Now I don’t know what the prize is, I would assume a years worth of candy, but the real prize is getting a beer advocate like Christina in front of the 2 billion eyes that read Daily Candy every day.  This is beer evagelism at its finest, and it’s cool to think about legions of Daily Candy readers putting down their wine glasses and ordering a 750 of Duvel.

Congrats Beer Chick, and thanks for raising the bar for craft beer in Los Angeles!

If you keep an eye on the Beer Job Boards, you’ll see that Whole Foods jobs come up pretty often.  Often times, they will just say something like Specialty Team Member.  Their specialty department encompasses beer, wine, and cheese, so its more than just beer.  BUT, if you see Beer Specialist in the job title, that would be the point person in the beer department.

It looks like Los Angeles is a hot spot in need of more Beer Specialists right now, since there are 3 listings up on the Beer Job Board.  There is one at their Westwood location, another in Tustin, and then a more generic listing that just says they need a Beer Specialist in Los Angeles.  Possibly a double listing?

Who knows if this represents some sort of trend in a city that has long been a wasteland for beer.  Maybe Los Angeles is starting to catch up to the rest of the country?  Or maybe Whole Foods’ recent merger with Wild Oats has created more beer job openings?  Who knows.

*lifetime supply of granola may actually be a ficticious job perk

21st Amendment, a great brewpub and restaurant in San Francisco, recently announced they are expanding production.  They are joining the ranks of craft brew superstars Oskar Blues and Surly Brewing by putting great craft beer into cans.  Normally only available at the pub, 21st Amendment is now receiving wider distribution, available throughout California at BevMo, and soon making their way into supermarkets in the Bay Area, Sacramento, Tahoe, and Alaska (what, no LA love?).

Their two beers are Brew Free Or Die IPA, and Hell or High Watermelon Wheat, both of which are quite tasty.

Right now on their website, there’s a note up that congratulates President Elect Barack Obama with a tasty little slice of double entendre:

Find out more about 21st Amendment at 21st-amendment.com

12 years in business and no signs of slowing down.  Just three years ago they moved into their new building, and already, they are outgrowing it.

Along with a lolcatted picture of their current location, their newsletter also had this to say:

Do you know of a friend’s second cousin with a father-in-law who knows a guy who has a building really close to our brewery that he hasn’t put on the market, but might consider selling to us in exchange for a lifetime’s supply of Stone?*

Truth is, you never know what’s out there around the corner unless you ask. So, we’re officially putting the word out. We’d appreciate knowing what might otherwise be unknown possibilities that could be just ’round the corner. Connect a brother (errr…brewery) up! Trust us, we KNOW how to say “Thank You” in a way that could make you Mr. or Ms. Popularity for a very long time.

It’s important to keep focus though. So hold off on sending the email about your sister-in-law’s boss’ “perfect” property in Duluth. No disrespect to Duluth, but we’re not interested in locating there. Ever. We like it here. So, if what you’ve got in mind isn’t the same as what we’ve got in mind but you just HAVE to send an email to us about it anyway (e.g. you’re halfway through a bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale as you’re reading this on your computer at your kitchen table), OK… send that email anyway to THIS email address.

Even better though, contact us HERE if you know of anything that fits the specs below.

We are looking for:

TO PURCHASE
50,000 – 55,000 sf.	4-6 loading docks

and/or

TO LEASE/BORROW FOR 18-24 MONTHS (As an interim step while we build a new place, or keep looking if the search takes us longer than we hope)
15,000 – 20,000 sf. Coldbox Capacity	Minimum of 2 loading dock access

Might just have to crack open a bomber of their Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout tonight in Stone’s honor!

It’s not quite official, but the Blue Palms Brewhouse opened its doors for business last Friday night.  Word of a new craft beer bar in the heart of Hollywood has been spreading like wildfire over the last few months, and the rumor mill had been working overtime.

Founders (!) in LA?  Proximus (!!) and Russian River on tap?  A firkin of Firestone’s Parabola (!!!) for the opening?

