Hopped: Sound On 🔊

Join Gary in this LIVE episode of HopTalk, recorded at the recent LA Beer Week kickoff festival, where he chats with renowned beer writer, Tomm Carroll about the beer scene’s evolution in the city over the past two decades. This isn’t your typical beer chat; it’s a detailed exploration of the LA beer community’s journey from its humble beginnings to the thriving scene it is today. Tomm gives a front-row view of the rise and metamorphosis of LA’s beer culture. We cover the evolution of brewing styles, the influence of global beer trends on the local scene, and the significance of landmark events like LA Beer Week in shaping the city’s beer identity. Our discussion also ventures into brewing trends, from the popularity of Hazy IPAs to the emergence of Cold IPAs, illustrating the constant evolution and dynamism of LA’s beer scene. It’s a comprehensive chat that epitomizes the spirit of innovation and exploration that LA breweries are known for. Listen in!

Join Gary in this LIVE episode of HopTalk, recorded at the buzzing LA Beer Week kickoff festival, where he sits down with Tom Kelley of El Segundo Brewing. This isn’t your typical beer chat; it’s a deep dive into the LA beer scene’s journey from a handful of breweries to over a hundred. Tom, who began his craft beer journey as a bartender at Library Alehouse and has helped grow El Segundo Brewing into one of LA’s best breweries, shares his first-hand experience of the growth of LA’s beer culture. We cover the rise of the craft beer market, the impact of social media, and the importance of community events like LA Beer Week. But it’s more than a history lesson; it’s about the bonds formed over a shared passion for beer. Tom highlights how the LA beer scene isn’t just about the number of breweries, but the community that’s formed around them. We also delve into their collaboration project with Smog City, ‘Squirrel Tooth Tiger,’ a distinctive brew that shows the creative spirit of LA’s breweries. It’s a brief chat, but one that encapsulates the innovation LA’s beer scene is known for.

In this LIVE episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Sam Tierney of Firestone Walker and Andrew Bell of Radiant Beer Co. at the release party for their collaboration, Camp Blanket. Camp Blanket is a s’mores-inspired imperial stout brewed with cocoa nibs and Tahitian vanilla beans brewed at Firestone Walker’s Propagator location in Venice, CA. We chat all about the origin story behind this beer, how the recipe was inspired, the ingredients they selected, the brew day itself, and then taste through the beer paired with an actual s’more. We also talk about the other half of this dual collab, It’s Not That Far Kölsch-style ale brewed at Radiant and inspired by Sam’s recent trip to Cologne. And we also explore the origins behind Sam and Andrew’s longstanding friendship, as they started out as geeky homebrewers, then navigated through their professional brewing journeys to where they are today. It’s a super fun and interesting chat about great beer, great brewers, and great friends. Grab cans of Camp Blanket while supplies still last at Firestone Walker and keep an eye out for their exciting slate of 2023 Propagator Series releases this upcoming year!

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Carey Jonker, owner and head brewer of Transmission Brewing Company. If you’re outside the city of Ventura, there’s a decent chance you haven’t heard of Transmission Brewing. That’s because it’s pretty rare to find their beers outside of their taproom, Toppers Pizza locations, and a handful of local accounts. But Transmission has impressed us since day one, earning a placement on our Hopped 25 list of the best craft beer in Southern California. Basically, we think they’re killing it and that you should know more about them. So in this conversation, Gary digs into Carey’s background, his connection to Toppers, the buildout of their incredible brewery and taproom, their exceptional lager program, his hobbies of restoring vintage trailers and racing dwarf cars, the future of Transmission Brewing, and much more. Keep up with Carey and Transmission Brewing at transmissionbrewing.com and visit their brewery taproom in Ventura at 1098 E Front St.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Chris & Andy of Three Weavers Brewing Company ahead of the brewery’s eight-year anniversary. We dig into the story behind Three Weavers’ longest-tenured employees, Chris Gonzalez, who is now the Director of Brewing Operations, and Andy Manoushagian who is now the Marketing Manager. Follow along as we track the eight-year history of Three Weavers Brewing Co. and its evolution along the way. We touch on collaborations, hops, their brewing program, the upcoming brewpub, their experience joining and splitting off of CANarchy, innovation, experimentation, and sooooo much more! If you’re reading this before Sat, Nov 12th, 2022, grab tickets to Three Weavers’ eight-year anniversary party at their taproom in Inglewood at hopped.com/3weavers8. You can keep up with Chris, Andy, and the Three Weavers crew on Instagram at @threeweavers. Thanks to our sponsors at Hi-Lo Liquor Market and Malibu Brewing Company for making this episode possible.

