Your Next Pint

OC's The Bruery branches out to celebrate 4 years

I May say that this month has Beer and more to offer. The Bruery in Orange County drafts its Fourth Anniversary with a few extra local ingredients: Los Angeles & San Diego.

To celebrate achieving 4 years in business – winning gold, silver & bronze at the World Beer Cup – The Bruery is collaborating with each county to throw live engagements at restaurants across SoCal.

The Washdown:

Special Beer Pairings, a BBQ, and Beer Tastings will be held at:

- Playground in Downtown Santa Ana 5/22

- The Spice Table in Downtown LA 5/23 (sampling Food & Wine Magazine's 2012 Best chef Bryant Ng's cuisine)

- Stone World Bistro in San Diego 5/29

Some reservations are required, so get 'em before they fill up.

Craft Brew + Music + Food Trucks

Fullerton's resident brewery Bootlegger's Brewery is celebreating its 4th annual Music & Beer Festival
at The Muck (1201 West Malvern Avenue, Fullerton, California 92833).

The Washdown:

From 6pm - 9:30pm enjoy:

- 10 Taster Tickets each good for a 2oz taste (additional tickets will be available for purchase)

- a commemorative tasting glass

- live music

- approximately 30 house beers on tap including several barrel aged rarities, sour beers and their collaboration beer w/The Bruery in Placentia,

- access to The Muckenthaler Gallery exhibit showrooms & Bocce Ball Games

In addition, there will be 3 gourmet food trucks available for you to purchase food.

Get your $12-25 tickets ahead of time online or at the door for $35. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go towards The Muckenthaler Cultural Center.

Three LA Irish Spots Since Tom Bergins Isn't Open

This year the iconic Tom Bergin's on Fairfax has closed its doors for the first time in 75 years. In the meantime, here are a couple of spots that are just as much fun to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day!

The Washdown:

1.) The Varsity LA
Wilshire District - Best Dressed Contest - DJ - and $4 Guinness, Heineken, and Green Beer ALL DAY!!

2.) The Original Farmers Market LA
Fairfax district - Celtic Music and Beer on Tap 6-10pm

3.) Henry's Hat
Studio City - Answer some trivia questions for a chance to win a free Shot, Beer or Dessert! 4pm-Close

On sale now - 4th Annual LA Beer Festival - Drink It Up!

Tickets are on sale now for Drink Eat Play's 4th annual LA Beer Fest held at Paramount Studios. For $40 you'll get beer, food, and enteratinment like the cover hair band Metal Shop, and indie-rock tribute band Black Crystal Wolf Kids. International and domestic beers will be featured from over 75+ breweries. Get your tickets and get in line as this year's event will deliver just like a good beer drinks – unforgettable.

Here's just a sampling of what brews will be there.

The Washdown:

- Bootleggers Brewery (Fullerton, CA)

- Anders0n Valley Brewing Co. (Boonville, CA)

- Ventura's Surf Brewery (Ventura, CA)

- The Los Abbey (San Marcos, CA)

- Weltenburger Kloster (Weltenberg, Germany)

- Singha Beer (Bangkok, Thailand)

- Sapporo (Tokyo, Japan)

For an in depth look, check out my blog post on one of their previous events: LA Beerfest Brews up Fun, Food Trucks, and Fine Pints

P.S. Don't forget to bring your lederhosen.

This Sunday: Craft Beer Tasting at Whole Foods in El Segundo

Miss last week's 20% off beer sale at Whole Foods? No worries. Because this Sunday, January 29th from 1-4pm, you can get your bargain beer fix at the El Segundo Whole Foods Beer Festival. For only $15 the festival boasts over 20 beer vendors, complimentary snacks, and A FREE BEER GLASS with admission (while supplies last). 

Let them know your attending on Facebook, then buy your tickets in store at 760 S. Sepulveda Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245. (310) 333-1900. For more information email [email protected].

All attendees must be 21 years or over. ID required. Designated drivers encouraged.@WholeFoods

 

 

This Weekend: Craft Beer Garden at Ski Dazzle

Photo courtesy of SkiDazzle.com

Nothing compliments a day on the slopes like a crisp, hydrating, B vitamin packed Beer to quench your thirst. And Ski Dazzle – the largest Ski & Snowboard Show in the United States – gets it. That's why this year, in conjunction with the Taste of Winter, they're adding the first ever Beer Garden. For $20, you'll get to taste ten 3oz servings of 15+ Craft Beers to choose from.

