Second annual L.A. Local Craft Beer & Artisanal Food Festival Saturday at Alpine Village near Torrance

lalocal

Sixty-plus beers from 30 local breweries accompanied by 15 food samples are available on Saturday at the second annual LA Local Craft Beer & Artisanal Food festival at Alpine Village near Torrance.

Notable beers available from Torrance breweries include include Smog City’s Amarilla Gorilla, Scholb Premium Ales’ Cherrywood Smoked Brown and a couple of mystery brews from new brewpub HopSaint.

Tickets, at $5 off the price at the door, are here.

Chino Brew and Chew features range of California breweries

Chino Brew and Chew 2016Soroptimist International of the Chino Valley’s Brew and Chew is back for another round.

This year’s iteration — set for 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday (March 20) — features breweries from Coronado to Chico and points in-between.

Attendees can sample 15 4-ounce tastes from more than a dozen California breweries.

Food will be available from several food trucks, including Baby’s Bad Ass Burgers, Cousins Maine Lobster and Me So Hungry.

Continue reading “Chino Brew and Chew features range of California breweries” »

Grand opening today of first San Pedro craft brewery Brouwerij West at Port of Los Angeles

west

Read the story in today’s Daily Breeze by Staff Writer Megan Barnes.

Drive-by Brewery Review and New Brew: Mindcloud IPA at Mumford Brewing in downtown Los Angeles

Mumford1

Mumford Brewing’s excellent pale ale dubbed Bleacher Beer at my Torrance local beckoned me to try their full range at their downtown LA brewery, open for about the last six months.

The day after Christmas with time on my hands and likely light freeway traffic seemed an apt time.

On this day street parking was plentiful in the neighborhood Mumford sits in near Skid Row, although it was a little strange to pay for parking when I’m guessing whoever was sleeping on the sidewalk in the tent across the street was likely not paying for the privilege.

mumford2

The sparse, simple one-room brewery and small bar were uncrowded and the custom four-beer tasting flight (above) excellent, showcasing the wide range of available ales (especially good was the Black Mamba).

The atmosphere was mellow with a couple of DJs spinning some relaxing ambient music at a pleasant volume that allowed a couple of gents at a nearby table to concentrate on their dominos game (below) with no problem.

mumford3

Lunch is available at a local pizza joint and a bar next door that appeared to have been there for decades (the name escapes me, but try the small grilled cheese sandwich with jalapenos and bacon), but also had an excellent local craft beer list of its own. Bonus: go order food next door and they deliver it to your seat in the brewery.

Mumford’s neighborhood may be sketchy, but it’s beers and vibe are certainly not.

The Boyd Street IPA was worth taking home in a crowler and I’m betting the Mindcloud would be, too (although I haven’t seen any description of it yet online).

Definitely worth getting acquainted with both the brewery and its beers.

“Downtown” James Brown gets OK for Port Town Brewing location in historic 1920s-era San Pedro building

porttownlogoPort Town Brewing, an off-shoot of the successful San Pedro Brewing Co., is aiming to open a new tasting room about a year from now at Seventh and Centre streets.

City officials signed off on the location Wednesday.

Port Town will offer German-style ales such as the Pilsner and hefeweizen it currently brews. Read more here.