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Guide To The 2017 L.A. Beer & Food Festival

The Los Angeles Brewers Guild knows how to organize fantastic sudsy affairs as anyone who has attended their annual Los Angeles Beer Week kickoff can attest. On January 28, 2017, the Guild has put together another can't miss gathering, bringing together over 40 independently-owned craft breweries from across L.A. County along with some terrific local food vendors to Silver Lake's Mack Sennett Studios for the 1st annual Los Angeles Beer & Food Festival. Expect unlimited samples over 100 brews, complimentary food, and informative panels highlighting the increasingly popular trend of beer and food pairings. Not a bad way to kickoff 2017.
 
General Information
 
Dates
Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 3pm
 
Location
Mack Sennett Studios
1215 Bates Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029
 
Admission Information
 
General Admission: $60.00 (3pm-6pm) includes:
  • Keepsake tasting glassware
  • Unlimited craft beer tastings
  • Complimentary bites from local restaurants (while supplies last)
  • Educational panels and entertainment

 
VIP – $75.00 (2pm-6pm) Admission includes:

  • All of the above
  • Early entrance at 2pm
Top Breweries Participating
beachwood-bbq - Verified Dave Klein
(credit: Beachwood BBQ)

Beachwood Brewing

An expansion into Huntington Beach and introduction of 12oz bottle offerings were just some of the highlights last year of this beloved, multi-award winning brewery. Beachwood Brewing is definitely bringing their A-game to the festival, providing tastes of the coffee-forward Mocha Machine, Citraholic, a double-dry hopped "modern" variation of a West Coast IPA, and Careful With That Passion Fruit, Eugene, the latest installment of the Pink Floyd-inspired fruited lambic series courtesy of the brewery's Blendery offshoot.

beer
(credit: Mateusz Gzik/shutterstock)

Cellador Ales

The local brewery to watch in 2017 opened the doors to its North Hills "pop up" tasting room earlier this month to great fanfare. Focusing on 100 percent oak-barrel fermented beers made with locally sourced ingredients, Cellador became a success out of the gate with its highly rated bottled offerings. This will be a rare chance to try their beers on tap and taste what the hype is all about.

el segundo brewing company
(credit: El Segundo Brewing Company)

El Segundo Brewing Co.

El Segundo may not garner the hype of its peers, but the South Bay institution is undoubtedly a contender for best brewery in Los Angeles. Hoppy offerings like the simcoe and mosaic hopped Hammerland and Broken Skull (a.k.a. the Stone Cold Steve Austin beer) are among the best expressions of the west coast-style IPA. Better yet, their Standard Crude stout and Old Jetty barleywine are perfectly suited for winter weather, particularly when they're aged in bourbon barrels. Their booth is definitely a must-stop.

highland-park-brewery-sarah-gardner - Verified Dave Klein
(credit: Sarah Gardner)

Highland Park Brewery

This 2016 Great American Beer Fest gold medal winning brewery is part of the reason Highland Park is one of the hottest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Beer geeks from far and wide descend upon The Hermosillo (the home base for Highland Park Brewery) for an impressive array of lovingly-crafted brews. It's worth noting that HPB likes to keep things local, using coffee from Eastside roaster Trystero for its stellar Griffith J. Griffith stout and quite literally stays true to its roots with Raised Eyebrows, a red wine barrel aged sour brewed passion fruit and guava plucked from a tree in the brewery's parking lot.

mumford - Verified Dave Klein
(credit: Mumford Brewing)

Mumford Brewing

A founding father of the downtown craft beer renaissance, family-run Mumford Brewing found themselves on the national radar last year with their first can release, Unpresidential, a west coast stab at the oh-so-popular New England-style IPA. But Mumford isn't just for the haze obsessed. Their standard offerings like the Rolling Blackout stout and Biggums Belgian-style dubbel are all worth tasting.

