President’s Message: State of the Club

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As we begin 2011, the state of the Pacific Gravity Homebrew Club is strong. We have already begun to get the ball rolling on upcoming events, and are locked in to our first two big ones for the year.

Tustin Monster Brew

February 26 we’ll be celebrating our 16th  anniversary by going back to the Tustin Brewery for another edition of our enormously successful Monster Brews. P.G. Brewmaster Carl Townsend, and Tustin’s Brewer extraordinaire, Jon Porter have come up with a new recipe for us to brew, doctor at home with specialty grains, adjuncts and yeast. In the past many of us have produced outstanding beers from the base recipes, and this year promises to be no exception. Carl has written an Ask the Brewmaster article outlining the possibilities for this year’s moderately high gravity wort. For reservations, contact Reed Wilson at [email protected] or Mimi Bardet and Audrey Hill-Lindsay at [email protected] . Cost is $27 per 5 gallon pour, 10 gallons maximum. See the articles detailing the event and make your reservations soon.

Tustin Brewing Company

On March 26 we’ll be going on a Road Trip to Orange County

Road Trip Coordinator, Kurt Periolat, has lined up TAPS  Fish House & Brewery in Brea, and The Bruery. TAPS is a GABF multiple prize winning brewpub with an outstanding lineup, ranging from British Session Ales, to German Lagers, with stops in the U.S. and Belgium. The Bruery is one of the fastest growing and popular new breweries around, and will have something special for us.   For reservations to this event send an E-mail to [email protected] or [email protected], and prepay through PayPal.

First Friday at Bar Food

As usual, First Friday is coming up (Feb 4th at Bar Food), and our February 17th meeting  will  feature  Belgian and French Ales; tasting to be hosted by Craig Corley, our club treasurer. Bring beer to share, and money or checks, to pay for the road trip and/ or Monster Brew. Don’t forget, PayPal will also be available for payment to the 2 events (UPDATE: Click the links to pay for the OC Road Trip on PayPal, or for 5 Gallons of wort at the Monster Brew).  See the articles detailing these events for more information.

Feedback Welcome

If you have any questions, suggestions, or criticisms don’t hesitate to send a message to me at [email protected] Suggestions for events, or ideas for club projects are always welcome. If you are interested in volunteering to help out with club activities, don’t hesitate to ask me, or any of the other Board members.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

February First Friday: February 4th at Bar Food in WLA!

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Thanks to all of you who came out for our January First Friday at the 4 Points Sheraton at LAX on 1/7/11. Good times & good beers were had by all! We enjoyed the special night with 50% off both food & beer (both draft & bottles), plus the free parking. We had an excellent turnout – probably one of the largest First Friday gatherings in Pacific Gravity’s history! We also enjoyed sharing the night with some of the SouthBay Strand Home Brewers.

Let’s keep the good times rolling! Mark your calendars for our next First Friday on February 4th at Bar Food in West Los Angeles. Officially, our First Friday begins at 7pm but you are welcome to come as early at 5pm when Bar Food opens. Actually, you are encouraged to go early in order to get a good start on your weekend and enjoy the Happy Hour food specials as well as to help reserve some space for our PG group!

Drink specials are available all night! They have 24 taps! And, you can get a free hot dog with the purchase of 2 beers. Food specials are only available from 5pm to 7pm but prices are reasonable for their tasty Pub Grub after 7pm.

Bar Food is located at:
12217 Wilshire Blvd. (just west of Bundy Dr.)
Los Angeles, CA 90025
http://www.barfoodla.com/

Looking forward to seeing you all on February 4th at Bar Food!
Cheers,
PG Activity Directors, Mimi & Audrey

First Friday at Four Points LAX

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Hi & Happy New Year to Pacific Gravity members!

Please come join us for a very special First Friday — this Friday, January 7th!

As new co-Activities Directors, Audrey and I are very excited about our first event. Please come out & join us for a fun First Friday. And, thanks to our new President, Mike Steinberg, for getting this special event setup.