Then afterwards, peruse the aisles of super deals & entertainment like 70% off boards & gear at the Ski Swap, as well as major mountain resort packages, giveaways at the pro rider Vert Ramp Show, specialties like the new Sakkus Sweet Sleeve (a lightweight snowboard bag protector), complimentary ski lessons, a Tire Chain Installation Contest – even a FREE Bear Mountain lift ticket with your price of admission.

The Washdown:

- Anderson Valley Poleeko, Pale Ale

- Anderson Valley Winter, Solstice Seasonal Ale

- Ballast Point Pale Ale, German Kolsch

- Firemans Brew Brunette, German Double Bock

- Firestone DBA, Double Barrel Ale

- Firestone Pale Ale

- Firestone Union Jack, American IPA

- Firestone Velvet Merlin, Seasonal Oatmeal Stout

- Hofbrau Dunkel, Munich Bavarian

- Lagunitas IPA

- Mammoth Mountain Brewing Co. Epic, IPA

- Mammoth Mountain Brewing Co. Paranoid, Pale Ale

- Mammoth Mountain Brewing Co. Real McCoy, Amber Ale

- Weihenstephaner Original, Lager

Los Angeles Convention Center SOUTH HALL, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015. 213-741-1151.

@Ski_Dazzle

Burgers & 9 Bottles of Craft Beer at The Escondite, Downtown

Photo courtesy of TheEscondite.com

This Saturday (including every 2nd of the month) The Escondite in downtown LA is kicking off Round 1 of The Great Bottle Challenge. 9 craft beers will be tasted and 10 different burgers can be tried (like the Rip Taylor with Romaine, Parmesan, Caesar Dressing & Crushed Croutons, or The Truckstopper with Provolone, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Vegetarian Gravy). There'll also be trivia games and prize giveaways like 22 oz bottles of the newly released Stone Vertical Epic Ale for 8 lucky winners.

The Washdown:

- Speedway Stout 12% ABV

- Old Viscosity 12.5% ABV

- Avery Salvation 9% ABV

- Ironfist Blond Renegade 5.2% ABV

- Lost Abbey Lost & Found 7.5% ABV

- St. Feuillien Saison 6.5% ABV

- Old Ruffian Barley Wine 10.2% ABV

- Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale 8.7% ABV

Call 213-626-1800 to reserve your spot.

410 Boyd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

This Weekend: 2011 San Diego Beer Week Begins

 

 

 

 

San Diego Beer Week kicks off this weekend! On Saturday Nov. 5th, enjoy award-winning local beers from the best of San Diego's brewers at the Brewers Guild Festival in Point Loma. $55 VIP tickets will get you early admission (11am), and complimentary food pairings. $35 General Admission tickets include beer tasters, commemorative glass, and access to live music.

Then on Sunday Nov. 6th at 1pm, get ready for the 5-hour Craft Beer Crawl (via shuttle), rounding pubs like Toronado, Green Flash Brewing Co., Churchill's Pub & Grille, and more. $39 General Admission tickets are available for 40 lucky attendees only.

The whole week (10 days to be exact) boasts even more events than last years 500!

Follow @SDbeerweek for details.

Taste Beer and Finish the "Honey Do" List all under one roof

Whole Foods Market has always been a great spot to pick up a 22oz of your favorite brew, while shopping for expensive locally grown, organic goods. Now, you can delight in a cheap – yes, I just said "Whole Foods" and "cheap" in the same sentence – and fun way to taste beers that you might never thought of pulling off the shelf before.

For a mere $5, you can experience a tasting of some of the best pints Whole Foods has to offer with a side car of Cheese, Pate, Nuts, and Crackers. Of course, all accoutrement are organic and designed to enhance the beer tasting experience.

Currently, my favorite WF tasting location is Huntington Beach where Greg – the resident beer department head – will be happy to explain the origin, flavor, and design of the beers he has selected. He definitely knows how to make your next beer tasting experience one to remember.

So, the next time you've got a shopping list to tackle, I suggest you stop into Whole Foods for a beer – or wine, if that's your thing – tasting.

You never know, the grocery store may become your next secret watering hole. (I hear chicks dig the place too.)

The Washdown:

- Monday, October 3rd 5:30pm-7:30pm

TARZANA- KING RAMM (IRAN) *Bootlegger's Brewery Craft Beer Tasting
18700 Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana

VENICE- OF VERONA (US)/BIRDS OF NEW YORK (US) *Bootlegger's Brewery Craft Beer Tasting
225 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice

- Tuesday, October 4th 5:30pm-7:30pm

ARROYO- RISERS (US)/THE LONELY WILD (US) *Bootlegger's Brewery Craft Beer Tasting
465 South Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena

Check out WholeFoodsMarket.com for tasting schedules. @WholeFoods

This weekend: OC Brew Ha Ha!