In this extended episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Hal Mooney of Your Beer Friend. We dig into the ins and outs of tasting beer, the benefits of the Cicerone program, the magic of beer and food pairings, how beer reviews are killing the beer industry, and much more! Hal also walks us through the story behind Oktoberfest, his undying love for Märzens, and sensory analysis of a local Oktoberfest beer. Keep up with Hal and Your Beer Friend’s private tastings and monthly beer club at yourbeerfriend.com. Thanks to our sponsors at Hi-Lo Liquor Market and Malibu Brewing Company for making this episode possible.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with James Bardeen & Bryce Lowrance of Far Field Beer Company. Coming up on Far Field’s 1-year anniversary in Lawndale, we dig into their homebrewing roots, their journey to opening the brewery, collaboration and community in LA’s South Bay, their plans for year 2, and soooo much more. Paired with this episode are Far Field’s Hyper Link, a wonderfully clean and flavorful hoppy pils, and Mind Cradle, a bold and modern West Coast Double IPA, both shining examples of their growing beer program. Cheers to one full year of Far Field Beer Company! Visit them this Sunday 7/31 and celebrate in style at their taproom in Lawndale.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with the legendary Matt Brynildson, Brewmaster at Firestone Walker Brewing Company. Coming off the heels of the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival 2022, we dig into the history of the Invitational, recap the latest fest, and I get his thoughts on the evolution of the Central Coast beer scene. We talk about collaborating with some of his favorite brewers, the significance of Pilsner beer, the one-of-a-kind barrel-aged beers included in their Brewmaster’s Collective membership club, his time brewing in Belgium, and sooooo much more. Stay up to date on everything Firestone Walker, including next year’s Invitational, upcoming releases, their three California locations, and everything else at firestonebeer.com.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Chase Dipple, beer program manager of Hi-Lo Liquor Market. We dive deep into Chase’s journey from beer blogger to beer buyer and all the steps he’s made along the way. We also chat about his approach to curating Hi-Lo’s on-premise and off-premise beer program, training their staff on the latest and greatest in craft beer, how to prioritize freshness as a retailer, designing the perfect beer trip, and diving into Hi-Lo’s brand new store coming soon at The Camp in Costa Mesa. Check out Hi-Lo Liquor Market and their amazing retail locations in Culver City, Long Beach, and coming soon to Costa Mesa.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Kurt & Kyle Leingang, co-founders of new beer delivery and marketplace startup, Beergang. We chat all about their journey of launching Beergang, how they built up their list of brewery partners, the growth of the Southern California beer scene, their inaugural beer festival coming up on May 21st, and so much much! Hit up Brews & Crews, a beer festival featuring unlimited pours from 15 Beergang breweries, plus live music, food, games, and more, all going down Saturday, May 21st at 14 Cannons in Westlake Village. Get $5 off your tickets with promo code Hopped using this link. Big shout out to our sponsor, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, who consistently brings in the best curated craft beer selection in Southern California, with shops in Culver City and Long Beach and an online store.

In this episode of Hoptalk, Gary chats with Sam Tierney, manager of Firestone Walker’s R&D brewhouse in Venice, CA. We talk all about The Propagator as it approaches its six-year anniversary, how the space and the brewing program have evolved over that time, Sam’s recent run of all-star beer collaborations, what it’s like to visit other breweries as a brewer, and much more! We also dig into Gen-6, Firestone Walker’s six-year anniversary Double IPA, a collaboration with El Segundo Brewing Company featuring new hop varieties Vista and 1019 alongside trusty Citra and Mosaic. Cheers to six years of Firestone Walker’s The Propagator. Pick up Gen-6 at any of Firestone Walker’s locations or their online store and celebrate with them on April 30th at The Propagator in Venice. Big shout out to our sponsor, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, who consistently brings in the best curated craft beer selection in Southern California, with shops in Culver City and Long Beach and an online store.

We are excited to announce season 2 of #thehopshow! Hosts Daniella Lopez and Javi Gonzalez interview Blanca Quintero of Highland Park Brewery for their Big Game special! Listen in as we speak to Blanca about the return of festivals, the origin story of Schwarzmas, and stuck mash…all while having a wing and beer pairing, culminating with one of the hottest sauces around!