Phantom Carriage
(credit: Bruce M. - Yelp)

Phantom Carriage Brewery

It's scary how much this Carson-based brewery continues to improve since opening its door in late 2014. Phantom Carriage has proved to be a standout in LA's ever growing beer scene, especially when it comes to their exceptional horror-themed wild ales. After sampling their lineup at the fest, a trip to Phantom Carriage's stunning tap room will surely be in order.

smog-city - Verified Dave Klein
(credit: Smog City Brewing)

Smog City Brewing

Despite only opening its doors in May of 2013, Smog City is a relative veteran in the LA beer community. The Torrance-based brewery (which recently opened a satellite Long Beach location housed in a shipping container) continues to impress with their always consistent core-brews like Saber Tooth Squirrel, a satisfying medium-bodied amber, which will be pouring at the event. Rumor has it Smog City will also be offering their bourbon-barrel stout Infinite Wishes, a decadent fudge bomb that just received a limited bottle release.

ladyface
(credit: Raquel A./yelp)

Other Participating Breweries

  • 818 Brewing
  • Absolution Brewing
  • Alosta Brewing
  • Angel City Brewery
  • Arts District Brewing
  • Barley Lodge
  • Boomtown Brewery
  • Bravery Brewing
  • Brewyard Beer Company
  • Brouwerij West
  • Claremont Craft Ales
  • Dry River Brewing
  • Eagle Rock Brewery
  • Homage Brewing
  • HopSaint Brewing Company
  • Indie Brewing Company
  • Iron Triangle Brewing
  • Karl Strauss Brewing
  • Kinetic Brewing
  • King Harbor Brewing Co.
  • Ladyface Ale Companie
  • Lucky Luke Brewing Co.
  • MacLeod Ale Brewing Co.
  • Ohana Brewing
  • Pacific Plate Brewing Co.
  • Pocock Brewing Company
  • San Fernando Brewing
  • Sanctum Brewing Co.
  • Santa Monica Brew Works
  • Scholb Premium Ales
  • State Brewing Co.
  • Strand Brewing Co.
  • The Dudes' Brewing Co.
  • The LAB Brewing
  • Three Weavers Brewing
  • Timeless Pints
  • Transplants Brewing Company
  • Wolf Creek Brewery
Best Bites
Hot Tamales
(credit: Thinkstock)

3941 Tamales

Chef Aaron Valdez bills himself as a "Master Tamale Creator" and if you've tasted any of his delicious handmade creations you know that title is warrented. Pairing classic Mexican flavors with innovative twists, Valdez and his team are producing some of the best tamales in Los Angeles. If you haven't tried 3941 Tamales when they've set up shop at various breweries around the eastside now is your chance.

fat-dragon - Verified Dave Klein
(credit: Fat Dragon)

Fat Dragon

If the crowds at this Silver Lake newcomer (courtesy of Sticky Rice's Allen Wong) are any indication, Fat Dragon will undoubtedly be a festival favorite. While tea is the beverage of choice at the restaurants casual home base located just a few block from Mack Sennett Studios, their modern Chinese fare is sure to provide the perfect pairing with a crisp lager or hoppy IPA.

waffle
(credit: Gaus Nataliya/shutterstock)

Waffle Love

What better way to end your festival experience than pairing two of Belgium's greatest offerings? This mini-West Coast empire certainly lives up to its name, churning out authentic (and addictive) liege waffles served hot and sweet and crisp with a variety of tasty toppings. Seek out a taster of a dubbel, trippel, quad, or lambic (Beachwood's Careful with That Passionfruit, Eugene perhaps?) grab a waffle and pretend you're partying in Brussels.

stout burger
(credit: Illy D./yelp)

Other Participating Food Vendors

The L.A. Beer and Food Festival features a ton of other great food options as well:

  • Blue Palms Brewhouse
  • BrewWings
  • Eagle Rock Public House
  • Kinetic Brewing
  • Poppy + Rose –  Sausal
  • Simmzy's
  • STOUT Burgers & Beers
  • Twisted Oak Tavern
  • Vagabond Cheese
  • Wolf Creek Restaurant
Article by Dave Klein.
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