Photo courtesy of ocbrewfest.com

The Orange County Brew Ha Ha takes place this Saturday, September 10 in Irvine, CA – and by no means is it a laughing matter. To start, the organizers have pulled together over 50 breweries (including some personal favorites like Port, Anderson, Firestone and Sierra Nevada) making over 100 craft brews for your beer tasting pleasure.

In addition to the beer, the whole family can relax in the park setting with lots of shaded seating, or be entertained by two bands playing music all day long. Don't worry, your hunger won't be overlooked either, as plenty of food trucks have been promised to roll up with all the fix-ins, as well as a few local restaurants encouraging Your Next Bite, like the Side Door Pub in Corona Del Mar, CA.

With lots of free-bees like parking, water, soda – even designated driver options – this event is a great way to responsibly enjoy the last sips of summer in sunny southern California.

City Tavern throws Eagle Rock Brewery Paired Dinner Thurs May 19th

In honor of American Craft Beer Week, this Thursday May 19th from 7-10pm, the City Tavern in Culver City is hosting a Beer Paired Dinner with brews from Eagle Rock Brewery.

Dishes like Pork Belly with Kumquats and Lobster Andouille Rolls can be washed down with Young Sour Ales and Thyme-infused XPAs. Enjoy for $36 per person.

LA Beer Fest 2011

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Last year, YourNextPint debuted it's first blogger sip with the LA Beer Fest – brought to you by Dan Silberstein's Drink Eat Play – at Sony Studios in Culver City. This year, on Saturday April 9th it's back for another round.

The Washdown:

- over 90 international and domestic beers including Ballast Point, Anderson Valley, Unibroue, Stone Brewing Co., even Wyder's Cider, and more

$40 will get you unlimited 4oz beer tastings. While the entertainment – Black Crystal Wolf Kids and Metal Shop – are free, the food trucks and catered vendors are not, so make sure to bring some extra cheddar. Speaking of, yes, the Grilled Cheese Truck will be there, along with Nom Nom, Komodo, Crepe'n Around, and more. (Oh, and tickets will sell out, so make sure to buy your 12-3pm or 5-8pm sessions online.)

Get a preview of all the fun drunk love, crazy costumes, and pub grub from my LA Beer Fest 2010 review.

P.S. Whichever session you choose, make sure to get there early so you don't have a massive wait in line. And do yourself a favor by taking a cab instead of driving, so you can truly enjoy the free flowing brews.

Hoppy & Safe Drinking.

Beers, Brats & Unicorns at the 40th Annual Big Bear Oktoberfest

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With October right around the corner, throw caution to the (hopefully forthcoming cooling) wind and take a weekender trip up to the 40th Annual Big Bear Oktoberfest for log sawing contests, guys in lederhosen, and even unicorn rides.

Grab a $20 book of Burgermeister Bucks to grub on Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, Pickled delights, Strudel, even American Fare, and 11 Biers galore. As for admission, you can pre-purchase discounted tickets online or over the phone – Saturday Adult tickets cost $12, Children are $6; and Sunday Adult tix are half price, while children are FREE. If you get too tipsy, you can take the O'Douls Shuttle back to your place of lodging in the Big Bear Valley area, complimentary.

The Washdown:

- smooth, malty and not too hoppy Warsteiner Premium Oktoberfest 5.9% ABV

- i like to drink, drink, drink apples & bananas Konig Ludwig Weiss 5.5% ABV

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Of course I couldn't go to Oktoberfest without trying the sponsored beer. The Warsteiner Oktoberfest has a rich malty flavor, it's definitely not too bitter, and is smooth going down with a final little nip.

The Konig Ludwig Weiss kinda stole my heart, especially after a long day playing at the Hot Dawgz & Hand Railz event. I was pleasantly surprised by the big frothy head, fruity apple & banana nose, a touch of spice, and a sweet finish.

If you fall in love with one beer, you might wanna go with the Mini Keg that holds 8 beers for $48. Other beers include Jack's Pumpkin Spice, Landshark IPA, and Michelob Amber Bock.