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with John Garcia, Head Brewer of King Harbor Brewing Company in Redondo Beach, CA. In this conversation they dive into: How John launched a beer podcast to get his start in the craft beer industry. Brewing 300+ different beer recipes over the course of a year. His journey to becoming King Harbor’s Head Brewer after just 3 years. His first foray into the Cold IPA style. Why it’s so important to support your local breweries during the winter season. And much more! Then, Gary and John crack open French Toast Latte, a 9% Dessert Stout with cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla beans, Nicaraguan coffee beans, maple syrup, and lactose, released as part of their 7th-anniversary collaboration with HiFi Coffee. Pick up King Harbor’s beers at their taproom in Redondo Beach and you can follow John on Instagram at @southbaybrewjohn and King Harbor at @kingharborbrew. This episode is brought to you by our featured retailer, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, the very best craft beer store in Southern California. Check them out online or visit their shops in Culver City and Long Beach (with Costa Mesa coming soon!).

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Sam Tierney, manager of Firestone Walker’s Propagator R&D Brewhouse in Venice, CA. In this conversation they dive into: Sam’s transition from Firestone Walker’s production cellar in Paso Robles to the R&D brewery in Venice. Experimenting with new ingredients, new processes, and new styles. How he draws inspiration from the homebrew, wine, coffee, and cocktail worlds. Firestone Walker’s “Propagator Series” and how those beers get created. The nuances behind single-hopped beers and how they lead to better hop blends. The return of Wookey Jack this Fall (!!!) And much more! Then, Gary and Sam crack open Psychedelic Arcade, the latest limited release out of The Propagator, a modern West Coast-style Double IPA with massive new school hop aromas and flavors. Pick up Psychedelic Arcade Double IPA and all of Firestone Walker’s core and specialty releases at their Venice taproom, their Buelton & Paso Robles locations, order direct from their website, or find them at a local beer retailer near you. Follow Firestone Walker’s The Propagator on Instagram at @firestonewalker_propagator. This episode is brought to you by our featured retailer, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, the very best craft beer store in Southern California. Check them out online or visit their shops in Culver City and Long Beach (with Costa Mesa coming soon!).

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Adam Kestel, co-founder and Head Brewer at Frogtown Brewery in Los Angeles, CA. They dive into the backstory of the Frogtown neighborhood, their journey from homebrewing to opening a brewery, their connection to the tiki world, and their plans for celebrating their upcoming 5-year anniversary before cracking open Painkiller, a delicious tiki-style Milkshake IPA that instantly transports you to island vacation vibes. Pick up Painkiller Milkshake IPA and all of Frogtown’s awesome lineup at their LA River-adjacent taproom in Frogtown or find them at a local beer retailer near you. Follow Frogtown Brewery on Instagram at @frogtownbrewery. This episode is brought to you by our featured retailer, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, the very best craft beer store in Southern California. Check them out online or visit their shops in Culver City and Long Beach (with Costa Mesa coming soon!).

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Chris Enegren, co-founder and head of brewing operations at Enegren Brewing Co. in Moorpark, CA. They dive into the origin story behind Enegren Brewing Co., how they’ve grown a German-style lager-focused brewery in the modern beer market, Chris’ connection to the city of Moorpark, and reflections on ten years in business before cracking open Zehn Fest Pilsner, their anniversary release and The Protector, a special IPA release that has alllllll of those throwback vibes. Pick up Zehn Fest Pilsner and all of Enegren’s awesome lineup at their Moorpark taproom or find them at a local beer retailer near you. Follow Enegren Brewing Co. on Instagram at @enegrenbrewing. This episode is brought to you by our featured retailer, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, the very best craft beer store in Southern California. Check them out online or visit their shops in Culver City and Long Beach (with Costa Mesa coming soon!).

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Mike Richmond, Brewmaster at Tarantula Hill Brewing Co in Thousand Oaks, CA. They dive into the origin story behind Tarantula Hill, Mike’s journey in craft beer, and his philosophy in brewing before cracking open the light, bright, and hoppy IPA and how this unique and crushable beer fits in alongside their hoppy beer portfolio. Pick up this beer and all of Tarantula Hill’s awesome lineup at their Thousand Oaks location or find them at a local beer retailer near you. Follow Tarantula Hill Brewing Co on Instagram at @tarantulahillbrewingco and Mike on Instagram at @superbrew. This episode is brought to you by our featured retailer, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, the very best craft beer store in Southern California. Check them out online or visit their shops in Culver City and Long Beach (with Costa Mesa coming soon!).

