LA Craft Beer Crawl Returns to Downtown LA on August 13th

Get ready to hoist a glass to quality brews in Los Angeles as the LA Craft Beer Crawl returns for its second annual adventure through downtown.  Tickets will enable craft beer aficionados to sample unlimited tastings of over 60 craft brews at seven downtown bars on Saturday August 13th during the hours of 3 - 8 pm.  Legit breweries such as The Bruery, Craftsman, Cismontane, Eagle Rock, TAPS, Lagunitas and Allagash among others will be represented.

The beers have been curated by the Beer Chicks, Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, the authors of The Naked Pint and beer experts.  The participating bars are Golden Gopher, Caña Rum Bar, Seven Grand, Casey’s Irish Pub, Cole’s, Las Perlas, and Broadway Bar, all part of Cedd Moses's 213 Group.

There will be several gourmet food trucks along the crawl route to sate the hearty apetites of beer lovers.  The trucks will be selected by none other than Good Food host Evan Kleiman, who knows good eats when she sees them.

If last year is any indication, several brewers will be in attendance to show off their seasonal and rare brews to their fans.  Last year's event sold out, so I recommend that you get your tickets early.  Tickets are $49 and include unlimited tastings from 3 - 8 pm.  VIP tickets (limited quantity) are $69 and enable entry two hours early as well as access to some of the rarer brews.

Learn more and purchase your tickets at their website: http://lacraftbeercrawl.com/  Cheers!

First Impression: Public School 612

I was invited to try the newly opened Public School 612 gastropub in Downtown Los Angeles.  The restaurant, at the corner of 6th and Flower Streets, gets its name from its address at 612 S. Flower St.  As noted previously, there is a focus on beer and the beer list was curated by Hallie Beaune of the Beer Chicks.

The setting is within the Daily Grill downtown, but is comfortable and feels distinct.  There is a dartboard and there are twenty beers on tap.  The theme is a school house, so the menu comes in the form of a classic black and white composition book, a fun touch.  The food menu is short with just fourteen items plus a couple of desserts.

The Fried Chicken ($12) with hand cut fries and mustard and bbq sauces caught my eye.  It was served in newsprint but I was disappointed because the chicken was boneless, which I hadn't expected.  If a restaurant is serving boneless fried chicken, it should call it out.  My dinner partner and I were of two minds about the french fries.  The frites were thin matchstick fries, which were very crunchy.  I did not enjoy them nearly as much as she did.

The big winner of the night was the Dragoons Irish Stout Short Rib ($12) served with Yukon mashed potatoes and caramelized onion au jus.  The meat was tender; we hardly needed to use knives.  The meat had been imbued with tons of flavor and the potatoes soaked up the beef juices to make this a hearty and rich dish.  There was ample sauce so the short rib was nice and moist.

The Colorado Lamb Burger ($13) with tomato cranberry jam, arugula and brie was just OK.  As a fan of all things lamb, I had high hopes for this burger, but it was not anything special. It was cooked a tad more than I had asked for and just did not have the quintessential lamb flavor I was looking for.

When in the neighborhood, I'd certainly return for the Short Rib, which is a deal at only $12, and a glass of beer or two.  The beer selection is good.  You won't find the rarest of the rare, but that is not what Public School 612 is about; it is for people who appreciate good craft beer, not a temple to hops.  The staff was knowledgeable about the list, which reflects well on the Beer Chicks.  The Eagle Rock Solidarity went well with our food and I look forward to sampling more of the craft beers on the list as well as trying some of their signature cocktails on my next visit.

Public School 612: 612 S. Flower Street, DTLA. Phone: (213) 623-1172. Website: http://www.publicschool612.com/

Public School 612 Schools DTLA in the Gastropub Concept

Public School 612 opens today in Downtown LA.  The new gastropub is an offshoot of the Daily Grill and derives its name from its mission of being "an Education in in the Art of Food and Beer" and its address at 612 Flower Street.  The new restaurant will share a kitchen with the adjacent Daily Grill but have its own menu and drinks list.  The beer menu was created by Hallie Beaune, one half of The Beer Chicks, and the food menu was created by chef Phil Kastel (below).  The opening menu has twenty-two craft beers on tap, plus bottles and several large format beer options.

The menu is very different than that of the Daily Grill.  Menu items include fried chicken, croque madame, a cheese board, irish stout short ribs and lamb burger.  The menu itself arrives in the form of a homage to the classic Pee Chee folders you may remember from elementary school.  Kastel said, "we have to be more authentic because we are the Daily Grill."  There will always be a market vegetable option, which might include the attractively plated rainbow carrots I saw.

