My first visit to LA

I didn’t get it from this thread, but a BA friend recommended Select. Stopped there on the way from LAX to Terranea for a wedding a couple weeks ago. What a great store! Highlights included a bottle of FO and a pour of Cantillon while I settled up. Obviously there could be some grass is greener at play, but I feel like if that place was in NYC it would definitely be considered as being among the top 5 beer stores in the city.

 

Monkish and Cellador should be top priorities imo. Cellador is making some of the very best wilds and coolest experiments in the country. Their fruited sours rival anything I've had from De Garde, Side Project, Floodland, and Sante. Their work with stonefruit in particular is outlandish.

Beachwood does everything well and it's relatively close once you're in Torrence. Their wilds are their forte imo. They have become very good at emulating lambic like funk with their culture. But they do everything well, except hazies.

Highland Park in Chinatown would be my next pick after Cellador and Monkish, but it might be too far.

FW Propagator is very good too. I wouldn't bother with Modern Times personally.

 

Select is one of my faves but sadly I don't make it down there often anymore.

 

If Select was closer, I would be there all of the time. The taplist is usually pretty good, and the fact that the bottles/cans can be consumed on site is a huge plus as well

 

In LB you should also stop by LB Beer Lab.

 

These guys deserve so much more love.

Cheers,

 

Ok gonna tag onto that thread since it’s relatively fresh.. Been to LA only a few times. Gotta be there next week. Dropping the wife off at LAX Friday AM early then have until Saturday at 5:00 pm to kill.

Love to hit Monkish, Beechwood, Brouwerij West, Green Cheek, and HPB. Maybe Noble and RIIP. Throw in a little time at the beach (it’s presently 13* at my house) and call it good. Don’t need to hit any bottle shops. I realize that’s all rather spread out but anyone reccomend a general route to try to pull that off? No big desire to gas a bunch of beers at any one spot. More about checking out spaces and what not. Maybe grabbing some cans to go if available. I know traffic can be a nightmare and rather unpredictable so any general tips there would be cool but whatever.

 

I'd do an LA day and an OC day. Debatable which day to do which depending on traffic. I'm not sure what it's like trying to drive to OC on a Friday mid-morning, but I might try OC Friday, LA Saturday (so you finish closer to LAX).

 

Two suggestions. If you are hitting Monkish, might as well hit Smog. It's literally around the corner. And may want to skip Noble and substitute Bottle Logic. That's what I would do.

 

NOBLE? Why in Godz name would you want to hit Nobles?

 

I'm jumping in the thread too, I'm going to be down near Santa Ana this weekend, anyone recommend a good place to stay near some oc or LA breweries? I have to head back north on Sunday so anywhere Santa Ana or north would be much appreciated

 

Bottle Logic, Green Cheek & Bruery are your best bets in Anaheim. Riip in very north HB also a great spot. My LA knowledge is limited but probably wanna hit Monkish.

 

Or you can change your plan and hit Yorkshire Square’s annual cask festival on Saturday from 1 - 5 pm.

 

Where does "5pm Saturday" require you to be - LAX? Do you have a hotel booked for Friday already? This would help offer a route, but you're going to be driving and sitting in traffic the entire time if you try to hit all of those breweries. I'll offer a route once I know those two additional details, but can probably cut HPB right away (as much as it pains me to say that) if you're going for quantity over quality.

And please don't waste time at Noble.

 

I should add that it’s a ticketed event.

 

Any tips on hotels or areas with hotels that are close to any/all of those Anaheim spots? I know lots of breweries id love to visit but I'm resigned to making it to one, maybe 2 if they're real close together, and just looking for tips on where to stay to make it easy

 

Generally can’t stand English beer.

HPB and Green Cheek are my number one priorities honestly. Followed by Monkish, Beechwood, Brouwerij West. Probably makes sense to do the last three on Saturday from South to North as I’ll end up closest to the airport. HPB to Green Cheek Friday.

No hotel booked as of yet for Friday.

So do tell about Noble? Are the beers that bad since Evan left? Never had any and I don’t really follow the SoCal seen too much.

 

As a resident, I don’t know much about local hotels. That being said, the mouse house is in Anaheim, so I’m sure there’s tons of options. I probably would not stay in Santa Ana proper.

 

I would say the marriott by Cal State Fullerton. Makes you right next to the Bruery and really close to both Green Cheek and Bottle Logic.

 

They have really gone downhill since Evan left. Occasionally they might make a good beer but they are really hit and miss now.