In this Season 2 premiere episode of Beer Breakdown, Gary chats with Julian Shrago, co-founder and Brewmaster of Beachwood Brewing to break down ten years of Beachwood and their special anniversary releases, Hoptical Telescope and Barrelogensis. They dive into everything from Julian’s homebrewing background, the art and science of brewing, building a team, and breaking out of your comfort zone before cracking open the big West Coast-style Double IPA and the decadent Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Barleywine and what makes their approach to hops and barrels so damn unique. Pick up these beers and all of Beachwood’s awesome lineup at their Long Beach, Huntington Beach, and Garden Grove locations, order for shipping in CA, or find them at a local beer retailer near you. Follow Beachwood Brewing on Instagram at @beachwoodbrewing & @beachwoodbbq, or at their website. This episode is brought to you by our featured retailer, Hi-Lo Liquor Market, the very best craft beer store in Southern California. Check them out online or visit their shops in Culver City and Long Beach (with Costa Mesa coming soon!).

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Antonio Sanchez of Wort Wrangler. Javi and Antonio dive into the story behind Wort Wrangler, the ins and out of the beer industry meme game, the crossover to stand-up comedy, his love for interacting with the beer community, launching The Mash Pit podcast and Jiggle Juice Fruit Puree, and so much more! As always, you can follow Javi on Instagram at @javibrews. And you can follow Antonio on Instagram at @WortWrangler and @TheMashPitPodcast and at Jiggle Juice Fruit Puree.

On today’s episode, Laurie and Tyler chat about planning your brews along with the seasons! Whether you’re dealing with restrictions in fermentation temperature control, wanting to have specific beers on tap in certain months, or interested in using seasonal ingredients in your brews, we’ve got the perfect brewing calendar for you. Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.    

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Corissa Hernandez, co-founder of Baja-inspired craft beer bar, Xelas in Boyle Heights, and authentic-chic Guadalajara-inspired bar and restaurant, Nativo in Highland Park. Javi and Corissa dive into her Latinx roots and how it’s inspired her journey, putting together culturally authentic food and beverage programs, embracing the local neighborhood community, creating safe spaces for females in bars, pivoting experiential hospitality experiences for the pandemic, and so much more! As always, you can follow Javi on Instagram at @javibrews. And you can follow Corissa on Instagram, as well as Xelas and Nativo.

We’re back for part 2 of our Dr. Andy’s Pale Ale brew experiment! Laurie, Tyler and Andy try the now finished and carbed beers blindly IRL, to see if there are any distinguishable differences between the three. As a reminder, they each brewed the same pale ale recipe on their own respective systems. Stayed tuned after the episode for some fun bonus content! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.    

This week Laurie and Tyler have the honor to chat with Brittany Brouhard (Pronounced “Brew Hard”) who is opening her own brewery, Naughty Pine Brewing Co. out in Westlake Village, CA in 2021. Many will know her from her days crafting German style crispies at Enegren Brewing Co in Moorpark, CA. Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.    

Laurie and Tyler reminisce about their Pink Boots Hop Blend collab brew day at Brewjeria with Esme and Lulu! Esme is the assistant brewer at Brewjeria and Lulu is a beertender at Brewjeria, 1/2 of @twosomebreweries and fellow Cervecera. The girls also try some Pinks Boots beers from Trademark, Frogtown, Claremont Craft Ales, and Common Space! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.    

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Chalonda White of Afro.Beer.Chick, a Chicago-based craft beer blogger and host of the This Chick Talks Beer podcast. Javi and Chalonda dive into her journey into craft beer, why she started Afro.Beer.Chick and Chicks Talk Beer, talking shit on Twitter, holding breweries socially accountable, the role of women in beer, her bourbon project, The Neat Pour, and much much more! As always, you can follow Javi on Instagram at @javibrews. And you can learn more about Chalonda on Instagram, Twitter, or on her website.

Macleod Ale is easily one of the best breweries in LA County so we were super pumped to sit down with Jennifer Boase, co-owner of Macleod Ale and Van Nuys Beer Co. for a candid chat over a curated flight of cask and draft ales. We learn the amazing story of how the brewery started and have fun comparing the beers. Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.    

This week Laurie and Tyler had the pleasure to speak with homebrew legend, Andy Carter. He is the current president of the California Homebrewers Association and contributor to both the Brulosophy Podcast and The Full Pint Podcast. The three discuss plans for a homebrew experiment they will put into action for part one of this two-part series! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG Craft Brewing.