The lamb burger (above) served with tomato cranberry jam, arugula and brie ($13) will likely be the first thing I try, along with the fried chicken ($12).  The prices are wallet friendly and the spirit of the menu is nostalgia for classic American dishes, made with care.  The three sodas on the menu, Hank's Root Beer, Dr. Brown's Cream Soda and Orange Crush, all evoke that spirit.  The draft beer list is divided into American beers (American History) such as Allagash White and Deschutes Black Butte Porter, while the international beers are listed under the section labeled Semester Abroad.  Beaune, co-author of The Naked Pint, knows her stuff when it comes to beer, so it will be interesting to see how the beer list evolves.  The cocktails are made with fresh juices and most of the spirit list is taken up by "Classic Browns, " which makes this bourbon and rye fan happy.

Public School 612: 612 S. Flower Street, DTLA.  Phone: (213) 623-1172.  Website: http://www.publicschool612.com/

24th Annual Great Chefs of LA: A Smörgåsbord of Food & Wine

Chefs Jimmy Shaw of Loteria and Jamie Lauren of Beachwood

Sunday was the 24th annual Great Chefs of Los Angeles, a benefit for the National Kidney Foundation held at CBS Studios in the San Fernando Valley.  Dozens of restaurants, winemakers and brewers joined forces to support the cause and several hundred hungry charitable donors descended on the backlot to enjoy the various food and beverages available.

My three favorite bites are below:

Momed served a duck "shawarma" made with shredded duck, figs, and greens all stuffed into a pita.  Rich and savory at the same time, I went back for seconds.

The sushi from S H U (Sushi House Unico) from the Drago Family was also a highlight.  Fresh and clean with good quality sushi rice and served in an appropriate ratio of fish to rice.  Each piece was also one bite, as it should be.

Braised beef bone marrow and and crispy saffron risotto cake from Lago, in Santa Monica, was an ambitious dish to serve at an event like this.  Bravo.  The marrow was sweet due to the preparation.  I'd have preferred a more salty & savory rendition but still enjoyed this and they get bonus points just for serving the marrow.

So many chefs, bartenders, vintners and beer makers came out to serve their creations:

Chef Adam Horton of the Saddle Peak Lodge served a wild boar dish which was the favorite of many attendees. (I didn't sample it, but now want to get to his restaurant even more than before.)

Chef Josie LeBalch (left) of Josie in Santa Monica will be opening a second more casual restaurant next year.

Drago Centro head bartender Jaymee Mandeville was serving Smitten with Britain, a Tanqueray Gin cocktail.

The Drago empire was serving a whole piggy in a dramatic presentation.

One of the highlights of the day was the excellent beer garden curated by the Beer Chicks (Christina Perozzi, left, and Hallie Beaune, right).  They brought in TAPS, the Bruery, Duvel and Fireman's Brew among others.

Benjamin Weiss represented the Bruery with the Orchard White and the Saison Rue.

Brewmaster Victor Novak of TAPS Brewery in Brea brought four types of beer, including the seasonal Pumpkin Ale.

The one disappointment was that co-host Stefan Richter of Top Chef fame was not present, as he was in Finland.

It was a fun event and while sold out did not feel overly crowded, so it was a pleasure to walk amongst the booths and explore the food and wine and the great items up for auction. If you missed out this year, be sure to plan on being there for the 25th Anniversary Edition next fall.

This Sunday: Great Chefs of LA food & wine festival

This Sunday CBS Studio Center in Studio City is the host of the 24th Annual Great Chefs of Los Angeles, benefiting the National Kidney Foundation. The theme this year is Go Green, Go Organic and a slew of some of the top chefs in town will be cooking up dishes for the benefit. Participating chefs include Adam Horton from Saddle Peak Lodge, Celestino Drago of Drago Centro, Josie LeBalch of Josie and over 25 others.

The event will run from 12 Noon to 3:30 PM and includes champagne, wine from over 20 wineries and a beer garden curated by the Beer Chicks (the dynamic duo who organized and curated the 1st Annual Los Angeles Craft Beer Crawl.)  Tickets are $150, although Grub Street has a promotion where you can get 30% off - click here for the details.  Buy your tickets online here at the National Kidney Foundation website.

There are still tickets available and the funds go to a great cause.  Follow Great Chefs of LA on Twitter for last minute updates and details

CBS Studio Center: 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, CA 91604.

A Winning Formula: The 1st Annual LA Craft Beer Crawl

Saturday was the first annual LA Craft Beer Crawl, which was held in seven of 213 Group's bars in Downtown.  Almost 1,400 enthusiasts, press, brewers and friends attended the event curated by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, known as the Beer Chicks (pictured below).  On a hot day, the sold out crowd explored the offerings and migrated from bar to bar sampling craft beers and meeting the folks who produce them.

The Beer Chicks said they hope to "convert people to the craft beer lifestyle" and encouraged attendees to try darker beers saying "don't judge a beer by its color."  Over 50 different beers were represented, many from California breweries, with an emphasis on representing as many local quality brews as possible.

There were several treats along the way, including Maui Coconut Porter beer floats at Cana and beer cocktails at the Varnish created by head bartender Chris Bostick (pictured above).  I got the last beer float at Cana, which had a large crowd despite being a long walk on a very hot day from the other 213 bars.

