Caroline on Crack

Bonjour, mon ami! If you're new here and you like what you see, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this blog.

Category Archives: Beer

January 31, 2012

Beachwood BBQ and Library Alehouse’s “Pliny the Younger Fights Cancer” Charity Raffle Thru February 18

Russian River growlers Flickr shot by --Mark--

Every year beer geeks go insane for Russian River’s Pliny the Younger Triple IPA. So much so that labyrinthine lines form around the blocks of the very few bars that are lucky enough to get a hold of the allotted five gallons of the beer.

Yes, Pliny the Younger is only available for purchase at a very few bars because as the brewery’s site says “it is extremely difficult, time and space consuming, and very expensive to make.” Even mothership Russian River brewpub in Santa Rosa doesn’t allow growlers or bottles, rather you are welcome to a 10-ounce glass of the 10.5% ABV beer. And as if its rarity isn’t enough to fuel the fervor, currently Pliny the Younger, not to be confused with Russian River’s more readily available Pliny the Elder Double IPA? Ranks No. 1 out of 100 on Beer Advocate’s list of top beers. Settle down, settle down.

So where can you, a SoCal beer lover, get a hold of this NorCal ambrosia? Russian River Brewery has announced that Pliny will be released this Friday, February 3; and local beer bars Beachwood BBQ (Seal Beach) and Library Alehouse (Santa Monica) will indeed carry it! However the bars will be controlling the chaos by selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win/purchase a pint. So you don’t have to stand in line for the beer or suffer Walmart-on-Black-Friday-type crowds, PLUS 100% of the proceeds from the raffle ticket sales will go to the Melanoma Research Foundation, in memory of Beachwood BBQ’s friend Tony Carbone who died of melanoma in 2008.

Beachwood BBQ, both Seal Beach and Long Beach locations, has been selling tickets, to raffle off its 130 pints, since January 17 and will continue to do so til February 18. While Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse will start selling its tickets for a chance at purchasing one of 50 glasses of Pliny for 25 cents, on February 3rd. There’s no limit to how many raffle tickets you can buy but it is cash only.

Winners will then be drawn on February 20 and contacted via email and then have 10 days to fetch their pints. Mmm, can you taste it already?

By the way, other bars that will be carrying Pliny the Younger: Lucky Baldwin’s, Verdugo Bar and The Surly Goat!

Beachwood BBQ
131 1/2 Main Street
Seal Beach, California 90470 (map)
(562) 493-4500

210 E. 3rd Street
Long Beach, California 90802 (map)
(562) 436-4020
Facebook: Beachwood BBQ; Twitter: @BeachwoodBBQ

Library Alehouse
2911 Main Street
Santa Monica, California 90405 (map)
(310) 314-4855
Facebook: Library Alehouse; Twitter: @LibraryAlehouse

Categories: Beer

Leave a comment

January 27, 2012

This Weekend: Eagle Rock Brewery Party, Sixteen Candles Drive-In, Ammo Re-Launch Cocktail Party

Saturday, January 28

Devil’s Drive-In: Sixteen Candles
Jake Ryan! This was the movie that the teenage me wished happen in real life: Where your high school crush actually likes you back. Le sigh. Since this drive-in is happily BYOB, relive your teen years by toting wine coolers, heh. Or bring the good stuff and make a drinking game out of it. Take a shot every time someone says “Jake,” or pass the bottle every time Anthony Michael Hall’s voice cracks.

6pm doors open. $12 at gate. 240 W. 4th Street, 2nd Floor, Downtown (map).

Eagle Rock Brewery’s 2nd Anniversary at Verdugo Bar
Celebrate local Eagle Rock Brewery’s 2nd anniversary with select ERB beers on draft in the outdoor beer garden. Food trucks Grill Em’ All and Mandoline Grill will be on hand for nosh with your brew. And the $12 admission gets you a commemorative taster glass to take home, while supplies last.

12-4pm. $12. 3408 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles (map). (323) 257-3408.