The Grubdown:

- spicy, tangy, enough to split Bratwurst Dinner with Sauerkraut, Peppered German Potato Salad & Buttery Roll ($10)

- assorted Pickled foods, Pickle on a Stick, and ginormous Pretzels ($2-3)

- flaky, sticky 'n sweet Apple Strudel ($6)

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Unless you've spent the afternoon sawing logs all day, you might want to consider splitting the Bratwurst Dinner – especially if you plan on tackling the Pickled Vegetables & Strudel. The Brat is thick, steamy 'n spicy. The Sauerkraut is stringy, tangy, vinegary, and so good for you & your digestion. The German Potato Salad is peppery, spiced with Oregano, and you'll like it more than it looks. And I highly recommend breaking open the buttery Roll and stuffing it with all the fixins to make your own sandwich.

As for the Pickled things – Pig's Feet, Eggs, Large Germans (Cucumbers that is) – I wasn't so brave. So I stuck with what I imagine to be Snooki's favorite, Pickle on a Stick (it's pretty much what you expect). The Pretzel was bigger than my torso, so I decided to pass and save room for the Strudel.

The Apple Strudel has the same consistency of Entenmann's (the fat-free dessert that was all the rage in the 90's). However, this one's got loads more Butter & Sugar, and fantastic fat pieces of Cinnamon-spiced tart Apple slices.

After you're fed and bier-ed, dance to the Bavarian Mainfloesser band, buy some wrought-iron Peacocks from the vendors outside, go for a Unicorn pony ride, and take respite on the peaceful patio – the screaming ladies on stage will get to you, trust me.

Prost, Gaudi, and Zicke-Zicka Zicke-Zicka Hoi Hoi Hoi!

Big Bear Lake Convention Center, 42900 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. 909-585-3000.

Library Ale House celebrates Belgian Beer Fest with 8 Rotating Taps and Holy Tastings

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For 2 weeks until May 25th, the bustling Library Ale House on Main St. in Santa Monica is celebrating the Belgian Beer Fest with 8 Rotating Taps, $15 Chimay glasses, and $5 refills. Tonight, May 19th, from 5-7pm there's a Trappistenbier Tasting of holy beers like Chimay, Orval & Rochefort – Presale Tickets are $15, or $20 at the Door. And Sunday May 23rd from 5-6pm is Mikkeller's Single Hop IPA Series Tasting – Tickets are $25 & only 20 spots are available.

The Washdown:

- sweet caramel, fruity, mahogany colored Maredsous 8 Brune Abbey Dubbel (Belgium) 8% ABV

- buttery, honey colored, smooth 'n sweet Urthel Hop-It Superior Hoppy Blonde Ale (Belgium) 9.5% ABV

- femme favorite, cloudy amber, subtle citrus with cinnamon bite Goose Island Matilda Belgian-style Pale Ale (Illinois, Chicago) 7% ABV

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I kinda have a little crush on Belgian beers. The flavors seem so complex and always surprising. So when I heard that the Library Ale House was rotating 8 different taps for 2 weeks, I couldn't resist. When I walked in, the bartender (pictured) was super attentive, always ready to help me, and knew my name. I told him I like nutty, fruity flavors like Unibroue Maudite & Trois Pistoles (my review here), so he recommended Maredsous 8 Brune. It has a rich dark amber brown color, malty fig mince pie flavor, yet tastes lighter than it looks.

The 2nd beer I tried was the Urthel Hop-It Superior Blonde Ale. It's super drinkable, has a beautiful honey color, and every sip is smooth and buttery. It has nice carbonation with mild hoppiness, almost like a creamy thicker lager. And a sweet nutmeg nose with mild scents of citrus & herbs. As you can see, the flavor complexity of this one is unreal, for each sip presented something new.

The 3rd beer I tried was a Belgian-style Pale Ale from Chicago called Goose Island Matilda. The tap had a silver & black goose head (pictured) and the beer was definitely a favorite amongst the ladies. It has a cloudy amber color with a light citrus flavor. It's bland, but sweet with a honey nose, and has a cinnamon bite finish from the carbonation, like a soda.

The Grubdown:

- you'll definitely want to split the Carne Asada Plate with warm Corn Tortillas, Black Beans, Mexican Rice, Sour Cream & Guacamole

- sweet, refreshing Papaya Goat Cheese Quesadilla with Roasted Poblano Chiles, Jack & Cheddar Cheese

- Trio of Mini Beef Sliders

- not too sweet or salty Alehouse Sweet Potato Fries with Ketchup

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I was definitely surprised to find that the food at the Library Ale House had strong California & Mexican influences – complimentary Chips 'n Salsa are served as soon as you sit down. So we decided to keep with the theme and ordered the Carne Asada Plate. This size of the platter is impressive – and after drinking 3 pints of extremely filling Belgian beer, we probably could've split it between 3 or 4 people. The Meat is definitely flavorful, but a little tough. The Rice is tender with good tomato flavor. I love that it comes with Black Beans instead of pinto, and the tasty Guacamole is a major selling point – it also comes with 5 warm Corn Tortillas to build your own taco.