The Varnish offered two cocktails: the Picon Biere (TAPS Belgian White, Amer Picon, lemon juice and sugar) and the Double Black Diamond (Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Goslings Rum, Whole Egg, Sugar & Nutmeg).  Both were refreshing and it was wonderful to be in the chilly Varnish, where LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold was holding court in a booth with colleagues from KCRW's Good Food, including host Evan Kleiman.

Gold curated the food vendors along the route, which included the Ludo Bites Truck, the Grilled Cheese Truck, the Manila Machine truck and Guelaguetza (inside Las Perlas).  All of the food vendors proved popular.  I have enjoyed all four in the past but only had an opportunity to sample the Manila Machine on Saturday, which was serving a mean version of corned beef hash.

The crowd of happy imbibers (Seven Grand is pictured above) included fellow bloggers Josh Lurie of FoodGPS, Pat Saperstein of Eating LA and Yolanda Evans of Eater.  It was great to see so many folks crowding the sidewalks and bars of DTLA all in search of and in support of quality craft beer.  In the past three years there has been a renaissance in quality cocktails in Los Angeles and it if Saturday was any indication, the beer movement here is only poised to grow.  I hadn't realized how many local breweries there are here in Southern California and look forward to trying more of their offerings.

Showdown at the Verdugo Bar Corral: Beer Float II

In a sequel that is more than welcome, Josh Lurie of FoodGPS will be hosting the second L.A. Beer Float Showdown on Sunday October 10th at 5:30 PM at Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. The showcase showdown will feature four teams competing to create the best beer float in LA. Last year Golden State and Scoops teamed up for the grand prize, but as they are not able to defend their crown this year, it is anybody's game.

The competitors are Boneyard Bistro, Ladyface Alehouse, Simmzy's and Tony's Darts Away. Each competitor will make a float which will be judged by those in attendance based on flavor and originality. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 in cash at the door, and half the proceeds will go to benefit the great charity Share Our Strength. If you want to be a judge, you don't need a degree in chemistry or experience as a judge on Iron Chef America, all you need is to purchase a ticket and be ready to cast your vote.

To help you feed your belly with food as well as beer, Josh has arranged for the Manila Machine and Mandoline Grill food trucks to be stationed outside Verdugo Bar to sell their famous eats.  This event is part of LA Beer Week, the second annual festival of all things sudsy here in Los Angeles.

Click the Pay Now button on the post here to buy tickets.

Verdugo Bar: 3408 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles. Phone: (323) 257-3408. Website: verdugobar.com

LA Craft Beer Crawl: This Saturday

The first annual Los Angeles Craft Beer Crawl will take place this Saturday afternoon in downtown. The event is a collaboration between the Beer Chicks (Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi) who are curating the event and Cedd Moses's 213 Ventures, whose seven bars will host the beer crawl. Tickets are $49 and are available online. The early bird and VIP tickets have both sold out and at this time only limited tickets remain for Saturday's event.

The stops on the Crawl include Broadway Bar, Casey's Irish Pub, Cana Rum Bar, Cole's, Golden Gopher, Las Perlas and Seven Grand. For those with VIP tickets, Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer Prize winning food critic from LA Weekly, will be holding court in the Varnish. To keep Crawl participants fed, Gold has curated a selection of gourmet food trucks which will be stationed along the route. LudoBites and Kogi are among the participating trucks.


Each $49 ticket entitles the attendee to a wristband and tasting glass which are the keys to unlock unlimited samples of over 50 different beers from 3pm - 8pm at the seven participating bars. Breweries represented include Allagash, Ballast Point Brewing, Brouwerij West, The Bruery, Craftsman, Chimay, Deschutes, Eagle Rock, Gentleman's Scholar, Jolly Pumpkin, Ladyface, Lagunitas, Lost Coast, Maui Brewing Company, New Belgium, Schneider, Sierra Nevada, Stone Brewing, TAPS, Uncommon and several more.

Beer geeks rejoice: Not only will participants get to try dozens of craft beers but several owners and brewers from the participating breweries will be on-hand to discuss their beers. Look for Tyler King from the Bruery at Broadway Bar, Jeremy Raub from Eagle Rock Brewing at Las Perlas, Cyrena Nouzille from Ladyface at Casey's, and Victor Nowak from TAPS at Cole's. Each bar will have at least one brewery represented.

Look for special pours and events at the different bars including the opening of a Jeroboam of Chimay Special Reserve at Seven Grand, Maui Coconut Porter beer floats at Cana and a signing of the Beer Chick's book Naked Pint at the Golden Gopher.

A portion of the proceeds from the Craft Beer Crawl will go to benefit local charity Heal the Bay, an organization dedicated to making the Santa Monica Bay and all of Southern California's coastal waters clean and safe for fish and swimmers to enjoy. Heal the Bay is run by Mark Gold, Jonathan Gold's brother. Talk about an overachieving family.

Remember tickets are only available online. Buy them here. Note that designated drivers can get a wristband to enter the bars for only $10, but they will not be permitted to sample the beer.