Monday, January 30

Duggan McDonnell & Encanto Pisco at Harvard & Stone R&D
Duggan of Cantina in SF is going to be behind the stick at Harvard & Stone’s R&D bar creating Encanto cocktails as well as giving samples of the newly released Distiller’s Reserve Quebranta.

9pm. Harvard & Stone, 5221 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map). (323) 466-6061

Alie & Georgia Guest Bartend at The Eveleigh
Adorable duo Alie & Georgia of Cooking Channel will be making their fun and crazy concoctions at The Eveleigh as part of the bar’s weekly guest bartending series. These girls are always good for a laugh and unusual cocktail. Love ‘em! By the way, next week’s featured bartender will be Alex Straus of Hemingway’s Lounge followed by the omnipresent Julian Cox on February 13. For industry folks, most drinks and bites are $3.

7pm. The Eveleigh, 8752 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (map). (424) 239-1630.

Tuesday, January 31

Ammo West Hollywood Cocktail Program Re-Launch Party
Ammo’s cocktail program has been redone all farm-to-glass thanks to Jason Robey, same guy who did that with Michael’s in Santa Monica. Guests can enjoy free food and drinks until they run out. Afterward, partake of the happy hour specials like endless Bloody Marys and $6 Powers + PBR.

6pm. Ammo Restaurant, 1155 N Highland Avenue, Hollywood (map). (323) 467-3293.

Categories: Beer, Cocktails, Lists, Los Angeles, Movies, Nightlife

Leave a comment

January 20, 2012

This Weekend: Sexy Sales, Golden Road Beer Can Launch Party, Fig’s Barrel-Aged Cocktails

Friday, January 20

Agent Provocateur Semi Annual Sale
Hey, ladies, looking for something uber sexy to throw on…and then off this Valentine’s Day? Sexxy lingerie store Agent Provocateur is having its semi annual sale now through Sunday. Score lingerie (pronounced ling-eree), panties, bras and other underthings for 30-75% off.

Thru January 22. Agent Provocateur, 7961 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (map) and 242 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills (map).

The Way We Wore Semi Annual Sale
Vintange/resale clothes store The Way We Wore is also having a semi annual blowout. Here you can save 50% off on everything in the store! We’re talking swank vintage dresses and accessories (hats, sunglasses, shoes) spanning from the 1920s to the ’90s.

Thru February 12. The Way We Wore, 334 S. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

Golden Road Can Launch Party at Sunset Beer Company
Echo Park beer store/bar Sunset Beer Company hosts Golden Road’s beer can launch party. Not only will they be selling the much-talked-about beverage but they’ll feature GR beers on tap like Point the Way IPA, Get Up Off of that Brown and Schwartz Stout. If you’re hongry, Zagat’s Top 10 2012 LA food truck Crepe n’ Around will be…creeping around.

7-10pm. Sunset Beer Company, 1498 Sunset Boulevard, #3, Echo Park (map). (213) 481-2337.

Fig Introduces Its New Barrel-Aged Cheer
Kick off your weekend with something aged and tasty. Fig in Santa Monica has jumped on the barrel-aged cocktail bandwagon with three of its own — a Negroni, White Manhattan and Rusty Nail — each aged in toasted oak barrels for about six to 16 weeks! The new-old cocktails are now available for your tasting pleasure.

Fig Santa Monica, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). (310) 576-7777.

Monday, January 23

Hangar 24 Night at Steingarten LA
Hangar 24 brew master Kevin Wright will host this special beer night at the West LA bar/restaurant, which will feature seven of the brew co’s beers — Columbus IPA, Chocolate Porter and Hangar 24 Helles Lager among them. Don’t miss out on the Pugachev’s Cobra Russian Imperial Stout as they will tap it at 7pm sharp!

7pm. Steingarten LA, 10543 W Pico Boulevard, West LA (map). (310) 441-0441.

