Awesome cover story from yesterday’s Calendar section.
A brief excerpt:
“Right now, in the L.A. scene, there are a bunch of places that are starting to address the whole spectrum of what beer is,” Jilg says. “It really is the tipping point, where decision makers — restaurant owners and bar managers — are realizing that beer is more than the big three.”
And craft beer is growing around the country. Denver-based nonprofit the Brewers Assn. reports that sales of craft beer were up 12% in 2006. The trade group has craft beer representing about a 3.5% share of the overall beer market, up from 3.2% at the end of 2006.
Those numbers jibe with trends the larger American brewers are seeing. Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of import, craft and specialty beers Andy Goeler says craft beer might even have a slightly higher percentage of the overall U.S. beer market, putting the number above 4%. “We’re starting to see the urban areas, and L.A. being one of the big ones, where the craft brands are really taking hold,” Goeler says.
Most urban areas are already associated with a brewery. San Francisco is home to Anchor Steam, San Diego boasts the presence of Stone Brewing, Chicago is linked with Goose Island and New Yorkers raise a pint from Brooklyn Brewery.
But L.A.?
“Los Angeles has the Father’s Office,” says Greg Koch, chief executive of Escondido-based Stone Brewing.
Although I always appreciate people being turned on to good beer, I generally found this article forced and silly. We all like Craftsman, and yes there are a number of good beer stores and bars around Los Angeles, have been for some time. Is this particularly new or evident of some changing trend? Not really.
Having one good brewery in Pasadena no less (Angel City is shitty and Skyscraper is brand new) does not a beer scene make. This seems a case of the LA Times needing a cover story cuz something else fell through. The freelancer didn’t even seem like he’d tried some of these beers, all two that he described. Even Charles Perry could have written more expertly about beer culture.
Yeah, the article itself was a bit of a wank. I liked seeing a cover like that on the LA Times, though. While the beer scene in LA hasn’t made any huge changes recently, its been building for a while, and it feels nice to be validated by the local media.
I think we’re really getting to a point where restaurants are realizing there’s a lot more than Bud, Miller, Corona & Heineken. There’s few things better than a place with an actually beer list.
But yeah, as far as beer culture goes, why aren’t there more brewpubs in LA? I’m really interested to see how Skyscraper does. They are starting to show up in restaurants and I dig their lager. Can’t wait to try the Christmas ale thats coming.