Hey PG ladies just wanted to remind you that tomorrow night is our monthly ladies meeting. The meeting will start at 7:30 at the Culver city homebrew store. There will be beer tasting and possibly a brewing demo. hope to see you all there!
The thick part of the competition season is here! Entry deadlines have been announced for California State Fair (April 17th) and Mayfaire (April 22nd).
Entries for the California State Fair must be packaged for shipping, but you can drop them off at the Culver City shop. Since these are going to Sacramento, make sure there is plenty of padding. The club will cover the shipping, but any entries not properly packaged will not be sent.. You can download an entry form at http://www.bigfun.org/pdfs/competitions/home_brew/HomeBrew_Forms.pdf, as well as find additional information. Read more →
Greetings, all. As you well know by now, the Brewfest is coming up fast the weekend of April 29th – May 1st. We have 22 taps on our CDS to provide for, plus we need beers for “PG Central” at Owl Court. Some of you have already told me what you’re bringing, but if you haven’t, please email me, the sooner the better, at schbf@pacificgravity.com and let me know. Please provide the name and style of the beer, the volume of the keg, and the ABV if you know it.
Thanks – let’s make 2011 our best fest ever!
Countering the trend of new tavern openings in Hollywood, downtown L.A. and the Eastside, an excellent new beer bar/restaurant just opened on the Westside, in the previously craft brew-deprived Pico Boulevard corridor in Rancho Park, just west of the 20th Century Fox Studio lot and Century City. Steingarten LA, in the re-designed space formerly occupied by Kay ‘n Dave’s Cantina, had its soft opening in early March (and was packed on opening night, despite only word-of- mouth and foodie bloggery), and will have its official grand opening in early April.
Steingarten LA bartender Lucy Martire and beverage directors Dave Watrous, center, and Luke Wederbrook covet the beer fridge. Photo by Tomm Carroll
Despite its moniker, the gorgeous space is more European-looking than traditional German, although there are some long, communal tables of dark wood. The “steingarten” is the outside area behind the restaurant, nicely tiled and landscaped, with tables, booths and a fire pit. There’s also a retractable skylight/sunroof in the large main room. Many of the menu items are also German-inspired, including the sausages –– Steingarten LA’s specialty –– ranging from the traditional (Bratwurst, Polish) to the exotic (Wild Boar, Bison). Burgers, sandwiches, tapas and salads are also served.
Even though there are some German and German-style beers on the 18-tap draught list and the 40-plus-and-growing bottle list, Belgian and American craft beers dominate. One look at the selection (Ballast Point Victory at Sea, New Belgium’s La Terroir, De Ranke Saison, Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus…) and you can probably guess that the beer guy is the seemingly ubiquitous Dave Watrous –– the Zelig of L.A.’s craft beer scene –– who has worked at almost every great beer bar in this city, and is the co-organizer of the Woodshop series of rare beer events.
Hard liquor is given the same attention as beer at Steingarten LA, as spirits specialist Luke Wederbrook –– who shares the beverage director and bar manager titles with Watrous –– will be rotating seasonal distilled beverages. One interesting, and rare, clear whiskey sampled was Double & Twisted, a 99-proof distilled version of Anderson Valley Brewing’s Hop Ottin’ IPA that was hopped again after distilling (although no hop bitterness was detectable).
Watrous points out that the glass-walled beer and wine cooler (chilled to 55º) behind the dark wood bar will soon have small lockers that patrons can rent to age their beers and wines at cellar temperature. Also, brewery dinners, tastings and beer-education events in the private front room, with a window overlooking the street, will soon become a regular part of the Steingarten LA experience. Prost!
Steingarten LA
10543 Pico Blvd.
West L.A., CA 90064
310-441-0441
SteingartenLA.com
Don’t forget to come out and celebrate PG’s April Fools First Friday at newly opened Steingarten LA. Their 20 taps provide a great selection of Craft beers with the West Coast heavily represented and over 30 bottled beers from Germany, Belgium, and the USA to further satisfy your palate on a Friday evening!
Steingarten has become known for its sausage and tapas selections that pair well with their beer offerings, but also has a great selection of burgers, sandwiches and salads for reasonable prices. We have a private room reserved thanks to beverage manager Dave Watrous who has also arranged for complimentary appetizers to be served from 5:30-7pm. He will also be tapping 2 specialty kegs he has been cellaring to share with us and celebrate Steingarten’s recent grand opening.
