LA Beer Week Beer Festival's Bubbly Afternoon Soiree

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If there was ever a perfect day to sip a spectacular number of craft beers from some of the top national and local breweries, this past Sunday was it. Union Station played host to the final celebration of LA Beer Week via the LA Beer Week Beer Festival, with taps spread through the outdoor corridors and main courtyard just adjacent to the waiting room. Here, nearly 1500 revelers enjoyed sunny skies and refreshing brews. There were a few food trucks, namely Grill ‘Em All, Cheeseball Wagon, and Flatiron Truck to provide victuals for the hungry, but many hop-acolytes walked around with a lei of pretzels to clean off their palates.

Last year the event had a tough time selling tickets, perhaps due to the colder weather, but the tickets sold out this year thanks to the 70-some breweries pouring their best beers. Perhaps most exciting was a full complement from noted local craft breweries Craftsman (with nine of their current selections on tap), Eagle Rock Brewery (with Unity saison, a partnership beer with Craftsman specifically brewed for L.A. Beer Week containing tamarind), Golden Road Brewing (with a preview of Burning Bush, a smoked IPA), TAPS Fishouse & Brewery, and Ladyface Alehouse (pouring a “Hot 4 Teacher” spicy cask ale!).

Hopheads would have enjoyed selections other SoCal breweries like Bootlegger’s Brewery, The Bruery, Smog City (formerly Tustin Brewing), Noble Ale Works, and newcomer Ohana Brewing Co, which introduced a sour beer and Black Dahlia IPA, a dark IPA. There were also three breakout sessions, one on the history of beer, another on the evolution of beer, and a packed out third session about Food & Beer with a cheese tasting.

Of course a beer fest, probably the best annual festival in L.A., wouldn’t be complete without a national (and international) reach, including breweries like Dogfish Head, Stone, Anchor Brewing, Samuel Adams, Lagunitas, Firestone Walker, Lost Coast, Karl Strauss, and numerous Belgian/German beers in tow. Think Duvel, Chimay, Kasteel Rouge, Weihenstephaner, Delirium Tremens, et al. A swell way to send a Sunday afternoon.
·L.A. Beer Week Starts Today: 14 Days of Craft Beer Mania [~ELA~]
— Matthew Kang