“Alright brain, I don’t like you and you don’t like me, so just get me through this exam so I can go back to killing you slowly with beer.”
- Homer Simpson
Growing up, my exposure to beer consisted of being handed a room temperature can by a friend, or at a party, sometime during my teenage years. I can’t remember the type, but it was most likely purchased because it was the cheapest (which meant more could be bought). Stomaching this foul tasting beverage was only accomplished because it was the thing to do. Luckily the times have changed. I am no beer expert and am new to the world of artisan beer. However, I have come to enjoy the wide variety of craft beers that allow one to find a beer they truly enjoy the taste of. These days, the world of craft and artisan beer has been a growing trend among LA bars and restaurants.
What is craft beer?
Well... The Brewers Association (BA), a trade group of over 1,000 brewers, defines it as a small, independent, and traditional brewer. The key to the definition is that beer production must be less than 2 million barrels per year to be considered a craft brewery. Microbreweries are defined as producing less than 15,000 barrels annually.
While looking up those definitions, I came across an interesting fact that is seen by looking at the statistics for beer sales on the BA’s website. Although overall beer sales are down in the US for the first half of 2010, the craft brewing industry has increased in terms of volume produced and retail profits. It seem that other people like me are being enlightened to this new world and will likely find it hard to go back to stomaching the mass-produced, watered down, light pale ale or lager that took our beer virginities.
FO
Father’s Office is where I was first exposed to this new world of beer. In fact, I think I was still using my trusty old fake ID when I was first brought here by some friends. This small bar in Santa Monica offers over thirty varieties of beer from around the world. With so many choices it can often be hard to find the right beer by just choosing from the menu of names. When in doubt you need only to ask the bartender for advice. These guys and girls know their beer. Christina Perozzi, author of “The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer,” was one of the bartenders here before going on to write her book.
While the beer selection is quite amazing, it seems that it is the combination between the beer and the most amazing hamburger I have ever tried that keeps bringing me back. There are a few caveats, this place will not serve you a Corona or Budweiser, will not provide you with ketchup for any part of your meal, and there are no substitutions or modifications to the burger. Do not let this turn you off.
Yes it seems very haughty, but the atmosphere here is not and this should not detour your from the food. A nice Belgian beer brewed in a Trappist Monestary by monks, an Office Burger (a medium rare patty, caramelized onions, arugula, and gruyere cheese served on a French roll) from the chef in the kitchen, and some sweet potato or shoestring fries with aioli dip is about as good as it gets. Here are some of my go-to Belgian beers to get you started: Tripel Karmeliet, Chimay, Allagash, and Duvel are some of the offerings I have come to enjoy.
There are also a few other establishments that have come to also specialize in serving only craft beers. Wurstkuche is an exotic sausage grill located in the historic Arts District of Downtown LA. Feeling a bit exotic? How about a duck, rabbit, alligator, or rattlesnake sausage? Too much? Well, you can’t go wrong with any of their other gourmet sausages made from pork, chicken, beef, and turkey. Library Ale House is another craft beer bar that is located on Main Street in Santa Monica. Although the food cannot compete with FO or Wurstkuche, this place knows good beer and has a great ambience. 8oz Burger Bar on Melrose and the Venice Ale House in Venice are two establishments that have opened up recently. Both of these places have a great selection of beers and tend to specialize in serving artisan beer from American craft and microbreweries. I haven’t spent much time at either of these places so look for a dedicated blog in the future.
“Alright, alright now. You’re overstimulated, let’s get some beer in you and then it’s straight to bed.”
- Marge Simpson
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