Some quick facts:
Date: Friday, January 7th
Time: 6pm to 9pm for special discounts (but you are welcome to go any time Friday evening!)
Location: Best BrewsBar in the Four Points by Sheraton LAX Hotel (aka Brewsters)
Address: 9750 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045
Website: http://www.fourpointslax.com/BestBrews

Parking: FREE (you can have your parking ticket validated at the bar)

Special Pricing on BEER & FOOD from 6pm to 9pm! 50% OFF!

Looking forward to ringing in the new PG year with all of you on Friday!
Cheers!
Mimi & Audrey

First Friday-January 7, 2011

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  Welcome to 2011, and First Friday, Graviteers!

 Thanks to Phil Baxter, General Manager of the 4 Points by Sheraton LAX, we are going to have a very special event to start off the New Year.

After a hiatus from the 4 Points, Phil has returned and wants to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when Pacific Gravity members made regular pilgrimages to what is the finest hotel beer bars in Los Angeles. The bar was remodeled in the last year or two, and is now a very comfortable venue, especially given the rainy weather potential.

In order to entice us to make Brewster’s a regular watering hole for lovers of great beers, Phil has offered us 50% off ALL beer and food, from 6pm-9pm. In addition he will arrange for free parking for PG members and our guests for the evening.

The 4 Points and Brewster’s is located at 9750 Airport Blvd, Los Angeles 90045.

Brewster’s has 7 taps as well as a great list of American Craft beers, Belgians, and German brews in bottle. 
A light food menu is available, including appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, nachos, etc.

The event begins at 6PM, although no one will complain if you show up early. We want to have a big turnout for this special event. It is rare to be extended such a generous offer of half price beer and food for a First Friday, so I’d like as many of you to show up as possible.

See you there.

 Michael Steinberg

President, Pacific Gravity

First Friday-December 3, 2010

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FIRST FRIDAY-December 3

Father’s Office-Culver City

December First Friday will be held at one of the finest gastropubs in LA, the famous F.O.

Located at 3229 Helms Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034  (TEL: (310) 736-2224), between Venice and Washington, F.O.  is known for its Office Burger, a 12 dollar work of burger art, as well as sweet potato fries, both served without ketchup. Have some aioli, instead. There is also a great beet salad and the lamb skewers are to die for (well, almost).

Oh yeah, there are 36 beers on tap, as well as a small wine selection and a few classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Side Car, Negroni, Martini, and Aviation, all made with top shelf ingredients.

Be sure to get there early, especially if the weather is good, since the place fills up fast on Fridays. Consider the event training for the Pacific Gravity Holiday Party.

Hope you can stop Christmas shopping long enough to make it.

Michael Steinberg

PG Activities Director

First Friday-Nov. 5 at Joxer Daly’s

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November FF is at Joxer Daly’s in picturesque Culver City. Greg Beron, best known to Graviteers as an owner of Culver City Home Brew Supply, and a habitue of Joxer’s will arrange for us to have a special brew on tap. Our last time there we had a keg of DeKonnick, a brew rarely seen on tap in L.A. Who knows what’ll be on tap this time. The food is good and inexpensive (try the fish&chips or sliders), and there are a variety of other brews on tap.

Joxer Daly’s is located at 11168 Washington Blvd, just off Sepulveda.

Time: Official FF start time is 7pm, but many of us get to the place earlier than that.

If you are a new member and want to meet many of us old timers please join the crowd. Looking forward to seeing you  all.

Michael Steinberg, PG Activities Director

First Friday-10/01/10

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It’s that time of the month again, boys and girls! This month we’re going to 2 bars, one new, and one old favorite. How can we do it? Easy-they are 100 feet from one another. What could be better than that (except Dan and Anne’s Carriage House Tap Room).

In the last couple of months the Venice Ale House opened on the Venice Boardwalk, right near the venerable Swiss/German restaurant, On the Boardwalk.

