann. Barleywine and Grand Cru, Dubuisson Bush de Noel, New Belgium Clutch, Avery Old Jubilation, Bear Republic Heritage, Strand 24th St. Pale, Rogue John John Dead Guy, Ommegang Gnomegang. Cask is Stone Pale ale w/coriander. Casks coming soon from Stone, Cismontane and Ballast Point.”

Mohawk Bend

The latest on tap in Echo Park: New Belgium/Allagash Vrienden (it is New Belgium month at Mohawk), El Segundo Blue House Double Dry Hopped Summit, Golden Road Rye on the Palate, Cismontane Cyclone Yasi IPL and Hangar 24 Anja Pro Am Belgian ale.

The Oinkster

The latest update from assistant manager Josh Salinas: “This week we have Green Flash West Coast IPA, Eagle Rock Manifesto, Craftsman Poppyfields, Eagle Rock Jubilee, Smog City LA Saison, and Hangar 24 Helles Lager. On deck we have Craftsman Holiday Spruce and Cismontane Southern Hemi:Cyclone Yasi. Merry Holidays and Happy New Year from The Oinkster!”

Rock & Brews

From Justin Blake at Dave Furano and Michael Zislis’ El Segundo biergarten: “You’ve heard the rumors and probably seen some of the pictures. Well its true. We will be remodeling this winter to make Rock & Brews bigger and better than ever. We will being construction right after Christmas and reopen in mid February.”

Simmzy’s

The latest from general manager Micah Schiesel: “Dr. Jones, the Maharaja will see you know. Avery’s Maharaja is back and pouring right now, pair that up with Bootlegger’s Knuckle Sandwich, Moylans Hop Sickle, Lagunitas Sucks Holiday IPA, and many more in the wings. A new brewery to us, Knee Deep’s Imperial Tanilla is in house, just your run of mill 10% Imperial Porter brewed with Tahitian vanilla, Yum! Mission Brewing Coconut Brown is in line to get hooked up and we would like to welcome Heretic Brewing to our lineup, got to try their Evil Cousin Red…damn fine! El Segundo dropped us off a few special releases so check our twitter simmzysMB to see when brews are getting tapped.” Track changes to Simmzy’s tap list Here

Steingarten LA

Next year, “Steingarten LA Proudly Welcomes: Bootlegger’s Brewing Company. Please join us for a special night featuring five amazing beers: Knuckle Sandwich Double IPA, Eliminator India Pale Ale, Rocco Red, Golden Chaos and Old World Hefeweisen. We will have a representative on hand from the brewery to talk about the beers. A special pairing menu will be available so come hungry. 7:00 PM Monday January 9th 2012.”

Stuffed Sandwich

For the month of December, Marlene Samaniego and husband Sam will be featuring for their December Holiday line-up: Anchor Merry Christmas/Happy New Year Ale ‘2011, Petrus Winter Ale 2010, Gouden Carolus Noel 2010, St. Feuillien Special Ale, Brasserie Dupont Avec Les Bon Vouex, Shmaltz Brewing’s Jewbelation 2007, The Bruery’s 3 French Hens, Karl Strauss Two Tortugas Quad and The Bruery/Elysian/Stone La Citrueille de Citricado.

Sunset Beer Company

The latest from Alex Macy at Sunset Beer, ” A couple updates: The Grilled Cheese Truck is coming tomorrow night! and we’ll be open on the 24th from 11AM – 1PM for al your last minute needs! And we’ve introduced our Beer of the Month Club! For more information about that, send an email to: [email protected]

On Tap: Uinta Hoodoo Kolsch, El Segundo White Dog IPA,El Segundo Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale, Bootlegger’s Knuckle Sandwich,Golden Road Rye on the Palate and El Segundo Hyperion’s Stout

On Deck:Cismontane Dead Santa and Alesmith IPA

New Bottles: Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono, Bootlegger’s Knuckle Sandwich, Cismontane Coulter IPA, Alpine Nelson, Goose Island Sofie, Goose Island Pere Jacques, Avery Maharaja and Stone More Brown than Black

The Surly Goat

Highlights from the taps at Surly Goat are on tap:, The Abyss – Deschutes (Imperial Stout), Angel’s Share (Bourbon) – The Lost Abbey (Barrel Aged Strong Ale) and Piper Down – Ballast Point (Scotch Ale).

On deck: Brandy Aged Navigator – Ballast Point (Barrel Aged Doppelbock), Gouden Carolus Christmas – Het Anker (Belgian Dark Strong Ale) and Tartare – Bear Republic (Berliner Weisse).

The Goat will be closed Saturday Dec. 24th and Sunday Dec. 25th. We will be open for New Years Eve, $20 cover after 8pm includes 2 drink ticket.”

38 Degrees

From this Alhambra tap spot: “Another Brews, Burgers & Beats here at 38 Degrees and the 2nd edition of Ugly Christmas night with amazing Craft beers including classic and rare holliday ales like Four Calling Birds, Mikeller Santas’ Little Helper 2010, St. Bernardus Christmas and many, many more. Also serving 10 Exotic, gourmet burger creations perhaps a Reigndeer burger? Prizes wil be given to guest with the Ugliest Sweater voted by 38 Degrees Staff. DJ Aris will be spining Old School Hip-Hop from 7-12 and we also welcome our special guest Santa Claus! Yes , Santa will be here and you can get your FB pics on while partying with us and friends. Please share this with all your friend. By the way we are open all day Saturday Xmas eve from 10am till 2am including free hot appitizers from 6pm -?”

Tin Roof Bistro

The latest from Pete Shuey at Tin Roof Bistro: “Right now at Tin Roof we’re pouring Mission Hefeweizen, Stone Sublimely Self Righteous, Strand Beach House Amber, Tripel Karmeleit, Blue House IPA, Brouwerij West Tripel, Sudwerk Dopplebock, Big Sky Moose Drool, Drakes 1500 Pale Ale, Telegraph Rhinoceros Barleywine, AleSmith Speedway Stout & Lagunitas Pils. On deck we have Craftsman Holiday, The Lost Abbey Avant Garde & Blue House WIPA. Some specialty bottles are still available including, The Bruery Autumn Maple, Brew Dog/Three Floyds Bitch Please, Lost Continent DIPA, 2010 Old Guardian & Alpine Ale.

We will be closed on Christmas Day, that’s the 25th, but look for a killer beer dinner to kick off the new year sometime in the middle of January!”

Tony’s Darts Away

On tap in Burbank are Hangar 24 Chocolate Porter with coffee, Anchor Christmas, Kern River Class V stout, Port Mongo IPA and Golden Road Festivus cinnamon bitter.

And for New Years Eve, “Tony’s Darts Away will have one 9pm seating featuring an abundance of vegan and non-vegan fare and beers. $95 for you all you can eat AND drink, plus a commemorative glass (tax and gratuity included). Tony’s will also be raffling prizes throughout the night, including vintage California craft beer; gift certificates for Tony’s Darts Away + Mohawk Bend; Golden Road Brewing swag; and the grand prize: brewing a batch of beer with Golden Road Brewing’s brewmaster, Jon Carpenter. For reservations, email [email protected]

L.A. Beer Blast compiled by Food GPS Beer Editor Sean Inman

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Sean Inman

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

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