How to Navigate L.A. Beer Week’s Musical Beer Crawl in Echo Park

Dear Los Angeles, L.A. Beer Week has officially begun TODAY! That means you have 14 days of winning opportunities to drink appreciate beers all over our expansive City of Angels. Beer dinners, meet the brewer nights, beer panels, beer festivals, pub crawls and so much more have filled the L.A. Beer Week events calendar, but there’s an event you are not allowed to overlook.

Yes, my children, the Musical Beer Crawl TOMORROW is an epic evening uniting 13 different music venues and craft beer pouring establishments on Echo Park’s W. Sunset Blvd. To enjoy the crawl, you must carry your free Musical Beer Crawl passport, entitling you to a host of great deals and special moments to cherish for the rest of your entire life. Here’s our lil outline on how we will own the night. You should join us.

The crawl stretches along W. Sunset Blvd in Echo Park between City Sip LA and The Short Stop. We’re thinking it’s a grand idea to start at The Short Stop, head to City Sip, then work our way back to a final dancing destination at The Short Stop again, giving ourselves two passes at enjoying the entire strip.

First, some tips.

• The passport is available for free right here. Print it at home, bring it with you.
• Bring some cash, a few spots are cash only.
• There are parking lots just south of W. Sunset Blvd. between Lemoyne and Echo Park Ave.
• For those paying attention to the @MusicalBeerCrwl twitter … you might get a few lil bonus surprises during the evening.
• Additional locations along the crawl route that are also delicious (but not officially participants on this crawl) are pointed out on the handy Musical Beer Crawl map.

Let us begin …

Start at The Short Stop with a warm-up brew. The Short Stop has a pretty crazy happy hour, with $4 drafts from 5 – 10 PM. Their tap handles are often graced with Eagle Rock Brewery’s beautiful, locally crafted beer and they will have a special keg of somethin’ on just for crawlers at a discounted price. They boast a good dance party too, but let’s come back to that later.

Mosey down to brand spankin’ new Sunset Beer Co. for $1 off beers and no corkage fee on bottled brews. The long awaited shop isn’t having their grand opening until October 15, but they are ready to provide crawlers a chill beer shop where we can enjoy a craft brew or two.

(photo from Grill ‘Em All’s Flickr)

Grab a killer dinner combo from the champions of the food truck world. Grill ‘Em All has a $10 dinner combo for crawlers which includes a Waste ‘Em All burger, fries and a drink for $10. They’ll be parked at one of their fave old spots, right by the Walgreen’s near Logan St. from 7 – 10 PM.

If burgin’ is not your thing, continue to Masa Cafe for their legendary deep dish style pizza, extensive delicious menu and a couple crafty taps for 10% off. What makes Masa even more awesome? They are the Donation Station Location for the Echo Park Animal Alliance. Throw a couple bucks into the big donation jar and help local animals in need!

Bathe your full belly in some tunes by checking out El Prado & Origami Vinyl’s Record Club Night. El Prado patrons will have their fave records spinning starting at 9 PM, and El Prado has a seriously special keg only available to crawlers … word has on the street is it’s DIVINE.

Oh, you’re jealous of all those folks who have their own record albums? Fear not, for Origami Vinyl is just across the street, and their shop is 10% off. Get you some albums, then head into neighboring Backside Clothing and don new threads for 15% off while enjoying Flying Dog brews in the shop. Shopping under the influence is nothing to be ashamed of, dear.

Ok back to the tunes. Head to The Echo, where $5 gets you into the Dirt Dress/Trmrs/Pangea/The Lovely Bad Things show. Check out the craft beer that The Echo has in cans, and look for a special Musical Beer Crawl keg here, too. If you are ready to go ape, go down to The Echoplex where Noche de Los Psychos will rock your hip little socks off.

It’s not over yet, because you need to go to the snazzy Mohawk Bend to enjoy something from their 70+ taps. DJ Randy Sosin will keep your ears happy while 15% off beer in the pub area will keep your wallet happy. Try their grub, check out the cocktails, hang on the patio. Chill out then get yourself over to …

City Sip! They’re going to teach you a thing or two about brew. Stone Brewing Co. representative Norm Stackhouse will be hanging out to teach you about a special beer flight. (P.S. their happy hour goes til 7 PM, featuring $4 drafts).

Now it’s time to head back to the Short Stop to get your groove on.

On your way back, we insist you experience Two Boots Pizza, who will have 2 for 1 pricing on all pizza slices. Good luck making a decision because it’s all too good. See if Grill ‘Em All is still hanging out (they’re around til 10 PM) if you need to feed the beast even more.

Should you prefer lounging, snacking and drinking while taking in the tunes, Taix 321 Lounge has 15% off food and drink, plus delicious craft beer on tap. Rough Church and 5-Track/Glass Goblins will provide the aural goodness.

Get to Lot 1 Cafe, where Buzz Bands LA is hosting Songwriter night featuring brothers from The Henry Clay People, Soft Swells and more. Lot 1 has nabbed a keg of Hopplosion for the crawl, and four of their taps will pour $4 brews!

Now you may dance the night away at The Short Stop. Make sure you play with all the arcade games and spend some time with the photo booth. Maybe snap a few pics before and after the crawl. Then you’ll have something to discuss during your safe venture home via cab, designated driver, or public transit, right? Yes.

Where?
2150 to 1455
W. Sunset Blvd
Echo Park, 90026

When?
Tuesday, October 11
Starting 5 PM – late
Check each locations’ hours here

Additional information:
Musical Beer Crawl | Twitter | Facebook | Untappd

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