There is free street parking and meters available in the surrounding area. Most meters end at 6pm and take credit cards either on Pico Blvd or on any of the surrounding side streets. There is also a lot available on Prosser just north of Pico.
Steingarten LA is located at:
10543 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
You can check out more about Steingarten LA as well as their menu at:www.steingartenla.com
Looking forward to a wonderful and fun evening, bring your friends and join us all on April 1st!
We now have a Paypal option (small fee applies) for payment of your Southern California Homebrew Festival camping fees:
Camping for 2 nights with 4 meals
OR
Camping for 2 nights only – you feed yourself
For more info, please read my January article or check out calhomebrewers.org
Thanks!
Raise a toast to Timothy Golden, who earned the first point in the 2011 hunt for Brewer of the Year. His Special Bitter beat out a field of two other entries to win our Battle of the Bitters. His beer was submitted to the national Club-Only Competition taste-off.
Speaking of COC’s, don’t forget to bring your entries to the Club meeting on March 17th. This month’s style is Bocks, BJCP Category 5, which includes Maibock, Traditional Bock, Doppelbock and Eisbock. Read more →
Come out and celebrate PG’s April Fool’s Day First Friday with your fellow Gravitiers at newly opened Steingarten LA.
Steingarten has opened to glowing reviews for their 20 taps of mostly Craft and German beers as well as their array of hand-picked bottles of German, Belgian & Sour beers. Food offerings range from various sausages, tapas, burgers, sandwiches and salads.
We’re kicking off this First Friday a bit early thanks to Beverage Manager Dave Watrous who has kindly helped to reserve a private room for us from 5-9pm. Complimentary appetizers will be served from 5:30-7pm and 2 specialty kegs he has been cellaring will be tapped during the evening. For those of you who are tempted to delve into your own private selections, corkage fees (within reason) will be waived from 5-9pm, as long as you thank Dave for his hospitality by sharing a pour with him as well!
There is free street parking and meters available in the surrounding area. Most meters end at 6pm and take credit cards either on Pico Blvd or on any of the surrounding side streets. There is also a lot available on Prosser just north of Pico.
Steingarten LA is located at:
10543 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 441-0441
You can check out more about Steingarten LA as well as their menu at: www.steingartenla.com
Looking forward to a wonderful and fun evening & see you all on April 1st!
Club member Chris “Cosmo” Briles, has recently begun to brew commercially, and has graciously agreed to bring a keg of his flagship brew, Hellhound Brown, to our March meeting. Those of you who attended the February 1st Friday, at BarFood in West LA, may have had a pint. I did, and it was a great treat. Chris is currently brewing at Bayhawk, in the O.C., and is marketing the Hellhound Brown on the Westside. Give it a try, ask questions, and if you agree with me that it’s worthy of drinking, ask for it at your favorite saloon.
See you all on Thursday, March 17-St. Patrick’s Day.
Greetings, all. This Thursday the 17th is our next club meeting, and if you’re planning on going to the Brewfest with us but haven’t paid your camping fees yet, the meeting would be a great time to do so. The festival is just around the corner (less than 7 weeks away!) and your confirmed attendance will help us set our budget and move forward with the “meat” of the planning and organization. Remember also that your spot isn’t reserved until you’ve paid your fees.
This year we’re offering two camping fee tiers – $50 / person for camping plus 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners, or $25 / person for “camping only”. With the latter, you’ll need to provide for your own nutritional requirements. Checks are best (make them payable to Pacific Gravity and write “Ojai Camping” on the memo line), but cash is fine too.
Lake Casitas will be charging $60 per car to park for the weekend, so if you’d like to carpool, please try to coordinate that at the meeting – the signup sheet already shows some folks doing it and others who would like to. Talk it up!
Finally – if you haven’t yet brewed for the festival, you can still sneak in a lower-gravity beer in time if you do it soon (perhaps an entry for the BRO competition – Session Ales).
For more info, follow this link to my January article and please disregard the “volunteer” information, as that is now closed.
Thanks again for your support. See youse Thursday – and please feel free to ask myself or any of the other past attendees about the fest.
— Victor Macias
SCHF Organizer, 2011