Categories: Beauty & Fashion, Beer, Lists, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Shopping & Sales

1 Comment

January 12, 2012

This Weekend: Pliny the Younger Raffle, Pegu Club Vet at 1886, Space 15 Twenty Sample Sale & Free Cocktails

Thursday, January 12

Bushmills Irish Whiskey Tasting at Neat
Dance a jig into your weekend with an Irish whiskey tasting followed by live Irish music. Whiskey Master Ed Adams will guide a tasting of the entire Bushmills line at Neat in Glendale. Afterward at 8:30p, the Irish band hits the stage. RSVP to info@theneatbar.com for the tasting.

6:30-8pm. Neat, 1114 N Pacific Avenue, Glendale (map). (818) 241-4542.

Pegu Club Vet Scott James Teague Guest Bartending at 1886
Attention cocktail nerds, Scott Teague, head bartender of Alex Day and David Kaplan’s new NYC bar Demi Monde as well as Pegu Club veteran will be behind the stick at 1886 tonight! He’ll be serving up a special side menu while 1886 bartender Lacey Murillo does up 1886′s deelish winter cocktails.

1886 at The Raymond, 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena (map). (626) 441-3136.

Friday, January 13

Happy Hour Sample Sale and Free St. Germain Cocktails at Space 15 Twenty
Yup, FREE cocktails. Oh and shopping where you can save 50 to 70% off collections by Nombre, Jill Lindsey and Sophmore priced at $10-$50. How can you turn that down? Drunk shopping FTW!

5-8pm. Project Urban Renewal Shop at Space 15 Twenty, 1520 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Saturday, January 14

The Tripel Debuts New Weekend Brunch With Bloody Beer and Duck Hash
Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts introduce a brand-new brunch at their Playa del Rey gastropub, The Tripel, this weekend. Enjoy tasty craft brews and beer cocktails, like the Bloody Beer, along with dishes like The Cure burger with avocado and a fried egg and duck hash with lobster salted peewee potatoes, duck confit, fried egg, pancetta and vinegar cooked greens.

9:30am-4pm. The Tripel, 333 Culver Boulevard, Playa Del Rey (map).

Sunday, January 15

Grand Opening: The Pub at Golden Road
The new Pub at Golden Road Brewery will be celebrating its grand opening by debuting its new canned beer and featuring burger and beer specials. Check out its selection of vegan and nonvegan food offerings and 20 taps as well.

11am-11pm. 5430 San Fernando Road West, Los Angeles (map).

Tuesday, January 17

Pliny Fights Cancer Charity Raffle at Beachwood BBQ
Seal Beach’s Beachwood BBQ will be raffling off 130 pints of the highly coveted Pliny the Younger (which is released in February) for the Melanoma Research Foundation. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the restaurant from January 17th at 12pm to February 18th at 10pm. Tickets are $5 each and there’s no limit but it is cash only. And on February 20 the tickets will be drawn at random and winners will be notified by email or phone if they’re not present.

January 17-February 18. Beachwood BBQ, 131 1/2 Main Street, Seal Beach (map). (562) 493-4500.

Categories: Beer, Cocktails, Lists, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Shopping & Sales

Leave a comment

January 6, 2012

Save Blue Palms Brewhouse: Landlord Lost Lease, Beer Bar’s Future in Question

Save Blue Palms and especially its $4 Pint Tuesdays!

Update 1/11/12: Blue Palms got a 2-3-week reprieve! Discussing long-term solution with landlord right now.

L.A. beer lovers, Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood needs your help. With the closing of Music Box and the venue’s landlord losing their lease, everyone’s favorite beer bar is in danger.

On Blue Palms Brewhouse Facebook page:

To all our Fans, In light of our landlord losing their lease, we are in middle of the fallout. WE are working very hard to work directly with the owner to resolve. The Blue Palms is a small company and in the world of sterile business, we are pawns. Please stay tuned, we love you guys and we are doing our best to convince the owners of our worth. Please help us in posting your support and we hope to keep you posted. from BP

According to L.A. Beer Week, one way you can start right now is to call the landlord’s attorney, Chris Leonard, at (310) 312-2000 and tell him how important it is that the bar and its awesome taps be saved.