The Papaya Goat Cheese Quesadilla is very light and fresh, yet big enough to make one person feel full with 4 pieces. And the Roasted Poblano Chiles inside gives it a smoky flavor.

The Sweet Potato Fries are good, not too salty or sweet, but I was really hoping for some creamy aioli to be served alongside the Ketchup.

I did not get a chance to taste the Sliders, but you should know that the Library serves Kobe Beef as well as lean Grass-fed Linder Bison Burgers.

Belgian beers or not, the Library Ale House is a fine place to show 'em your card and check out some pints. Just ask their Beer Guru for some suggestions.

Follow @libraryalehouse for Belgian Beer Fest updates & events.

LA Beerfest Brews Up Fun, Food Trucks, and Fine Pints

What better way to kick off Your Next Pint than with a blog post on this past weekend's Los Angeles Beer Festival. $40 ticket admission (or $37 if you had the code word "rundown") got you unlimited 4 oz beer pours from 80+ breweries. While I didn't get to taste them all, here's a list of the best & worst I tried.

The Washdown:

- mellow and refreshing Sierra Nevada's Glissade Golden Bock

- caramel malt flavored Mission Brewery IPA

- light with cinnamon notes San Luis Obispo Einhorn Hefeweizen (like Maudite's little lager sister)

- metal, tap waterey Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale

- hoppy, grapefruity Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

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Getting to the LA Beerfest, put on by Drink Eat Play at Sony Pictures Studios, was quite a mission. There were three different intimidatingly long lines strewn about, in which the people standing in them AND the security guards directing them did not seem to know what they were for. But once my friends and I checked in and received our mini 4 oz beer mugs, it was time for the pours to begin!

We bypassed the main area's Food Truck lines and headed down a little alley off to the left where we found brewery stalls like Fat Tire and Sam Adams. Soon enough we stumbled on what was to be one of our favorites of the night – Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock. Perfect for summer days, this crisp beer with a beautiful golden hue had just the right amount of carbonation to keep it refreshing, and a hoppy bitter finish balanced out by citrus flavors. The display at Sierra was one of the best of the Fest, too. They had barley grains and actual hops you could rub between your fingers to bring out the aroma of what you were tasting.

Moving on to Mission Brewery IPA, this beer was another favorite amongst my friends. While we were expecting bitterness, this light amber colored pour had a delicious caramel malty flavor that kept us coming back for more – definitely one to stock up on and sip alongside hamburgers or steak.

The San Luis Obispo Einhorn Hefeweizen was hit or miss for some, but I particularly enjoyed it and I think the ladies will too. It reminded me of a lighter lager version of one of my favorite beers, Unibroue Maudite, because of its cinnamon and clove flavors. This would be a good one to enjoy with a vanilla ice cream cone on a hot summer day.

Now for the bad brews. I don't know if something was wrong with the tap, but the Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale honestly tasted like dirty pipe water. It had such a metal tap water taste to it, we ended up dumping it out. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Ballast Point, and was very thankful for the hoppy grapefruit flavor of their Big Eye IPA we shortly washed down afterward.

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On our way to the 40 oz to Freedom "Sublime Tribute Band" concert, we encountered some great people watching – frothy beer mug hats, guys in Lederhosen, and Sam Adams cardboard cut outs to be exact. But nothing topped the old dudes moshing to their all-time-favorite Sublime tunes.

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To eat there was a sampling of food trucks like Calbi, Border Grill, Nom Nom, and World Fare Bustaurant (check out Your Next Bite for my upcoming review!), Sony Pictures Studios catering service, and apparently some hefty pretzel necklaces. We tried the Banh Mi from the Nom Nom truck and were disappointed by how stale and hard the bread was. But the pickled daikon, carrot, and sweet vinegar BBQ pork inside definitely made up for it. The Mac and Cheese from the Sony catering service was totally flavorless and boring, but the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on a Soft Bun was massive, packed with flavor, and super satisfying.

All in all the LA Beerfest was definitely a fun experience. Though they split up this year's event into two sessions, 1-4pm & 5-8pm, to avoid crowding we all wished we could've had a longer pour.