They are located right on the boardwalk at Rose Ave. Getting there is easy, and there is a municipal parking lot on the beach, just feet away from both places. If you are a cheapskate, like me, there is usually some neighborhood parking within a few blocks.

The Venice Ale House has 23 taps and  10 bottles, something for everyone, organic, inorganic (WTF!), hops, malt, specialty. While a few are rather ordinary, there  is absolutely NO BudCoorsMillerLight anywhere around. All are priced at 5-8 bucks, and bottles are 5-7, except for La Merle at $16/750ml.  Food is reasonably priced and all organic.

On the Waterfront is definitely NOT organic. It’s the place to go for your German brews. On tap is Köstrizer Black Beer, Bitburger Premium, König Pilsner, Erdinger Dunkel, Erdinger Weizenbier.  There is also a selection of bottled beer, and some of the usual American Brews.

On the Waterfront  Cafe is located at 205 Ocean Front Walk, just north of Rose.

As usual, the First Friday officially begins at 7pm, but many of us will be arriving by 5, while there is still some daylight. Join PG for what promises to be a great time.
         
 waterfrontcafe.com         

www.venicealehouse.com

First Friday-Sept. 3

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Well, Graviteers, another super PG Summer Party has come and gone.

Now that we’ve recovered, we must get back to business, as usual. That means First Friday! To celebrate Labor Day weekend, we are going to Culver City’s newest gastropub, Waterloo & City, located at 12517 Washington Blvd.

A few of us have already visited, and the consensus at last month’s FF was that we should go back to Culver City, try a new place, and support it.

The Tap lineup consists of Weihenstephan, Green Flash IPA, Hofbrau, Allagash White, Stone Pale, Arrogant Bastard, Duvel Green, and Ohara’s Irish Stout, a brew I’ve not seen anywhere else. There is also a cider on tap. The bottle list is pretty extensive, with something for everyone’s taste.  Prices of draughts are 4 (Green Flash) to 10 bucks (Duvel). Bottles average 7-12 for the ones we’d consider drinking.

Food is what has made W & C a destination for many. There are small pizzas, enough for 1 or 2 to share, and other appetizer sized portions.  Prices range from 6-12 bucks. If you want to have a full meal, and sit at a table, it would be wise to make a reservation, due to the overwhelming popularity of the place. The telephone number is: 310-391-4222.

W & C opens at 5pm, and happy Hour is from 5-7.

Hope to see you there.

First Friday July 2

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July 1st Friday we once again have the pleasure of being entertained at The Carriage House, AKA the home of Dan and Anne Hakes.

Dan has the best home “tavern” in the club, and welcomes all PG members to partake of his hospitality.

As usual, the event officially begins at 7:00pm, ends when Dan and Anne kick the last one of us out (around 11).

Since this is not a Public House, any and all beer and snack donations will be more than welcome.
Bring homebrew, commercial beer, and anything else you like.

Address: 2379 W. 21st St.
L.A 90051

Directions:
Take the 10 freeway to Arlington Exit.
North to Washington (from the West, make a Left at the exit – about 4 short blocks).
Right 1 long block on Washington to Cimmaron.
Right on Cimmaron to 21st St.

Park anywhere in the neighborhood, and walk to Dan’s.

Michael Steinberg
PG Activities Director

First Friday, June 4-Brewster’s

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It’s 1st Friday again boys and girls!

Join me and the gang at Brewster’s, in the 4 Points by Sheraton LAX, located at 9750 Airport Blvd,

 Los Angeles 90045.

In the past Brewster’s was a regular watering hole for the PG crowd, and we always had a great time on Friday.
The management would like us to return to the newly remodeled bar, one of LA’s preeminent hotel based beer bars.

Brewster’s has 7  taps as well as a great list of American Craft beers,  Belgians, and German brews in bottle.. 
A  light food menu is available., including appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, etc.

As usual, the event begins at 7PM, although no one will complain if you show up early.

See you there.