The official opening is this Saturday the 16th, so you will have to check it out then, because I can not confirm or deny anything that might have been mentioned. All I know is that owner Brian Lenzo is a huge beer fanatic, and he definitely has some tricks up his sleeve.

Beer geeks were out in full force for the soft opening, and there were plenty of big beers to be had.  Hair of the Dog Fred was on tap, probably for the first time in Los Angeles (west of Stuffed Sandwich, that is).  Other heavy hitters included St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Ola Dubh 30, which first reared it’s delicious head at Verdugo Bar a few months ago.

photo credit: flickr user lesbal123

Contributing to the opening day excitement, there were several new beers that made their LA debut at Blue Palms.  I was excited to see the Black Sour from Craftsman, a new beer that I hadn’t heard of.  Mark Jilg and Head Brewer Todd Peterson were in attendance, but I didn’t get a chance to ask them about this new creation.  It’s definitely not a puckeringly sour beer, but like all Craftsman beers, it’s worth your money.

From San Diego, there was a keg of Lost Abbey’s Witches Wit, as well as some Vertical Epic 08.08.08.  I can’t believe I missed my opportunity to drink that beer on it’s namesake day, but I’m sure there will be plenty of it this weekend at Stone’s 12th anniversary party in San Marcos, so no need to fret.

Well actually, maybe I will do some minor fretting.  After a long day of beer tasting in San Diego, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to the Blue Palm’s official opening, this Saturday night.  I’m sure Brian’s going to be saving some special treats for those of you who know what to ask for…

Blue Palms Brewhouse
6124 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA, 90028
phone: (323) 464-2337

Next to the Henry Fonda Music Box

photo credit: flickr user lesbal123

Well, I’ve been busy with another project, consulting and helping to build the fantastic new California Beerzine, which just launched last week.

This site is a great resource for anyone who lives in California, and even for those out-of-staters who are planning a trip to the west coast. There is a California Beer Events page for keeping up with beer tastings and festivals across the state, a California Beer Blog Aggregator for quick digestion of all your favorite Golden State beer blogs, and even a job engine for finding beer-related jobs in California.

But probably the most exciting feature of California Beerzine are the California Beer Forums, a venue for California beer enthusiasts to connect and share local beer info.

Behind the project is an old friend of mine from my Santa Barbara days, Ed Westin. Ed is a great guy with a love of all things hoppy, and I wish him the best with his awesome new site.

In launching the beerzine, Ed is bringing together great beer bloggers from across the state, and giving them a platform to promote their writing and to elevate public awareness of all the fantastic beers that are being made in California. In the first issue, I’d say so far he’s done a pretty successful job.

So far, there are some great articles up, my favorite being Blessed Are the Beer Dorks by Jay Hinman of Hedonist Beer Jive. Jess, the Thirsty Hopster, contributed a great piece about converting your friends into craft brew drinkers, and Steve Sage of Summer of Beers wrote up a piece on his recent trip to the Russian River brewpub.

Head on over and check out the brand new California Beerzine, and tell them Dave sent you. Bookmark them, subscribe, and check back frequently!

I have great news.

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.

Tomorrow, June 6th, 2008 at 6pm SHARP

Daily Pint
2310 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica

Daily Pint Official Site

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!

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!

Time to add another amazing beer bar to your drinking repertoir.

After many months of building code snafus and limited business hours, Verdugo Bar is officially opening tonight.

God bless ‘em for their sense of humor, they’ve got Delirium Tremens and St. Bernardus Abt 12 on tap right next to Miller High Life. Click on the picture above to get an idea of their bottle selection (available to take home!), but keep in mind their selection has probably changed since this picture was taken a couple months ago.

Ryan, the resident beer geek, loves to rotate special beers through as they become available. I spoke with him yesterday and he mentioned they were working on getting a keg of Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special Reserve 30, which is aged in oak barrels previously used for maturing 30-year-old single malt Scotch.

I’ll believe that when I see it!

Verdugo Bar
3408 Verdugo Rd
Glassell Park, CA 90065
323-257-3408

Open Tuesday thru Sunday, 8pm til 2am.

