Tough way to begin this thread, but Noble seems to be circling the drain. My sources say that the end is near as I desperately attempt to confirm...
Oh, dang! I thought you were going to announce their 20th Anniversary Party plans. Won't they still be full before all sporting events once the state opens fully back up?
I was never too fond of their tasting room. The front was pretty basic (they blasted Miley Cyrus too loud though), while the back area was dark, dingy, and the tv projector was pretty much useless. None of that mattered though because Naughty Hops and Citra Showers slayed. But slay no more! Hopefully another good brewery swoops up the space and makes things more inviting.
Sad, I was actually wondering what happened to them the other day, haven’t seen the beers in SoBay (LA) in a long time. Went to the brewery years ago before a concert and enjoyed the beers a lot.
Evan left and created Green Cheek, their other brewer Jon went to Monkish (then quickly went to Brewery X), and they lost their social media guy to Brouwerji West. Noble isn’t the same place it was a couple years ago.
Sad. I'd only been there 3 or 4 times and it's been a couple of years because I live quite a ways away, but I'd enjoyed their beers. The people working there that I'd come in contact with were super nice. Hopefully everyone there will find a good place to go.
After Evan and company left the only time I would stop in was for a beer before a concert at the Grove. Or a game.
I like to clown on them for the 10th Anniversary thing, but I have no ill-will towards these folks. The magic stopped when Evan left, but I'm not upset at Noble for not being able to match his success at making amazing beers after he left, which is unlike the mess that GF made of Alpine's recipes (while Pat was still working there )--that shit STILL pisses me off. Noble used to be my #1 spot in OC--over BL, over Bruery and Terreux--and it's a bummer that they've fallen so far.
Noble once was the golden brewery of OC when Evan took over. I remember before Noble was Bootleggers (Knuckle sandwich). That didnt last long before they moved to their new location and messed things up. I mean there was the Bruery, which really did nothing for me at the time. Then they tried their Offsh!te ipa's which were a hit and miss. Misses mostly. BL never does great ipa's. And still dont. IMO. Yup, the good ole days of OC craft.
Noble was proud to actively deny COVID orders to open indoors earlier this year,, so I'll keep laughing as they close. Also dumb shit like "You So Fine" and just generally making trash beer to push to people to drink before Angel's games.
I used to go to Noble a lot in the brewery's heydey with Evan at the helm. When I was a novice craft beer drinker, Naughty Sauce was a revelation to me. After he left, Noble gradually turned into a place where I just parked my car before a Ducks or Angels game and had a single beer just as a way to "pay" for the parking. I'm hella suspicious of these "sources" but I also wouldn't be surprised, you know?
I'm in the same boat. I'd never take anyone to Noble these days (or go there of my own choice) but I do go there before Ducks/Angels games to "pay" for parking. I feel like I've heard "Noble isn't doing well" rumors for years and yet there they are, line 30 people out the door and shoulder-to shoulder in the tasting room on game days. Wonder if that alone is enough to keep them afloat.
They’ve got their hardcore and local people that show up everyday or week for their favorite Noble beer. They also have the baseball, hockey and concert goers fans that can get some decent beers for their $$. Juice up before paying the double or quadruple cost of crap beer inside the venue. So they got a good thing going. Location. But a business plan? That went away a long time ago when Brian left and brought Evan with him a year later. If Noble fails it because they failed financially. There’s a ton of breweries that are sub par but doing good (even during Covid). Every brewery has their local fans show up. And most of the time it’s close and convenient. Like I’m a mile and half from Beachwood and RiiP. There’s a new HB brewery called Flashpoint. Great name. But only been once. I’m tempted to go back but like I said, I got Beachwood and RiiP. And they both are closer to my house. I think Flashpoint is 2 miles from my place. Oh did I mention 4 Boys? Didn’t think so. Have a happy Godz day.
