In Santa Monica for a week

Go to the Daily Pint. It's in Santa Monica. RADICAL selection. Had Blind Pig there about 2 weeks ago, also have the Bruery Humulus lager on tap. They always have a really good selection. AND, they have shuffleboard. For food, Father's Office is a great burger joint in Santa Monica that ALWAYS has Pliny on tap.

If you are looking for various bottle shops, can't really help out. I'm an OC guy, and get my beer down here or in San Diego.

 

I assume you are talking about bottles. If so, you are going to have to get lucky. I've had the best luck at the Venice Whole Foods, but it's pretty rare. The best bottle shops in West LA are:
Wally's
Whole Foods
Beverage Warehouse
BevMo
You have to ask for it at the first two, and I've never seen Pliny at the last two. Good luck.

I was in Chicago last year, and don't remember seeing these (my favorite beer while there was Arctic Panzer Wolf, to give an idea of my palate):
Alpine (anything)
Kern River (anything)
Drake's Hopocalypse, Denogginizer, or Aroma Coma
Knee Deep Simtra
Ballast Point Sculpin
Alesmith (anything)
There are, of course, lots more but these are the best dry IPAs in bottles.

If you are going to go out, please don't go to The Daily Pint until you've already gone to The Library Alehouse and Father's Office, unless you are really close or being taken there by somebody. I live a couple of blocks closer to The Daily Pint than The Library and like the Daily Pint vibe better, yet I've been there no more than three times this year.

 

I don't understand this suggestion. You say that you live closer to and like the atmosphere of Daily Pint, yet you're telling him not to go? If he's looking for a beer/food place, then I could understand your suggestion. But if he's just looking for a bar in SM, Daily Pint is BY FAR a better option than the other two places you mentioned. It has more taps, better parking, more relaxed atmosphere, and pool/shuffleboard/darts. There is also the option of an absolutely insane Scotch & Whiskey selection among other liquors. Also...he could get lucky with a stellar food truck (usually on Thur & Fri nights). I always suggest The Daily Pint first to anyone on the Westside and all other places secondary.

 

It's all about the beer.

Once upon a time, The Daily Pint was indeed better. Not anymore, though. In the last year and a half or so, The Library has vastly improved the beer side of the operation. Their tap list used to be maybe five rotating taps and the rest set, solidly but uninspiredly. Now, it's the opposite. Mostly rotating, and quite adventurous.

The Daily Pint, unfortunately, is much less adventurous, or less plugged in to the cutting edge of what's going on these days. Worse, though, is that they just don't do a great job of taking care of the beer. The lines don't seem to cleaned as assiduously as one might like, and the kegs can sit around in the sweltering heat for weeks.

As I said, I actually like the atmosphere there better, and was once enough of a regular to like the staff considerably, but have come to feel that they are a bit of a relic, not quite keeping up with the evolving beer culture. It's still possible for their tap list to have more stuff I like on any single night, but for those of us who live close enough to be regulars, The Library has a vastly superior and forward looking beer program now.

 

I've seen Blind Pig at the Library Alehouse on a few occasions

 

No one ever recommends the SM Promenade area. Not worth dealing with parking, but if your hotel is there you do have options.

 

Nothing really. Barney's has the biggest selection on the promenade, but it well.. Barney's

 

There is a small spot just west of the promenade on Broadway that has some good stuff. Think it is called Broadway ale house or something. And the a block east is West 4th Jane that can get some good stuff as well. To the other responder ; I think the promenade area has some of the best parking options in all of west LA due to the city-owned structures.

 

Yes there's Broadway Alehouse and The Yard (in the Promenade area). Both are convenient drinking places if you're already there. There's also the Sonoma Wine Bar in a very cool spot on the top floor of the mall but way overpriced and the focus for some reason isn't on beer. The city owned structures charge about $5 in the evening- make sure you remember exactly which structure you parked in as they all look the same. A couple years back The Yard poured some megawhales as part of a weekly series of rare craft beer.

 

I always forget about the Yard..good call.

 

Cheers to fellow gooner! Library Alehouse will be the best place to hang, lots better lookin people in that area as well. I'd have 3 pints there, then head down the street to the big irish pub with live music, plop down for a proper shepherd's pie with soda bread and Gness of course.
Daily Pint is basically my favorite drinknig hole in LA but for that dingy feeling i crave. Also, don't forget the burger at Rustic Canyon (they'll have a craft or two on tap too). Milo and Olive for your morning coffee and pasty

say 'ello to my little link

http://aht.seriouseats.com/images/20090923-rusticcanyon-burger.jpg

 

Re: the Promenade: Broadway Alehouse closed last year (or to put it more accurately, they were shut down last year after the owners were accused of using the bar to sell cocaine). They re-opened under new ownership as The Commons Ale House only to be shut down once again due to a "vermin infestation." I believe they've finally re-re-opened as of a few weeks ago. I haven't been in a hurry to investigate.

The Yard has its fans, but I wrote off that place after its handling of their rare beer tastings a couple years ago.

If I have to be at the Promenade, I tend to go for a new-ish place on Santa Monica & 2nd called The Misfit. Nice ambiance, nice food, good happy hour (which stretches from 12-7 every day). Or Sonoma Wine Garden works if I want a place with a view, or Barney's if I'm watching sports.

 

What type of beers does the Misfit offer? Was bummed when Anisette closed it's doors there.

 

oh hell yes that's a lively place. i dont know others in SM, there are shirley a few others.. the really good one is in pasadena, there is teh kind of a douchy one in hollywood too.

i dont know how it is in the chi are on EARLY here hahaha...

p.s. walcott walcott walcott walcott sign di ting sign di ting

 

As a fellow gooner I was just going to suggest you head to Ye Olde King's Head if you'd like to catch a match. I've only been a couple times as I live in Orange County but I remember the atmosphere being good. And if you're there this weekend at least the match is at a reasonable hour (7am). Cheers!

 

Yea, I hangout there all the time