New York Times: Long on Beer, Short on Pretense
Urban Daddy LA: Brew the Right Thing

[Via Hot Knives]

It’s that time of the year again. Last week Stone released one of their most beloved seasonal beers, 2008’s Russian Imperial Stout. Buy a couple bottles if you’re lucky enough to find it, this is one of those beers that vanishes off the shelves pretty quickly. Part of the reason for this is because it is great for cellaring, so people tend to buy these beers as an investment in their collection, to be enjoyed years from now.

If you haven’t started a beer cellar yet, this is an excellent choice to get the ball rolling. But if you prefer instant gratification from your beer, there are 4 places here in LA that have this fabulous beer on tap: Library Alehouse, The Daily Pint, Lucky Devil’s, and BottleRock.

This is a beer that makes you glad to live in Southern California, since we get first dibs on it. It has a huge following all over the country, and is probably more appreciated in the Northwest than it is here. If you happen to be walking down the street in Portland, it’s not unlikely to see some guy watering his lawn while sporting his prized Stone Imperial Russian Stout T-shirt.

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!

To register, contact: urbaniditarodLA@gmail.com

Good links to visit:
Facebook Event Page
MySpace Profile
2007 Award Winners

And just in case you’re still not excited enough for this amazing event, here’s last year’s write up in City Beat.

I’ll see all you crazy dogs on Saturday.

I tried this stuff over the summer in Seattle and I fully credit it with turning me on to sour beers. Can you guess which beer I’m talking about by looking at this horribly back lit photo? (Answer after the jump)

Yes, Rodenbach has finally made it to LA. Also keep an eye out for Rodenbach Grand Cru, which is aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Both available at Red Carpet Wine in Glendale for under 3 bucks.

A question I’ve been getting a lot lately is, “Dave, when are we going to see Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Breakfast Stout in LA??”

Truth is, I had no idea, and it killed me to not have an answer.

But just a few days ago, I stumbled upon Mikkel(ler)’s Blog, presumably written by brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsøl.

According to a post written back in December, the next batch of Beer Geek Breakfast Stout will be brewed at Nøgne Ø.

In late january 2008 I will travel to Grimstad in Norway to brew two batches of Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, which has been sold out worldwide for quite some time now….!
Allready beeing in Grimstad, Kjetil – the head brewer of Nøgne Ø – asked me to do a guestbrew with him. Together we have been working on a recipe for a pretty special brew….

So if this stuff is being brewed at the end of January, what can we extrapolate from that? Maybe we can expect it out here by March or April? Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Also interested to see what kind of Mikkeller/Nøgne Ø mashup is in the works.  Maybe a Signature Ale of sorts?

Also making appearances this month are Craftsman’s Oktoberfest, and as part of the John’s Locker Stock program, Rogue’s Imperial Porter. This stuff is so special I don’t even have an appropriate graphic to use for it. There is only one keg and then it’s gone forever.

Also, I don’t know if they have any left, but about 2 weeks ago, Library Alehouse and Daily Pint both got 2 kegs of Stone’s 11th Anniversary Ale. This year it’s a black IPA that weighs in at around 9%. Oh, and did I mention it’s rated 91(!!) on BeerAdvocate?

Bombers can still be found at Wine Expo and Jerry’s Liquor.

Keep your eyes peeled and your throat parched for some new Stone releases hitting the taps at Library this coming week.

It’s exciting to think that Santa Barbara, which is mainly known for its wine, seems to be emerging as a new haven for craft beers. Watch your back, San Diego.

One thing’s for sure, I need to visit the new Hollister Brewing Co next time I’m in SB for a pint of their Smoked Hemp Ale.

From the LA Times:

The pub is a big, airy place with stylish slate-gray walls. A low wrought-iron fence worked in a pattern of barley and hop plants separates the outdoor dining area from the sidewalk. Beyond the dining room is the brewery, displayed behind a big plate glass window in a room lined with gleaming white tile. Beside brewing here, brew master Eric Rose is also planning to age some beers in used barrels — dark beers in the Bourbon barrels, he speculates, maybe a Belgian ale spiked with dates in the Pinot barrels.

