Golden Road Brewing Welcomes New Brewmaster Jesse Houck

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by Jason, Jan 11, 2013.

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  1. Jason

    Jason Founder (0) Aug 23, 1996 Massachusetts

    Los Angeles, CA (January 2013) – Golden Road Brewing is pleased to announce the arrival of new Brewmaster Jesse Houck, following the departure of former Brewmaster Jon Carpenter in early 2013. Houck comes to Golden Road from Drake’s Brewing Company in San Leandro, where he served as Production Manager/ Head Brewer.

    Houck and Golden Road President, Meg Gill, first met at 21st Amendment Brewery in 2008, where they bonded over their mutual love for canned beers and California IPAs.

    Golden Road has experienced a rapid expansion since opening in October of 2011, doubling the size of their brew house and brewing capacity, releasing four canned beers and over fifteen specialty brews, opening over 500 draft accounts throughout the greater LA area. Says Golden Road President Meg Gill: “As we look forward to 2013, we have big plans for the direction we want our beers to go. We’re thrilled to bring Jesse’s leadership and dry, hoppy, clean-beer loving palate to LA.”

    Adds Houck, “I am looking forward to sharing Meg and Tony's vision of crafting quality beers for LA, and excited to be part of one of the fastest growing craft beer scenes on the West Coast.” A long time bay-area brewer, Houck brings a blend of chemistry and artistry to his brewing, having studied Chemical Engineering before becoming fascinated – and later obsessed – with home-brewing and beer.

    Co-founder Tony Yanow has also been a fan of Houck’s for years, commenting, “Jesse has created some of my favorite beers, and we’re excited to bring his creativity and brewing expertise to our team.”

    Golden Road Brewing was founded in October 2011 by Tony Yanow and Meg Gill, who are committed to bringing fresh beer to market in the most sustainable way possible. Golden Road Brewing is the maker of Los Angeles’ first canned craft beer, packaged in 16 once cans to deliver an honest pint of the brewery’s flagship Point the Way IPA and Golden Road Hefeweizen. Golden Road currently produces over sixteen beers which include a Custom IPA and limited releases. Golden Road Brewing and The Pub at Golden Road Brewing are located at 5410 W. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90039. For more information, please visit www.goldenroad.la.

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  2. barfdiggs

    barfdiggs Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2011 California
    Deactivated

    Wow... did they finally decide they actually wanted to make good beer?
     
  3. jmerriken

    jmerriken Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2008 California

    I won't "buy" any of this until I try his beer, they have been very boring and middle of the road thus far. Beachwood Brewing blows them and every other LA Brewer out of the water (side note but true). Seems like Golden Riad cares more about being hipster, local, sustainable and profitable than they do about making good beer. They should take notes from Firestone, Stone and Sierra about making profitable, high quality widely distributed beer. I've smelled a rat from the beginning and I'm skeptical. Prove me wrong.
     
  4. jmerriken

    jmerriken Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2008 California

    I googled Meg Gill and she voted for Point The Way as the #1 LA beer. It's like a band wearing their own T-Shirt, pretentious and lame. This is America and I hope you're brewery is successful, but please don't try to "sell" us on something you're not, make me good beer and I'll have nothing left to say.
     
    barfdiggs, stillmatic and kotayk like this.
  5. Earlycsquid

    Earlycsquid Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2013 California

    At best Point the way is the gateway beer in getting PBR hipsters into craft beer. But the whole company seems to have the priorities backwards, or at the very least it's just not an approach that leaves good beer for the well traveled craft beer drinker as well as having the weak stuff for those who need that gateway.

    I doubt it's Jon's fault that the company made and more than likely will continue to make bland beers.
     
    stillmatic and kotayk like this.
  6. dcgunman

    dcgunman Pooh-Bah (2,608) Jul 1, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Hope we'll see better beers coming out of Golden Road. It seems like the City of Angels loves Golden Road. You see there beers everywhere. The beers now are just mediocre if that.
     