This week Laurie and Tyler discuss a massive trend in commercial brewing and homebrewing alike; the Hard Seltzer! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review and follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG Craft Brewing.

In this episode of Hop Talk, Gary chats with Jimmy Smith who is the beer buyer at The Glendale Tap, one of the best beer bars in Los Angeles. Jimmy talks us through how he got into craft beer and broke into the industry, what it takes to keep a beer program at the top of its game in 2021, what he’s seeing in up and coming beer trends, pairing hype food popups with craft beer, and our current collaboration on The Hop Box. Listen in and you can purchase your Hop Box right here (while supplies last), and follow Jimmy at @beersenseila and The Glendale Tap at @glendaletap. http://hopped.com/product/hop-box-batch-2 https://www.instagram.com/beersenseila/ https://www.instagram.com/glendaletap/

On this episode of Brew’d Up! Laurie and Tyler discuss their brew day experience with none other than, The Grainfather! Hot Take: It’s sexy as hell and has so many features! The Grainfather is an incredible piece of homebrew equipment, shout out to BSG HandCraft for the hookup. Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review, and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Jason Harris, fellow West Coast IPA lover and member of the Four Brewers podcast. Javi and Jason dive into what it’s like doing a beer podcast in a pandemic, the post-COVID future of beer fests and bottle shares, why breweries should stop brewing Triple IPA, and so much more! Listen in and as always you can follow Javi at @javibrews, Jason at @aeromunch, and the Four Brewers podcast at @fourbrewers.

This week Laurie and Tyler had the pleasure to speak with the AHA National Homebrew Competition Director, John Moorhead! John gives A LOT of insight on how the NHC operates (especially this year) and provides amazing tips to those who are considering entering the NHC or any local homebrew competitions. They also do a live beer judge tasting of a delicious Munich Helles. SO much was learned and we’d like to thank the American Homebrewers Association for their continued support and coordinating this interview! Grab a Helles and join in! Don’t forget, NHC registration starts February 17th! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review, and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft. Brew’d Up is Hopped LA’s newest official podcast! Check out the site for more details and be sure to follow @hoppedla on all social media platforms.

This week Laurie and Tyler do a deep dive into the endless possibilities of yeast to use for homemade cider! They also taste a few delectable ciders from none other than Cimarrons Streets Finest 🙂 Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review, and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, The American Homebrewers Association, and BSG HandCraft.

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with San Diego-based freelance craft beer writer & journalist, Beth Demmon. You may know Beth as the award-winning journalist who’s written for publications like CraftBeer.com, Good Beer Hunting, VinePair, and Craft Beer & Brewing, the host of the San Diego Brewers Guild’s weekly “Happy Hour at Home” show on Instagram Live, Founder of the Diverse Beer Writers Initiative, or for her most recent project, Prohibitchin’ on Substack. Javi and Beth dive into a diverse set of topics this week, including beer influencers, how the craft beer industry has adapted to the pandemic, the insanity of #beertwitter, shotgunning Focal Banger on a Tuesday morning, how how to get started in beer media, and much more! As always, you can follow Javi on Instagram at @javibrews. And you can learn more about Beth on Instagram, Twitter, or on her website.

This week Laurie and Tyler had the pleasure to speak with Gary from Hopped LA! His brand is dedicated to championing LA County breweries so please follow him for the ins and outs of the LA brewery scene everywhere at @hoppedla. Brew’d Up! is also happy to announce we are now officially part of the Hopped LA team! More to come! Thanks as always for listening! Please like, subscribe, review, and follow on your favorite podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram @brewduppodcast. We’d like to thank our sponsors Simi Valley Homebrew Shop, and BSG Craft Brewing (The Grainfather).

