Welp, the first annual Great LA Beer Run came and went and I think everyone involved agrees it was a great success.

We started off at the Highland Park Gold Line stop. After a bit of meet and greet, name tags, and sunscreen, the first place we hit was the Rock ‘n’ Roll 7-Eleven on Figueroa and Avenue 52.

I had driven right by it when I was getting off the freeway and was impressed with their banner advertising Rogue, Chimay, Duvel, Delirium and so forth. But when we got there, what really blew me away was their selection of glassware sitting behind the counter. Too bad I wasn’t in the market for any Chimay goblets or Affligem tulips.

My first purchase of the day was a bottle of this year’s Stone Vertical Epic. I had picked up a couple bottles back in June on a trip to the Wine Expo in Santa Monica, but they are still sitting in my closet and I’ve really been wanting a taste.

In today’s McWorld, it warms my heart to see this kind of selection from such an oppressive convenience store franchise. Unfortunately, Charles the manager wasn’t there to greet us, but someone definitely spent some time preparing for our arrival.

We hopped back on the bikes and cycled over to Galco’s, a mom and pop-type soda pop shop on York and Ave 57. This place was really amazing. Aisle after aisle of bottles. Tons of soda that you’ve never heard of and one of the best beer selections I’ve seen in all of LA.

Nothing is refrigerated, but this worked out well because the beers were going straight into my backpack anyways. I adopted a single St. Bernardus Abt 12 from a litter of 4, and a bottle of North Coast Old Stock 2006. And just for good measure I grabbed a miniature glass bottle of Dublin Dr. Pepper, which John, the proprietor, commented on while ringing me up.

It suffices to say that all the liquor stores on our route were incredible. Red Carpet in Glendale, the beloved Cap’n Cork in Silverlake, special guest store Vendome on Olympic, and the illustrious Wine House in Culver City.

Here’s a picture of my haul, taken outside of the Cap’n Cork:

The ride from Wine House back to Echo Park went by much quicker than I expected. I guess having all these beers waiting for us when we got home was a good motivator.

Hacker-Pschorr is a great bananay hefe, one of my favorites. Butte Creek Christmas Cranberry Ale was not Christmassy enough for me, and frankly a little watery, but I really enjoy Butte Creek’s Organic IPA and Porter. Stone Vertical Epic ’07 is fantastic, will I actually be able to save the one in my closet for 5 years? Don’t know about that. Old Stock 2006 is heavy, sweet, and great for savoring. I actually didn’t get to try the Abt 12. Loterbol Bruin hit the spot, subtle and highly sessionable. He’brew Origin Pomegranate Ale is an imperial amber. Interesting style, but a little too boozy for the pomegranate to shine through. Tasty beer though, I will definitely try some of their others.

The great thing about our tasting afterwards was all the sharing.

Highlights of the evening included the Allagash Curieux, a tripel that’s aged in old Jim Beam barrels, Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter, a coffee-caramelly dark beer brewed in honor of Hunter S. Thompson, and Duchesse de Bourgogne, a deliciously sweet and sour Flemish Red Ale that I could drink all day every day.

Special thanks to Hot Knives for hosting and providing some incredible nuts, which you can now enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

Viva La Grand Crew ’007!

When was the last time you rode your bike to go beer shopping? Probably been a while. Admit it, you never walk anywhere in LA. Well this Saturday, August 11th, you have the opportunity to get off your duff and visit not one, not two, but five of the best beer stores in LA, just as long as your little legs are up for it. Yes, it’s the first annual Great LA Beer Run, brought to you by Hot Knives.

I am ridiculously excited for this event since it incorporates two of my all-time favorites, bikes and beer.

See below for details.  Be there or be square.

For no good reason at all Hot Knives is hosting our first (annual?) bicycle tour of L.A.’s best beer stores on Saturday, August 11. We know we’ve been eluding to this thing for months, since we first started reviewing our favorite brew purveyors for this site. But now the date is set and the details are fermenting. La Grand Crew ‘007 is here!

So, bike buddies, we invite you to tear yourselves away from watching Tour de France reruns at the Yard House and come join us and our closest alcoholics on an overly ambitious beer adventure! Hitting all five stores FEATURED HERE, we plan on traversing L.A. side streets to collect a wide array of bombers and six packs with the express purpose of throwing a tasting/swigging/gulping/retching party at the finish line. We’ll be starting at the Gold Line Metro Highland Park station and end at Echo park lake for a hot nuts & cold beer party. Maybe that’s reason enough to be doing this. In between we ask only that everyone 1) make new friends 2) buy a beer at each stop 3) drink lots of water.

Every store has generously offered to give us discounts and to not comment on our god awful August-heat stank. This event is, obviously, free. You just need some spending money for beer and a bag, sack, fanny pack or pannier. All the details are on the above flyer thanks to Meanstreetz Industries, our co-conspirator ) or contact us with other questions. If you’re down please RSVP ASAP to hotknivez@gmail.com, tell a friend and feel free to let us know if you’re a bike expert or a beer expert with any special skills you can lend to the team! We will post an estimated schedule and map next week in case anyone wants to join the ride partway, which is only very mildly frowned upon. La Grand Crew!!! Whose in?