LA-beer-week-headerla beer week committee talks events at eagle rock breweryLA Beer Week is coming at you full steam ahead. If you don’t know much about beer and are looking to learn more about the goodness, now’s your chance. With over 75 beer-centric events all over Los Angeles, 70 breweries at a huge closing beer festival at Union Station and seven times as many people as last year coming together to make it all possible. The beginning of October marks a pivotal time for Los Angeles and its exploding beer scene. Here’s the lowdown …Here are just a few of the events that were discussed today at a press conference for LA Beer Week. There are tons more at the LA Beer Week calendar of events.

Drink Your Way Through LA Beer Week

  • The LA Beer Week Festival at Union Station will be classy times with tons of brews and good people. Dennis Hartman, a Los Angeles beer distributor with experience in the wine industry would like this event to help you “view beer the same way you view wine.” In other words, this is no parking lot beerfest! Gourmet food trucks will be selling food and there will be tastings of artisanal cheeses, coffees, and chocolates. Over 70 local and international breweries will be present to serve unlimited pours to attendees. The event is $40 a ticket.
  • Verdugo Bar’s Ryan Sweeney, encourages  you to “Look at the calendar of events and try and spread yourself out a little more. Go places you haven’t gone before. Give smaller places a chance,” during LA Beer Week. Verdugo Bar celebrates its anniversary during LA Beer Week at the Verdugo Bar Oktoberfest. Their patio and parking lot will be bustling with peeps dressed in their finest lederhosen, stockings, hats, and mustaches. Word on the street is a very special somebody will be donning a ladies beer wench ensemble. Killer beers, brats, music, pretzels and prizes on October 9 from 1 – 7 PM.
  • Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach is about to be totally taken over. They are going to have the most Stone Brewing Co. tap handles in one place — EVER! Stone’s Total Tap Takeover Tour will bring tons of Stone beers plus it’s CEO Greg Koch, President Steve Wagner, and Head Brewer Mitch Steele together under one glorious seaside roof. This is the official kick-off for LA Beer Week on October 7 starting at 7 PM.
  • The Blue Palms Brew House, the craft beer mecca on Hollywood Blvd. that’s connected to the Music Box, will be hosting special brewery nights during LA Beer Week. For the first time in Los Angeles, Colorado’s Avery Brewing Co. and founder Adam Avery will be at the brew house  presenting special beers on tap. Also coming up, a certain favorite brewery that’s hidden in the mountains just a few hours north of L.A. Big Avery Night is October 8 starting at 6 PM.
  • Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse has a special rare beer tapping just about every night! Rare beers from Lagunitas, Jolly Pumpkin, Russian River, Dogfish Head and Karl Strauss will be available nightly during LA Beer Week. If you don’t know why these beers are special, mosey on down and ask the nice people working there about what’s in your glass. Check out all that facebooking Library Alehouse has been up to!
  • The nascent Beer Bar in Glendale, an offshoot of SideBar, will be offering all craft beer on tap for $4 a pop.

Educate Yourself During LA Beer Week

  • Events such as “So You Want to Open an LA Brewery” provide an opportunity for you to learn about all the madness these talented brewers have been through in order to open up a local brewery. Young breweries such as Eagle Rock Brewery and Nibble Bit Tabby will be there to discuss how they made it all possible. Homebrewers gone professional who are soon to open up their own brewery, such as Ohana and Beachwood Brewery, will also be there to talk and share samples. Free event at Eagle Rock Brewery on October 12 at 7 PM.
  • Ever noticed how a beer at one bar may taste or look different than the same beer at another bar or restaurant? That’s often because of the way it is served. Those who are in the bar and restaurant industry have a chance to learn more about how to properly serve beer at the Micromatic Draft Seminar. The free customized training is for employees in the restaurant and bar industry. October 8, 11 AM – 1:30 PM at the Surly Goat.
  • California is home of some amazing beers, and Tony’s Darts Away will be discussing how those beers compare to brews around the world at California vs. The World. Paige Reily from Tony’s Darts hopes that LA Beer Week will bring all kinds of people out to try beers, including those who don’t know just yet what the words “craft beer” mean. October 12 starting at 6 PM.

Eat Your Way Through LA Beer Week

  • The Dionicess VII beer pairing dinner brings the first ever Dogfish Head beer dinner to Los Angeles. Randy Clemens and Gev Kazanchyan will be presenting a five-course meal from chef Eric Greenspan at The Foundry on Melrose. The event will sell out and be super delicious.
  • We saw the creation of beer ice cream and on October 11 it will all be available at Scoops off of Melrose. Tai Kim and Matthew Kang shared their Union Jack Mocha IPA, Autumn Maple Molasses and Framboise Sorbet with us, to name a few.
  • There are a couple beer and cheese pairings throughout LA Beer Week. Hot Knives will be pairing cheeses with Bruery beers at Verdugo Bar and Allagash’s Rob Tod will be pouring and pairing his beers with cheese at Whole Food from 5 – 7 PM on October 14. At the Surly Goat on October 15 will be Barrie Lynn, the lovely Cheese Impresario, pairing beautifully presented cheeses with Schneiderweisse beers. Don’t forget grilled cheese and craft beer at Eagle Rock Brewery on October 8 at 7 PM!
  • One of the most highly anticipated events of LA Beer Week is Beachwood BBQ’s Molecular Beer Dinner. Chef Gabe Gordon will be cooking up some wild stuff to pair with beers from The Bruery on October 11. This event is sold out, but get on Beachwood’s email list to know about his next snazzy dinner.

Hang With the Cool Kids During LA Beer Week

  • At the Meet the Brewers reception you’ll have a chance to meet beery celebrities like Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing Co., Patrick Rue of The Bruery, Mak Jilg of Pasadena’s Craftsman Brewery, and more. The reception will be at Westside Tavern on October 8 starting at 12:30 PM.
  • LACABAL and Eagle Rock Brewery will be hosting a Brewer’s Brunch where beer lovers, homebrewers and brewers can come together to enjoy a “beer inspired” menu created by the Hot Knives on October 10 from 9 AM – 2 PM.
  • One of our favorite resources for learning about beer, aside from trying as many different kinds as possible for yourself, can be found at just about any establishment serving craft beer – the beer geek sitting beside you. Start a conversation with the person next to you during LA Beer Week. You’ll be surprised what a fellow drinker might teach you. Check out the calendar and find some new beer friends.

Additional Information
DrinkEatTravel’s coverage of LA Beer Week 2010
http://www.labeerweek.com