Phil brought back 2 beer engines from the UK, and tomorrow at 6pm, the Daily Pint is having another Firkin Friday.
The first experiment with cask ale was a huge success. Firestone brought in a loaner beer engine and some Unfiltered Double Barrel Ale, and the keg was drained in 15 minutes.
Tomorrow they are bringing back more of the Unfiltered DBA, plus a cask of Stone Vanilla Bean Porter, which made it’s first LA appearance at Verdugo Bar a few weeks ago during their Stone tasting. (For the record, as much as I love it, I don’t count Naja’s Place as “LA”)
Is cask ale going to be a permanent fixture at the Daily Pint? With two new beer engines on hand, my guess is yes.
Angelenos have finally gotten a taste for fresh, delicious beer. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if Firkin Friday started becoming a weekly institution.
Fresh out of the gates of their hard opening, Verdugo Bar is already working around the clock to dispel any rumors that LA doesn’t have a real beer scene.
This Tuesday, May 6th, Verdugo is welcoming Sarah Lescrauwaet of Duvel USA who is stopping by to conduct a beer and cheese pairing. The bar is opening at 7pm, an hour earlier than normal, to reward hard working beer drinkers with a whole evening of Happy Hour-type price breaks.
From the taps, there will be specials on Rare Cos Vos, Houblon Dobbelen (!!), and Maredsous 8. In bottles, specials on Duvel and Ommegangs.
AND the first 30 people through the door get their own Duvel glass, laser etched and everything, probably the finest beer glass known to man.
Keep your eye on the Verdugo Bar Events Page, they have a lot of great stuff coming up. Save the date for their Stone tasting on May 18th.
Verdugo Bar
3408 Verdugo Rd
Glassell Park, CA 90065
323-257-3408
Open Tuesday-Sunday 8pm-2am
Open 7 days a week starting May 12th!
To celebrate the return of Dogfish Head to the California market, founder and President Sam Calagione will be pouring 90 Minute IPA, Midas Touch, and the new Palo Santo Marron, a unfiltered 12% malty brown ale aged in wood from the Paraguayan holy tree, Palo Santo.
This event is tonight, April 14th from 6pm to 10pm, at Tony P’s Dockside Grill in Marina Del Rey.
In order to age this new beer, DFH constructed a ginormous 10,000 gallon tank, and if you’ve got an extra 10 minutes, you should check out this video that gives some cool back story. The beer uses several varietes of Warrior hops, as well as Glacier and Palisade. A couple types of malts as well, including some chocolate malt, and tying it all together with a yeast strain used for Scottish ales.
Definitely looking forward to trying this one, as well as the whole new influx of DFH that should be hitting all the best LA beer stores soon!
That’s right, Real Ale in Santa Monica. A rep from Firestone is bringing by a temporary beer engine for this single keg, and once it kicks, it’s gone.
If there is enough enthusiasm from the beer community, maybe we can convince Phil to put in a permanent beer engine? Bring your friends, and be sure to explain to them what they are getting into. Some people have not yet been exposed to the joys of warm, flat beer.
The Otheroom is one of the finer beer establishments on the westside that has not been written up on this blog before. Mainly because its crowded enough as it is and there’s no need to go telling even more people about it.
But here they are, celebrating their third year of beer and wine, I guess you can say the secret is out. Venice denizens, never fear – they will still let you cut the line if you flash a Venice address on your driver’s license.
So now let’s talk about their beer menu.
First off, you’ve gotta love a place that keeps Oaked Arrogant Bastard on tap. And it was pretty cool those few months when they had the “NO STELLA” sign hanging from their taps. Yeah, eventually the demand became so insane they had to relent and put it back on tap, but it was cool to see them take a stand and try to open people up to other beers. Damn it people, try something new!
The Paulaner Hef is great, with or without lemon! They’ve got Allagash White on tap! (skip the lemon) They’ve got the lovely Duchesse de Bourgogne, one of my favorite Flemish Red Ales, up on their chalkboard! And of course, there’s the always reliable Racer 5.
If you’re looking for Friday night crowds on a Tuesday, Otheroom tomorrow night is the place to be. And don’t order Stella, give something new a try.
Otheroom Anniversary Party
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
Opens at 5pm
1201 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291
Ever since the Great LA Beer Run of 2007, I’ve realized what huge possibilities there are for events like these. Something this awesome doesn’t come to LA everyday. So when it does, you need to clear your busy Saturday afternoon schedule, find a dog costume, and round up a sled team of man’s best friends.
2nd Annual LA Urban Iditarod 2008
This Saturday, March 1st 2008
12pm – 6pm
Route TBA.
From the YouTube description:
For the past 12 years an event has occurred on the steep hills and dark alleys of San Francisco. This experience has change lives and molded a generation of athletic drinkers, young and old. Inspired by the great Alaskan sled dog race, humans have taken to the asphalt trails of the concrete jungle in the annual running . . . of the Urban Iditarod. A few long time veterans of this hollowed ritual have brought the event to the crown jewel of urban sprawl . . . Los Angeles.
In this race, teams of three or more “dogs” pull a “sled” that is guided by a musher.
From the Beta Dogs themselves:
Hundreds of doggies have already registered for the Second Annual Los Angeles Urban Iditarod on Saturday, March 1st. We meet between 12 and 12:30pm at the same place we started last year. If you didn’t run last year, you must register by email, and a detailed map will be sent out on Friday.
What to bring?
- Team of 4 or more costumed participants (dog themes please)
- Sled (shopping cart creatively decorated to match your theme) w/ ropes for dogs to pull
- Pre-race hydration of your choice
- $20 entry fee (per sled), for donation to LA Humane Society
Other Recommendations
- WEAR SHOES you can run in. Sandals/barefoot/Ugg Boots are not only bad style but terrible to run in.
- Please do not carry open containers of alcohol while running.
- Bring ID and some cash for the pit stops at local bars.
Not that we’re worried, but the race happens RAIN or SHINE!
