L.A. Beer Week is back. Here’s how to make the most of it

Beer in Los Angeles has come a long way since the first L.A. Beer Week was held in 2008. There are more breweries than ever before in the Southland, with much to celebrate. It’s now easier than ever to find new favorites and explore everything this thriving industry has to offer.

June 17 marks the beginning of the ninth Los Angeles Beer Week, so start filling your calendar with these nine can’t-miss breweries, beers and events.

Visit a new brewery

Nearly a dozen breweries have opened in the county since the last beer week, so there’s probably something new and near you that’s worth a visit. Visit the L.A. County Brewer’s Guild website for an interactive map of all the breweries and brewpubs in the county. A few standout newcomers are Verdugo West Brewery in Burbank, Rob Ruben’s Distilling and Brewing in El Segundo, Arrow Lodge Brewing in Covina, and Yorkshire Square in Torrance.

Unity: the official brew of Beer Week

Each year an LABG member brewery is selected to host a collaborative brew day featuring nearly every brewery in the county. The beer is different every year, and 2017’s hosting brewery, El Segundo Brewing Co., has cooked up a signature IPA dosed with the zest and juice of locally grown citrus. Unity is getting the full ESBC “day one” treatment with bottles being filled and hitting store shelves across L.A. on the same day. The big release is set for June 8, and over 20 satellite events at brewpubs and bars around the region will feature the hoppy brew. El Segundo Brewing Co., 140 Main St, El Segundo, (310) 529-3882.

Drink your fill at a beer festival

Spanning two weekends, there is ample opportunity to attend beer festivals during beer week. The LABG’s Official Kickoff festival is in downtown L.A. on June 17, and Beer Camp On Tour — Sierra Nevada’s ambitious traveling beer tour (this year it focuses on international craft breweries alongside America’s best) — closes out the Beer Week parties in Long Beach on June. In between, there’s a cask beer festival to celebrate MacLeod Ale Company’s third anniversary (June 18) that features special, naturally carbonated and cask-conditioned beers from 20-plus breweries such as Highland Park Brewing, Beachwood Brewing and Cellador Ales. Or check out the BFE Festival on June 23, hosted at the Wolf Creek brewpub in Santa Clarita with over 20 breweries from every corner of the country.

Cheer on your favorites

See how L.A. brewers compete with the best from San Diego and San Francisco at the Battle of the Guilds: L.A. edition. On June 21, breweries representing each of the rival scenes will take over all the taps at the legendary Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach, and you can vote for your favorite. There’s more than enough great beer at the beachside bar to make your head spin, so no matter which guild takes home the Golden Keg trophy this year, it’s the beer lovers that win. Naja’s Place, 54 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, (310) 376-9951.

Explore the maturing sour beer of L.A.

One indicator of the state of a region’s beer scene is the quality of sour beer being produced there. The “sour” side of beer is more complex than the moniker would imply, and the family of acid-driven brews, wild ales, mixed fermentation beer and oak treatments is an exacting, difficult and time-consuming endeavor. There are some world-class “sour beer” producers in California, and you can explore a few of L.A.’s best venues for drinking these complex brews on the the Sunset Blvd. Sour Beer Crawl. Organized by Mohawk Bend in Echo Park, the tour begins at 6:30 p.m. on June 19, and makes stops at the Holloway, El Prado, and Bar Bandini. Visit Mohawk’s site for more details and tickets. Mohawk Bend, 2141 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 483-2337.

Rock out with L.A.’s brewery bands

Beer week isn’t just about drinking beer, it’s also a celebration of the D-I-Y ethos that helped to propel the craft beer industry to its current heights. And what better way to celebrate in punk rock style than a battle of the bands? At the Eagle Rock Brewery Battle of the Bands, 10 ad-hoc groups assembled from brewery and beer industry professionals will take to the stage of Highland Park’s Hi Hat. The popular event is moving from the larger Echo venue, so get your tickets in advance. If you’re music lover, this will be the most fun you’ll have during beer week. The Hi Hat, 5043 York Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 761-0486.

Odd beers for odd years

The Rarest of the Rare event at Smog City Brewing only comes around every other year. It takes the brewery that long to amass a collection of special releases, one-off experiments, and long-aged cellar-dwelling treats to showcase. The brewery is tight-lipped about exactly which unique and delicious brews will be poured, but expect a one-two punch of bourbon barrel-aged heavyweights and funky sour, fruited and wild ales. The corks come off on June 18 from noon until 9 p.m. at Smog City’s Torrance tasting room. Smog City Brewing, 1901 Del Amo Blvd, Torrance, (310) 320-7664.

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