Tag Archives: laoutdoorbars

Our Holiday Beer Finds Part 1: ANGEL CITY BREWERY

image[5]Over the holiday weeks I made it a plan with Mr Beerman to go to some new beer bars around the LA area. Branching out. Seeing whats out there. Trying new stuff.

Of course we started our two weeks with a trip to Story Tavern http://www.storytavernburbank.com , Tony’s Darts Away http://tonysda.com , Link N Hops http://www.linknhops.com and Golden Road http://www.goldenroad.la/pub/ And spent New Years eve celebrating Germany’s midnight (3pm) drinking German Beers at The Red Lion Tavern http://www.redliontavern.net

…Oops. Old happens die hard. Those bars are the BEST. Just look Draft mag called out Tony’s in their top 100 bars in the country! http://draftmag.com/americas-100-best-beer-bars-2015/

But we needed to see what else was out there. So after we enjoyed our old favorites we decided to make a point of trying some new beer spots in our area. For this first blog entry we headed to downtown. This was our first trip to Angel City Brewery http://angelcitybrewery.com . image[3]

We have tried their beers for years at the beerfests we attend. We have their beers at the aforementioned local pubs we frequent. We have even seen their beers at our local Costco in a variety pack. But we had never been down there since its opening of the downtown venue in 2010. (Angel City has been brewing craft beer since 1997, had its first location in Alpine Village in Torrence in 2004).

What have we been waiting for? This place is the BEST! Well behaved We went on a weekend, so we could bring our well behaved boys and enjoy a lovely Sunday with some flights. IMG_9806
The beers there are amazeballs!

They have a big selection to choose not just IPAS, from their Eureka Wit “A refreshing traditional Belgian white ale with coriander and orange peel”, Angleno IPA “A West coast Style IPA full of hops yet well balanced with a heafty malt backbone” (that’s for sure I really like this IPA and you know I don’t love every IPA I meet) , Gold Line Pilsner “A traditional European style pilsner medium bodied and dry hopped with a clean dry finish”, Amber Ale “Light and refreshing amber hued ale with a fruity aroma and sweet malty finish”, Marilyn “Barley corn and oats give this lager styled ale a slightly sweet aroma light body and dry crisp finish”, Imperial Chai Stout “Full bodied dark and rich with hints of dark chocolate roasted malt and chai it finishes smooth sweet and spicy”, and Vanilla Porter “Full bodied porter with bold vanilla flavors and a subtle roasty/chocolate finish”. Not one was bad. http://angelcitybrewery.com/beer/ They were all great!
IMG_9803I will say my favorite was the Amber. I love a good amber and boy this one was good!

I have to give a special shout out to their Vanilla Porter.IMG_9810 First I love a good mid range ABV on my porter (meaning not too boozy) and did you guys nail the vanilla or what? So many brewers try. So many fail. So many want the vanilla flavor you achieved. You Angel City are far beyond the best at doing vanilla. HUGE thumbs up.

The place is a big open air venue.IMG_9812 (It was brisk the day we were there but not bad) I fully intend on going back in summer when its 80 out or like today since its 80 out.

They had games to play on the giant benched picnic tables a second floor with more seating and the bar seating area.IMG_9798

It was BYOF – Bring your own food, we did that and it was great. IMG_9808

Angel City is usually open Weekdays M-W 4pm -10pm, TH-F 4pm -12am and Weekends Saturday 12pm-12am Sunday 12pm-10pm

They are located at 216 S Alameda St Los Angeles, CA 90012

I will for sure be visiting you again. (without the well behaved boys so we can have a few pints) And I will be picking up your variety pack at Costco for Playoff games this weekend!

Note to my dog loving friends my son wanted me to point this out to you: IMG_9816

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Haven’t been to Stout Burgers? Run dont walk.

IMG_7103Holy delicious Burger Batman! I know this is a Beer blog but my recent lunch at Stout Burger in Studio City made me change my name to burger lady just for the day. http://www.stoutburgersandbeers.com/beer-menu-studio-city

Stout burgers is and I quote from their website: “a simple, upscale restaurant redefining the idea of the local pub – offering a vast selection of artisanal draft and bottled beers from around the world as well as an emerging list of wines together with the finest burger option in Los Angeles”. That’s about right. Right now locations are Hollywood by the Archlight and Studio City but looks like there’s a Pasadena and Santa Monica location opening soon. Lucky you guys!!

They have 30 beers on tap and they’re a nice selection.IMG_7101 IPAs, Belgiums, Stouts, Lagers, Pilsners, Ales and Pale Ales. And that’s just on tap. They have a selection in bottles that includes some really hard to find beers.

Aside from the great selection of beer I am pleased to say they meet one of my huge summer favorite things. By now you know me and know what I am going to say. “Outdoor Drinking”. The whole place is practically outside. The bar had that cool on the strip Vegas feel to it. Right there looking out on Ventura Blvd as you sip your beer.

Today I got the Firestone Hoppy Pivo Pils and Mr Beerman ordered Stones Pale Ale.IMG_7106 They are old favorites. Nothing new to report here. Just glad they had them. Go California beers!

But I need to talk about the food. Their burgers are perfect. Don’t even tell them how you like it cooked. Just go with it. It’s so juicy; So flavorful; So good. It’s funny my husband and I always get the same burger. Me the Goobah which is beef burger with mozzarella cheese, crispy prosciutto, and a lemon aioli and Mr Beernan won’t vary from the Stout Burger, blue cheese, emi gruyere, rosemary bacon, caramelized onions, horseradish cream and roasted tomatoes. Ridiculous. Both burgers. You kinda want two but then you are like no..that would be wrong. But sometimes I don’t want to be right.

Note: Stout would you consider doing sliders? We love our “go to” burgers so much we won’t order a different but would love to try the others.

And they don’t have just beef. They also have Chicken burgers and even veggie burgers! Something for everyone. And dont even get me started on the sweet potato fries, onion rings and bread pudding. To. Die. For. Who’s your exec chef? Wait I looked it up “Executive Chef Alex Kagianaris has turned the burger into a gourmet treat. Thanks to its mainstay of a few quality ingredients, cooked quickly and served up as fresh as can be, the burger at STOUT makes the perfect meal – nutritious, filling, and the perfect pair for that specialty beer combining a host of sweet/salt/sour flavors to tantalize the taste buds. True that. Kiss him for me.

There’s a lot of gourmet burgers out there now. I enjoy many. But none as much as Stout. Combine that with the choices of beer and outdoor bar I’m sold. The bartender was super friendly too. Nothing bad to say its an A+ place. IMG_7109

My husband mentioned how when we met he lived with his two buddies in a house about two Blocks from where Stout is now. Thank goodness it didn’t exist 15 years ago. We probably would have never met. He would have been there every night knee deep in Stout Burgers and Pints.