  7. mjl21

    mjl21 Initiate (0) Apr 3, 2008 California

    The house beers Jesse made at 21A were very good. He did the original Hop Crisis (then a Triple IPA) and a great DIPA (then called Double Trouble).
     
  8. BdubleEdubleRUN

    BdubleEdubleRUN Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 California

    Will this Jesse be canning the berliner?
     
  9. Retsinis

    Retsinis Maven (1,486) Sep 25, 2009 Arizona

    Good news, though I agree, not sure if the blandness of the beers were by design, or Jon 's vision, so this departure, and now Jesse's arrivial may not amount to anything, or it could be a major turning point, time, and the beers will tell the tale. Crossing my fingers though.
     
  10. kotayk

    kotayk Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2011 California

    ...meanwhile back at the ranch ...Meg is getting dolled up for her Glamour spread...
    Make good beer ...the "fame" will follow.
     
  11. keaton

    keaton Initiate (0) Jul 25, 2004 California

    Oh please, every brewer or owner wears t-shirts from their own brewery or bar and every politician votes for themself. What's the point of being coy about your product if you're proud of it? Why single her out that she should be? And mocking a magazine spread (good on her if that's true). I've seen quite a bit of onerous sexism regarding Ms. Gill and it's disturbing. On the other hand, who's made fun of Sam Caglione being a model? Only me.
     
    DrAwkward82 likes this.
  12. jmerriken

    jmerriken Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2008 California

    If Beachwood voted for themselves as the best brewery in LA I wouldn't complain because they would be right. They don't have to try to hype their beers because their beer speaks for itself and they don't give a shit about being the newest coolest bestest brewey i.e. Alesmith. Golden Road on the other hand is trying so hard to be hipster and hyped out but the beer just simply isn't there. Make great beer and I'll have nothing left to say I.e. Stone (Ruination 10th, Enjoy By)
     
    dcgunman likes this.
  13. Earlycsquid

    Earlycsquid Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2013 California

    Perhaps they should focus less on their Detox/retox - Jog, Yoda, Beer & Breakfast weekend events and more actual focus on brewing solid beer.
     
  14. PeterJ

    PeterJ Initiate (0) Dec 5, 2012 California

    Interesting. From brewing Aroma Coma and Drakonic to brewing Point the Way and Schwartz "Stout"
     
  15. tjensen3618

    tjensen3618 Savant (1,225) Mar 23, 2008 California

    I like that they are brewing the exact type of beers they set out to brew, selling a lot of them, and aren't trying to impress a bunch of dorks on BA.
     
    albertq17 likes this.
  16. sandiego67

    sandiego67 Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2008 California

    Kinda like Sam Adams.
     
  17. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader

    I respect their business acumen but the beer itself leaves something to be desired. I do hope this new brewer improves the product as I look forward to having a local place where I can get good growler fills. As it is, I have to go to either Stone in Pasadena or Strand in Torrance--I'd like somewhere closer to me.
     
  18. hophead247

    hophead247 Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2008 California

    Jesse more or less 'oversaw' some of the brewing at Drakes. Definitely knows what he's doing though.
     
  19. robL

    robL Initiate (0) Oct 22, 2010 California

    Part of the problem with Golden Road is that since inception they've put the proverbial cart before the horse. Due to Tony Yannow's involvement, they already had 2 well-known and well-regarded bars guaranteed to pump out as much of their beer as possible. How many new breweries already have established distribution before they ever open? How many new breweries begin packaging almost instantaneously?

    I appreciate Golden Road for what they bring to the craft beer scene in LA, but I'll never choose them over another local craft beer if I have options.
     
    John11486 likes this.
  20. Earlycsquid

    Earlycsquid Initiate (0) Jan 7, 2013 California

    Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules? Mark it zero!

    [​IMG]

    I have no idea what the big lebowski has to do with stouts. other than the ability to use "brah" in the title.
     
    UnknownKoger and jodan like this.
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