Los Angeles Advice

I'm heading there now. Hope I can grab a **** still.

 

Wait a minute, is this the same HPB that has a "ham porter" that is absolutely foul?

Maybe I have to sneak back in and give them a second chance.

 

Not every brewery has a hit with every beer they make. Most beers HPB makes are delicious and certainly a great addition to the LA Brewery portfolio.

 

Curious what you didn't like about Phantom? Been there a couple of times but not recently

 

I mean, it was okay, I guess I just heard some good things about their sours so I was excited to finally try them but nothing blew me away. I tried everything from them that was on tap and their "sour week blend" and "rathbone" were the only ones I rated over a 3. It was pretty crowded, long lines for pours, and just struck me as more of a place that focused on atmosphere first and foremost.

 

Cherry ****z was excellent. It reminded me a bit of Caracter Rouge by Rodenbach (that's a good thing), plus some of that funky goodness from the brett. Yummy. The Achiever DIPA is also delicious, I must say. Uncontrollable is still amazing on tap.

I had another bottle of Nebraska w/ brett and I changed my opinion. I like the tap original better.

 

Actually I had it a couple of times because I'm local and try everything there. From what I understand the Ham Porter is just a holiday tradition that Bob kept from his homebrewing days. I'm not a porter fan but I thought it was quite drinkable and didn't really have any ham or smokey notes to it, and it definitely wasn't "absolutely foul". But maybe I had it after any initial smokiness from the ham had faded. Although it looks like you had it after I did so I guess that's not the case.

Anyway, everything that was up for the Cherry ****z release last Sunday (13 HPB taps) was just excellent except for the Ladies and Gentlemen, it's not my style, I don't like it, and I don't know if it's good or bad for a golden strong, and Refresh, which is just Refresh.

 

Ah, come on dude, these over the top comparisons don't do anyone any good. I'm on my second bottle of Cherry ****z for the day because I enjoy it a lot and, nah, not even close. And it's not very funky at all to me, right now it's still a nice, clean, fruited sour to me, I do hope it gets funkier.

 

Saying a beer reminds you a bit of another is a bad thing? Anyway, I don't think ****z is very funky, but you get some of that funk. Not a whole lot, true, but a bit. I think C Rouge is a better beer, but they do resemble each other. Cherry pie, biscuity malt base, tart and not too aggressively carbonated. CR is juicier, and a bit 'fuller' in the body; and is a tad sweeter too, I think.

But they are similar beers.

 

Because you're comparing a really good local beer to a world class offering. What @grilledsquid said earlier:

"The hyperbole does more damage than good, IMO. It raises expectations and if those expectations aren't met (which is usually the case with hyperbolic claims), the brand gets tarnished."

If people head to Hermosillo to drink world class beers and they're disappointed what do you think's going to happen when they actually do release a full on world class beer? I guess it would be a good thing for you and me because we'd get to drink it all but it wouldn't be as good for Bob and the rest of the folks at Hermosillo/HPB.

 

For whatever reason, I have not had a chance to venture out to Hermosillo to try their offerings. No real excuse on that one, just have not, even though I am pretty close. I am trying to fit it in my schedule, but I have not had time. By overhyping it, it can potentially make me disappointed when I finally get the chance. Then I say I am disappointed and it is overhyped to my friends, and they decide not to try it, then it just goes into that vicious word of mouth cycle, and then they lose that money that could allow them to invest further into creating even better beers.

I personally just like to hear someone is making a lot of really solid beers. I tend to try places I hear that make everything well, so that way I know whatever I try, I will probably enjoy.

 

I thought the ****z had a little funk. Not a ton by any means. And it's been a little while since I've had Caractere Rouge but I don't remember it being anything like Cherry ****z.

 

That same night I had the "Hello, LA" which had a nice mosaic / citra balance that I quite enjoyed. I'm not trying to besmirch Bob or his business, I just thought the ham porter was off and since that was the first taste I had of his offerings I was underwhelmed. I'm at Hermosillo a lot (last weekend, actually!) but my eyes gravitate toward the non HPB list more frequently. When I'm there next I'll give 'em another shot.

 

Definitely revisit their beer. IPAs are especially on point.

 

Point taken but here i wasn't claiming that the ****z was as good, i just said it reminded me a bit of CR.

 

Actually one issue I have with the place, it's really expensive. I think per oz, they have to be the most expensive brewery out there for consumption on site. 12oz IPAs for $7. A growler fill of the dipa was $24. Ain't cheap. That's more expensive than going to your neighborhood craft beer bar.

Beers are hit and miss there but the ones that hit are pretty good. I'm just not a fan of being charged up the yin yang twins for non oak aged sours and IPAs

 

i wish they had a better menu, but at least there's the chicken sandwich

what they have i'm personally fine with, but it's pretty limited. it makes it harder to coerce my gf to go there.

c'mon guys, you're losing revenue!

 

It's a very underrated element, and yeah, one that a lot of L.A. beer bars and breweries seem to be missing out on (surprisingly). My wife isn't a big fan of the food at Beachwood, Beer Belly or several other great spots, so we don't go there a ton. Luckily she's a fan of the food at Library, at least.

 

I think the expensive part is here to stay and will even get more expensive for us as the water shortage here in California continues. Right now most brewery's in California are doing okay with the water shortage but I can see in the future they will be charged a higher rate as they brew more beer. The hops aren't getting any cheaper. With all the experimental hops being grown these days you would think that the price would come down on hops, but we are getting more brewery's every year here in the state. DWP/Edison rates keep climbing for sure. As the brewery's expand the rent gets higher. And if and when California's minimum wage goes up so will the $$'s. So how much are we willing to spend before enough is enough?

 

Yeah I don't go to the Hermosillo expecting a great meal but I've been happy with the fried pickles, shishito peppers, pork belly tacos, etc.