10 must-try craft beer breweries in los angeles
find the best brew for you in LA!
Published Sep 22, 2015 5:00 AM
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beachwood brewing
Long Beach has earned a reputation among beer geeks as one of the highlights of brewing on the west coast, and this award-winning brewery owned by Julian Shrago has been recently named “Brewpub of the Year” at the Great American Beer Festival. Julian and his crew make beers for both the beer nerd and casual drinker with their selection of popular IPAs and class house brews.
210 East 3rd Street, Long Beach, CA
WHAT TO ORDER:
Citraholic IPA, Knucklehead Red
smog city brewing co.
Smog City, an award-winning brewery owned by Jonathan Porter and his wife Laurie, has won three Great American Beer Festival medals so far, including a gold for their Groundwork Coffee Porter. The brewery is packed with dozens of wine and spirit barrels, and they offer a handful of excellent IPAs such as their Hop Tonic and Amarilla Gorilla, which is a perfectly crisp and floral bohemian pilsner and one of the best coffee porters out there.
1901 Del Amo Boulevard #B, Torrance, CA 90501
WHAT TO ORDER:
Groundwork Coffee Porter, Little Bo Pils
monkish brewing co.
Owner and Brewmaster Henry Nguyen of Monkish Brewing Co. uses beer as a creative outlet with his monastic brewing traditions. Nguyen’s Belgian-style brews including drinkable pale ales to potent tripels infused with all manner of uncommon botanicals. In his Monkish beers, the taste is balanced with every spice and botanical in accord with the complex malt profiles and the estery yeast.
20311 Western Avenue, Torrance, CA 9050
WHAT TO ORDER:
Try the Dat Moi Belgian lager infused with lemongrass.
highland park brewery
The four partners, Bob Kunz, Ross Stephenson, Michael Blackman, and Dustin Lancaster, behind the humble brewery, Highland Park Brewery, offer unique, quality brews and consistently changing seasonal brews. Choose from refreshing table beers featuring botanicals to complex ales like the Party IPA infused with Spanish cedar to unique options such as the Ham Porter (made with ham) and the Lazy Susan (a tart wheat ale made with 300 pounds of local peaches and nectarines).
Highland Park Brewery / The Hermosillo
5125 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90042
WHAT TO ORDER:
Beer Spaceship, Cherry Spazz Wild Ale
eagle rock brewery
Eagle Rock is not only one of the best breweries in the city, but this spot was the first craft brewery in Los Angeles, and has been operating for over 60 years. Their slogan is “Beer for the people” as this brewery has a strong community sense with homebrewers and hosts brewer meet and greets and in-house seminars. As for the brews, they offer both light and complex beers such as their delicious Single Hop XPA made with Centennial Hops.
3056 Roswell St, Los Angeles, CA 90065
WHAT TO ORDER:
Solidarity Black Mild, which is a refreshing light-in-body dark beer with a malt flavor
craftsman brewing
Founded in 1995, Mark Jilg’s Craftsman, located in Pasadena, has been dedicated to perfecting quality, not quantity for the last 20 years. Known as one of the most respected breweries in the city, Craftsman offers fantastic classic style beers such as their Rye Pale Ale, Scotch Isle Ale and Smoked Black Lager, as well as a unique selection of wild and sour ales.
1270 Lincoln Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
WHAT TO ORDER:
Try the 1903 Pre-Prohibition Lager or the Triple White Sage (Belgian-style tripel with sage).
el segundo brewing co.
If you love IPA brews, then check out Rob Croxall’s El Segundo Brewing Co. that offers a tasty, refreshing lineup of pale ales and a range of IPAs made with earthy and tropical hops and classic West Coast and citrus and pine flavors.
140 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
WHAT TO ORDER:
Try the White Dog IPA, a wheat-based and tropical brew or the Mayberry IPA made with Mosaic hops.
macleod ale brewing co.
This small, cask-only brewhouse located in the Valley suburb of Van Nuys is focused on creating traditional British style ales conditioned and served from casks. Its brewmaster, Andy Black has managed to make classic styles such as small stouts, traditional bitters and drinkable Scottish ales.
14741 Calvert Street, Van Nuys, CA 91411
WHAT TO ORDER:
The King’s Taxes Scottish Ale, Little Spree Yorkshire Pale Al
ladyface ale companie
Located in the San Fernando Valley, Ladyface Ale Companie combines an Art Nouveau aesthetic with an elegant approach to its beer crafting. The brewery offers crispy and consistently good beers including fan favorites, the Trois Filles Tripel and La Grissette farmhouse ale.
29281 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
WHAT TO ORDER:
Try the grisette, a tart yet refreshing brew, or enjoy their Blind Ambition, a fruity Belgian dubbel.
golden road brewing
Focused on quality and sustainability, Golden Road is putting out some solid brews, with their saisons, lagers, and their new signature series of IPAs, which can be found at nearly every corner liquor store in the county.
5410 W San Fernando Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
WHAT TO ORDER:
Try their 329 Days of Sun Lager, a complex beer with accents of floral notes of German hops and an addition of acidulated malt.