The Best Craft Beer Spots In La

Los Angeles is a great place to find craft beer. The city's recent revitalization has seen an increase in neighborhood hangouts, many of which feature craft beer. From the South Park and the Arts District, to Lincoln Heights and Chinatown, Downtown Los Angeles has a wide range of diverse breweries, beer bars, and bottle shops. Some popular breweries in Downtown LA include Angel City Brewery, Arts District Brewery, and Mumford Brewery. Outside of Downtown LA, Smog City Brewery and Monkish are also popular. For those looking to buy craft beer to enjoy at home, Wades Wines in Westlake Village offers a great tap selection and an awesome bottle shop.

Best craft beer bars in Downtown LA

Downtown LA has undergone a significant revitalization in recent years, with an influx of new mixed-use developments, corporate headquarters, and neighbourhood hangouts, many of which feature craft beer. As a result, the area has become one of the premier destinations for craft beer in LA. Here are some of the best craft beer bars in Downtown LA:

Mumford Brewery

Mumford Brewery in downtown LA is highly recommended by locals.

Angel City Brewery

Angel City Brewery is an LA-based craft brewery located in the heart of Downtown LA. They specialize in old-world, unfiltered, full-bodied craft beers.

Arts District Brewery

A 15-bbl brewery with an on-site tasting room, Arts District Brewery is located in the heart of Downtown LA's Arts District.

Barbara's at the Brewery

Barbara's at the Brewery is a historic, family-owned bar located at The Brewery Artist in Downtown LA.

Far Bar

Far Bar is a chill gastropub located in Little Tokyo, Downtown LA, serving central Texas-inspired BBQ and craft beer.

First Draft

First Draft is a pour-your-own craft beer bar located on the ground floor of the Garey Building in the Arts District of Downtown LA.

HiDef Brewing

HiDef Brewing is a new brewery and taproom located in the South Park neighbourhood of Downtown LA, with more than double the brewing capacity of their original location.

In addition to these bars and breweries, there are also several craft beer stores in Los Angeles, such as Wades Wines in Westlake Village, which offers a great tap selection and an awesome bottle shop.

Local liquor stores with craft beer

Los Angeles has a wide range of local liquor stores that sell craft beer. The city's vast expanse means that it is home to a diverse selection of breweries, beer bars, and bottle shops.

One notable establishment is Wades Wines in Westlake Village, which offers a great tap selection and an impressive bottle shop. The bottle shop is open all week, while the taproom is only open on Friday and Saturday evenings. Wades Wines carries a good selection of fresh Russian River beers and features many local and national craft beer selections, including some rarities.

For those staying near the Hollywood Hills, there are a few recommendations for good beer bars or bottle shops in the area. Smog City, located in downtown LA, offers a range of amazing big beers, barley wines, and stouts, and their sours are also highly regarded. Another option is the Mumford Brewery, also located in downtown LA, which has been praised for its fantastic beers.

In the South Park and Arts District, as well as in Lincoln Heights and Chinatown, you'll find a variety of craft beer options, including breweries, beer bars, and bottle shops. The Arts District Brewery is a 15-bbl brewery with an on-site tasting room, while First Draft, located in the South Park neighborhood, is a pour-your-own craft beer bar.

Additionally, some Yelp reviews mention finding a great selection of craft beers at local liquor stores in Los Angeles. One reviewer specifically mentions the Westside as a great destination for craft beer enthusiasts, with new brews arriving in the coolers every week and friendly staff always willing to help.

Breweries in LA County

Los Angeles County is huge, so it's no surprise that it's home to a large number of breweries. The revitalisation of Downtown LA has seen an increase in neighbourhood hangouts, many of which feature craft beer. From South Park and the Arts District to Lincoln Heights and Chinatown, DTLA has become one of the premier destinations for craft beer in LA.

