Over 90 breweries, from hazy IPAs to barrel-aged sours, can be found in Los Angeles County, and more are constantly opening. Additionally, it’s not just about quantity—members of the Los Angeles Brewers Guild together won five medals. At the Great American Beer Festival in 2021 and 31 at the California Craft Brewers Cup. You never have to drink on an empty stomach thanks to the abundance of breweries. Which have introduced above-average food programs. And allowed some of the city’s most interesting new pop-ups to take over their beer gardens.
Honestly, wonderful craft beers are must-try this summer and well into the fall at a variety of breweries and bars. The best breweries and beer bars to get a pint, from sour beers to hoppy IPAs. It can be found everywhere from Downtown LA to North Hollywood and Long Beach.
Highland Park Brewery
The LA region’s hopheads have made this family- and pet-friendly brewery a major player. Their well-known crisp lagers and robust stouts are still available at their original Hermosillo location. But what keeps them coming back is their bigger, larger, industrial-style digs in Chinatown, Los Angeles. Equipped with picnic-style seating and a snack menu featuring cuisine that perfectly compliments their hoppy beers. With twice as much tank space in the Chinatown location, you can also anticipate the “adventurous mixed culture fermentation” and “wacky microbes and local ingredients” that are Highland Park Brewery’s trademark to be present in every pint.
Die-hard craft beer aficionados sometimes watch the brewery’s “Current Releases” page and hit the Chinatown location when a new creation is presented. Even if the restaurant is frequently busy. Everything is fine when you have a beer and the restaurant’s trademark Filet Uh Fish Sando on a soft potato bun. You should come prepared if you’re looking for a souvenir because limited edition beer cans and cool merchandise sell out quickly.
Golden Road Brewing
in Orange County, Golden Road Brewing draws inspiration from everything Californian, and with five locations added to its expanding roster. It appears that Californians are reciprocating the sentiment. On game days, people frequently flock to the Anaheim location, which is conveniently located across from Angel Stadium. With a full-service restaurant, a beer garden with 20 taps (and more on the way), a forthcoming kids’ area, and a dog-friendly area, it appeals to beer connoisseurs, baseball enthusiasts, and multigenerational families alike. Victor Novak, the owner of this establishment, is a fan of the vibe and uses it as inspiration for some of his boutique drinks, including a barrel-aged beauty.
The local efforts that are ongoing at these pubs throughout the year foster a strong sense of community and California pride. The Heal the Bay IPA is one of the more intriguing ongoing initiatives; it’s a citrusy, beach-friendly beer that donates a portion of sales proceeds to a nearby group that safeguards local watersheds and beaches. A brewery employee creates a brand-new beer every month on Brewsday Tuesday, so you may also stop by for that.
Broxton Brewery & Public House
The Broxton Brewery & Public House is located right in the middle of Westwood Village. In addition to the beer, you should visit this neighborhood brewery. Because it is in the amazing and stunning Janss me Building. West Coast comfort food (mac ‘n’ cheese skillet or smash burger, anyone? ), draft-based drinks, and a dog-friendly patio are all available at this neighborhood favorite. Award-winning, handcrafted beers are also served here. The brewers describe Fergus, a chocolaty, roasted, dry Irish stout, as being. Served on nitro for that silky smooth sweetness you’re searching for. And the Banana in the Tailpipe, a Bavarian-style Hefeweizen with banana and clove notes.
Most appetizers are half off at The Broxton’s food happy hour, which runs from 3-6 p.m. on Monday through Friday. If you ask nicely, you’ll also receive a “hidden menu card” that entitles you to $5 wines and $8 select drinks whenever you visit.
El Segundo Brewing Company
El Segundo Brewing Company was founded by a San Diego native who moved to Los Angeles because he couldn’t locate the SoCal-style IPAs he desired. To emphasize the distinctiveness of each blossom, whether flowery, fruity, citrus or otherwise. They make beers utilizing a variety of hops. They also have a serious obsession with fresh beer; Despite the fact that their brews are sold all over California. Any beer that is getting close to 90 days old gets taken off the shelves. The Mayberry Grill serves a limited selection of burgers and tacos from Thursday through Sunday. It is a part of the taproom. Additionally, if customers choose, they are allowed to bring their own food to the taproom.
All Season Brewing
Brewer Erick Garcia recently won a bronze medal. This is all the more impressive considering how difficult it is to medal in the very competitive IPA category at the Great American Beer Festival. In addition to adding a 15-barrel brewhouse enclosed in glass and indoor/outdoor dining, the old Firestone Tire location has retained a large portion of its original architecture and design. With a vast beer list that includes crushable American- and Italian-style pilsners, hoppy IPAs, malt-centric lagers, and rustic Saisons. All Season presents itself as a bar first. Well, drinks and craft cocktails are also offered. Play a couple of games of Skee-Ball after an $8 pint of the citrus and floral Bullitt IPA. Then visit Chica’s Tacos nearby to satisfy your nacho and taco cravings.
Beachwood Brewing and BBQ
Visit Beachwood Brewing and BBQ in Long Beach or Huntington Beach (in Orange County) and park your car there to sample some of their 22 rotating taps of craft beer. In addition to winning in the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup, brewmaster and co-owner Julian Shrago and his crew also make award-winning brews. You can trust that the people who make these beers care deeply about quality.
The brewery’s dry-rubbed, low-and-slow BBQ goes perfectly with a pint of Resinator, a West Coast-style India Pale Ale. To get you started, there are burgers, brisket, pulled pork, and pulled jackfruit. There is another one in Garden Grove if that one is more suitable for you.
MacLeod Ale Brewing Co.
The popularity of English-style beers hasn’t yet spread to the United States, although Los Angeles does have a Van Nuys location that serves bitters, pales, and ESBs with the distinctive sessionability of Great Britain. This location is just behind auto repair businesses. A suitable pint should be from the hand pump. It’s also one of the few places where you can order fresh pizzas with 48-hour-fermented dough and housemade mozzarella, as well as appetizers like smoky housemade meatballs and a Philly pretzel with housemade beer cheese. Another perk of this establishment is that you can mix Old World-style British ales with these foods.