The beers he makes at the moment include a couple of pale ales, an organic amber ale and a jokey “smoked hemp ale” (”The J”), made with smoky German yeasts and sacks of sterile organic hempseed, which gives a subtle nutty flavor.

Rose has far wilder plans, including some beers fermented with 100% Brettanomyces yeast. This is wine country heresy — most winemakers are desperate to stamp out the dreaded Brettanomyces, which gives a flavor variously compared to meat, mushrooms, leather and elastic bandages. But Rose likes its effect on beer. His eyes shine as he exclaims, “It gives a sour lemonade finish!”

Read the rest of the article by LA Times staff writer Charles Perry: Something’s brewing in Santa Barbara wine country

Click here for video.

In today’s Travel section of the New York Times, Evan Rail throws himself on top of a grenade and submits himself to a beer pilgrimage across Germany in the name of journalism. What a noble cause.

New York Times

An interesting look at Weiss, Rauch, and Kölsch.

This is top-notch journalism here, people, so take heed.

But holy crap, I’m just realizing this now, not even one of the 25 or so beers they make is ranked on BeerAdvocate, because they are all still awaiting 10 reviews. Does no one outside of LA know about this beer?

Their most popular brew is their 1903 Lager, which accounts for about 1/3rd of their sales. I tried some of their Cabernale a few weeks ago at the Weiland Brewery Restaurant, it was amazing. It pours an odd pinkish brown, with a fizzy thin head and a fruity, floral aroma. Mark actually uses Central Valley grapes in the brew.  Another seasonal they make is the Triple White Sage, which is coming down the pike as we speak.

I learned a lot about Craftsman and Mark from this recent interview I read on LAist, so this is a highly recommended read.  I’m going to pass you off now, be sure to take notes, there will be a pop quiz later this week.

The LAist interview with Mark Jilg.

Yeah, this news is a little old by now, but as of yesterday, the Governor of South Carolina signed the bill into law.

Amazing what can be achieved with a little online grassroots activism. Congratulations to the great folk of South Carolina.  Alabama, keep fighting the good fight, the Belgians are on their way.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—A team of three out-of-work stem cell biologists announced Monday that, after four weeks of rigorous observation and field testing, the evidence conclusively shows that chief researcher Dr. Henry Rogers’ dog Franklin likes beer.

“We’re extremely pleased with the results of the experiment,” Rogers said. “It exceeded our highest expectations, and we’re confident that our findings will have far-reaching implications for the coming weekend.”

For the rest of this story and more, check out my favorite weekly publication, The Onion.

“Beer in supermarkets in Utah is weak, 3 points instead of the normal 6 points of alcohol. It’s the religious influence, and a pain in the ass. Now to me, it makes no sense. If you’ve got alcohol, you’ve got alcohol. So why 3 instead of 6? You know a drunk’s just going to drink twice as many beers to get drunk, so you not only have a drunk on your hands, you have a drunk who’s fat and gross. There’s nothing worse.”

In order to get decent quaff for their upcoming party, Stevo and friends go on a beer pilgrimage to Wyoming. You gotta admire that type of dedication; roadtripping across state lines to buy beer. But I guess that’s what I would do if I was living in Utah, where the liquor laws are so effed up.

Believe it or not, things are even worse in Alabama. Currently, it is illegal to buy or sell beer that is

1. Over 6% alcohol
2. In a container larger than 16 oz.

This is pure insanity. Luckily I live in California, far enough removed from the midwest that I don’t have to care, but if I lived in Alabama, I would be outraged. OUTRAGED.

The most maddening part? Wine and liquor face none of the same restrictions. Is this some sort of conspiracy between the Top Three breweries to keep Alabama drinking watery, fizzy yellow beer? I don’t understand, and I’m not sure I want to. But if you want answers, take a look at this history of beer in Alabama.

If this subject really fires you up, Jay at Brookston Beer Bulletin wrote an excellent article about the Free The Hops movement, and current legislation trying to fix things.

Bruno was right, Alabama is the gayest part of America!