One of the most popular breweries in LA County is Highland Park Brewery, which has grown from a tiny outpost in the Hermosillo bar to a massive buildout in a Chinatown warehouse. The newer, larger digs provide a full kitchen for some of the best drinking snacks in town, plus double the tanks, allowing the team to crank out more experimental, funky and collaborative new beers. The menu board swaps out brews frequently but their barrel-aged sour ale is a favourite, along with the rotation of hazy IPAs often packing the brightening punch of pineapple, citrus or mango.

Another crowd-pleaser is Arts District Brewing, a 15-barrel brewery with an on-site tasting room. The 15-barrel system pumps out some stellar varieties, including the flagship Traction, an IPA infused with papaya and mango, and the Mateo, an easy golden ale that can effortlessly pair with some of the pub-style comfort food that gets passed from the food-service window and into the taproom. There’s a full cocktail bar if you want to amp things up a bit, but first-timers should opt for a beer flight to sample what Arts District Brewing does best.

If you're looking for a beachside beer haven, Belmont Brewing Co is the place to go. Established in 1990, it's the oldest brewpub in Los Angeles County. Beachwood Blendery is another popular spot, known for its innovative sour beers. The Long Beach Blvd taproom is cosy, with an educated and caring staff who serve a frequently rotating selection of sour and funky beers.

For those looking for something a little different, Sage Vegan Bistro & Brewery is a plant-based bistro that expanded to include Echo Park’s first brewery in 2017. Women-owned and brewed, the brewery focuses on sourcing local ingredients to create adventurous, crave-worthy beers. Working with a 16-acre organic farm and one of the only hop yards in Los Angeles County, Sage believes you can be good to the earth while drinking a fresh, fun, local brew!

Beer bars in Hollywood/Burbank/Silver Lake

The Silver Lake neighbourhood in Los Angeles is one of the city's most hyped and hip areas. The area has many drinking spots, including the highly recommended Night + Market Song. For a thematic experience, visit the Good Luck Bar, which has dim, red lighting and Chinese lanterns. The Black Cat, located near the Good Luck Bar, has a more shyly dispersed outlook due to its large, dark space. It has a long booze list, so you're likely to find what you're looking for.

For beer in Burbank, try The Snug, a classic Irish pub with sticky floors, cheap drinks, and a surprisingly solid whiskey collection. Tony's Darts Away serves California craft beers and generic wine. Simmzy's is a gastropub with red tufted swivel stools and patterned benches in a small lounge area.

Hollywood itself is described as a beer wasteland, but there are some options for craft beer. Surly Goat in West Hollywood, Southland in Koreatown, and Sunset Beer in Echo Park are all recommended. In Hollywood itself, Stout is decent. For British styles, there's MacLeod's, but it's a 20-30 minute drive.

LA's best craft beer bottle shops

Los Angeles has undergone a significant revitalization in recent years, with an increase in neighbourhood hangouts that offer craft beer. The city is now one of the premier destinations for craft beer in LA, with many options in and around Downtown Los Angeles.

Wades Wines

Located in Westlake Village, Wades Wines offers a great tap selection and an awesome bottle shop. The taproom is only open on Friday and Saturday evenings, but the bottle shop is open all week. You can find a good selection of Russian River beers, always fresh, as well as tons of local and national selections, and even some rarities.

Mumford Brewery

Mumford Brewery, located in downtown LA, is highly recommended by locals.

Highland Park Brewery

The Highland Park Brewery has a location in Chinatown, with double the brewing capacity and more than double the taproom space of their original location.

Angel City Brewery

Angel City Brewery is an LA-based craft brewery located in the heart of Downtown LA.

Arts District Brewery

The Arts District Brewery is a 15-barrel brewery with an on-site tasting room.

Smog City

Smog City is a local favourite, known for its amazing big beers, barley wine, and stout. They also have a great selection of sours and a highly-regarded barrel program.

Golden Road Brewing

Golden Road Brewing offers a variety of craft beers, including a perfectly balanced craft wheat ale made with real mango and an IPA with notes of stone fruit and tropical flavours.

In addition to these breweries and bottle shops, there are also several craft beer bars and gastropubs in Downtown LA, such as Far Bar in Little Tokyo, that offer a wide range of craft beers on tap.

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