But also keep an eye on the bar’s FB page for other ways to help. Help save Tuesdays $4 Pint Night, Lobster Mac & Cheese, those 24 glorious constantly rotating taps, all those awesome beer nights!

This wonderful beer bar that has played a major part in spreading the joy of beer and cultivating the L.A. beer culture must be saved.

Blue Palms Brewhouse
6124 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California 90028 (map)
(323) 464-BEER
Facebook: Blue Palms Brewhouse
Twitter: @BluePalms_Brew

Categories: Beer, Los Angeles

1 Comment

January 4, 2012

New Pub at Golden Road Brewing in Atwater Village: Beer-Paired Meals & 20 Taps

Pub at Golden Road Brewing by Golden Road Brewing

L.A.’s newest brewery, Golden Road Brewing in Atwater Village, has launched its very own brewpub for your drinking and eating convenience. Here you can enjoy GR brews the best way possible, paired with food. That’s right, The Pub at Golden Road features vegan and non-vegan bites, salads, sandwiches and entrees meant to be paired with beer. And on the back patio during the weekends, you can score beer specials as well as rotating burger specials. There’s also a deli case for those who want to grab and go for lunch.

The Pub’s chef, Chef Adam Levoe (formerly of Pasadena’s Quadrupel), is actually a home brewer himself and is known for his beer and food creativity. Those scared away by the term “vegan” showing up on any menu needn’t fret. Levoe’s menu offers comfort foods like meatballs served on spicy vegan cornbread and a Sloppy Joseph made of Porter-braised beef short ribs and housemade BBQ sauce.

Here are a few of Chef Levoe’s food-beer pairing suggestions for your drooly consideration:

Pulled Pork Sandwich with the Golden Road Hefeweizen (the pork in the sandwich is braised in the Hefe as well)
Sun-dried tomato polenta with the Point the Way IPA
Sloppy Joseph with the Schwartz Stout (the short ribs in the Sloppy Joseph are also braised in the Stout)
Coconut “Noodle” Salad with the Festivus Cinnamon Bitter

The renovated 3,500-square-foot warehouse space, with its high ceilings and 30-foot bar, will accommodate 80 folks with 72 additional beer geeks on the patio. And seeing as how it’s the brewery’s own bar, it’ll offer all of Golden Road’s beers (five to start) as well as up to 15 guest taps. “All beers will come from friends of ours, as we want to support people that we respect and admire such as Dogfish Head, Oskar Blues, Firestone Walker, Avery, Stone and Hangar 24,” said brewmaster Jon Carpenter.

The Pub at Golden Road
5410 W. San Fernando Road
Los Angeles, California 90039 (map)
Hours: 11am to 11pm Daily
Twitter: @GoldenRoadBrew
Facebook: Golden Road Brewing

Categories: Beer, Dining, Los Angeles

4 Comments

January 2, 2012

10 Best L.A. Drinking Moments of 2011

: H&S Does R&D

: Eveleigh’s Blood & Smoke

: Oldfield’s Angers and Thrills

: Matt, My Mentor

: Neat Deconstructs

: Beer Chicks’ Tap Takeover

2011 was a great year for drinking in L.A. with a slew of new insta-fave bars popping up, bartenders reconceptualizing bar programs and craft beer thankfully becoming even more accessible. I managed to narrow down my favorite drinking moments to the top 10. Here it is in descending order. Guess what No. 1 is?

10. One-Stop Craft Brew Shopping in Echo Park

9. Kid You Not, Joe’s Restaurant Chooses the North American Whiskey of the Year for Its Well

8. Dream Date: Spare Room Auctions Off Dates With Bartenders and Their Bar Tabs

7. The Eveleigh Makes Sunset Strip a Cocktail Destination

6. L.A. Cocktail Ringmaster Finally Gets His Own Bar

5. Harvard & Stone Blows Minds in Its Back Bar

4. Oldfield’s Angers Saints & Sinners Fans but Cocktail Geeks Rejoice

3. Beer Chicks Overhaul the 213 Bars’ Taps

2. Getting Schooled by Library Bar’s Matthew Biancaniello

And No. 1 is…