We’re back with Part 2 of our end of the year episode! Gary is once again joined by special guest, Russell Hainline of TheBeerTravelGuide.com to go through the top half of their 10 best LA beers they drank in 2020. If you missed Part 1, go here and check out that episode first. Then come back here where we’re running through rankings #5 to #1. Here’s a quick rundown of their lists, but be sure to tune in to the episode get the full scoop on how these rankings went down! Gary: 10. Common Space – Forget Me Not Black IPA 9. Mumford – Box Logo #10 NE-style Double IPA 8. Three Weavers – Little Green Room Bohemian Pilsner 7. Ogopogo – PPL BRW Hazy IPA 6. 14 Cannons – Wreck Yo Ship Triple IPA 5. Arrow Lodge – Puff Pastry Imperial Stout with cocoa nibs, vanilla and marshmallow 4. Enegren – American Reinheitsgebot Pilsner collab w/ Bierstadt Lagerhaus 3. Cellador – Mas Farmhouse Ale w/ Late Harvest Masumoto Fruit 2. Highland Park – Competition IPA 1. El Segundo – Smooth Deep Blues IPA Russell: 10. Santa Monica Brew Works – Spread Love Juicy IPA 9. Tortugo – Cristobal Mexican Lager with Peppers 8. Ten Mile – Acadian Fog Hazy Double IPA 7. Mumford – Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout 6. Dry River – Lady Roja Michelada 5. Kings – Frose Purple Rain Fruited Sour 4. Highland Park – Griffith J Griffith Fluffernutter Imperial Stout with Trystero Coffee, Peanut Butter & Vanilla 3. Cellador – Fuckified Barrel-Aged Sour Blend with Cling-Stone Masumoto Peach Pits 2. Smog City – Coffee Porter 1. Modern Times – MT Ultra Coconut 2020 Imperial Stout With so many awesome beers from so many great Los Angeles breweries, this is by no means a comprehensive or definitive list. So, we want to hear from YOU! What were your top 10 LA beers that you drank in 2020? Special thanks to Russell for joining this episode of the pod. Give him a follow on Instagram at @russellhbeer and @thebeertravelguide.

In this end of the year episode of Ranked, Gary is once again joined by special guest, Russell Hainline of TheBeerTravelGuide.com to go through the 10 best LA beers they drank in 2020. This monster of an episode is broken up into two parts, running through our #10 to #6 rankings in this episode and then coming back next week with rankings #5 to #1 in Part 2. Here’s a quick rundown of their lists, but be sure to tune in to get the full scoop on how these rankings went down! Gary: 10. Common Space – Forget Me Not Black IPA 9. Mumford – Box Logo #10 NE-style Double IPA 8. Three Weavers – Little Green Room Bohemian Pilsner 7. Ogopogo – PPL BRW Hazy IPA 6. 14 Cannons – Wreck Yo Ship Triple IPA Russell: 10. Santa Monica Brew Works – Spread Love Juicy IPA 9. Tortugo – Cristobal Mexican Lager with Peppers 8. Ten Mile – Acadian Fog Hazy Double IPA 7. Mumford – Black is Beautiful Imperial Stout 6. Dry River – Lady Roja Michelada With so many awesome beers from so many great Los Angeles breweries, this is by no means a comprehensive or definitive list. So, we want to hear from YOU! What were your top 10 LA beers that you drank in 2020? Special thanks to Russell for joining this episode of the pod. Give him a follow on Instagram at @russellhbeer and @thebeertravelguide.

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Nic Bortolin, Co-Founder & Head Brewer at 14 Cannons Brewery in Westlake Village, CA. They taste through a flight of lagers and a flight of IPAs while talking about how a stint in Prague sparked Nic’s love for beer, his background as a professional musician, the showroom concept behind 14 Cannons, their three year anniversary collaboration release, and much more! Listen in and then follow Javi at @javibrews , Nic @thenicbortolin, and 14 Cannons at @14cannons.

In this episode of HOPTALK, Noey chats with Ray Ricky Rivera of Norwalk Brew House and SoCal Cerveceros. They chat about how Ray transitioned from working in the music industry to his start in craft beer, his path to homebrewing and starting the largest all-Latino homebrew club in the country, his future plans for his beer brand, Norwalk Brew House, his radio show Beer Bands Business, some of his recent collaborations, and more! Listen in and then follow Noey at @theycallhimnoe, Ray at @rayrickyrivera, Norwalk Brew House at @norwalkbrewhouse, the SoCal Cerveceros homebrew club at @socalcerveceros, and the Beer Bands Business show at @beerbandsbiz.

In this episode of The Hop Show, Javi chats with Josie Becker, Assistant Brewer at Common Space Brewing in Hawthorne, CA. They talk about the state of the local beer industry here in LA, the birth of the award-winning Josie’s Wit, how the beer industry should approach diversity and the Black Lives Matter movement, her wrestling alter ego, and much more! Listen in and then follow Javi at @javibrews , Josie @hoppiejosie, and Common Space Brewing at @commonspacela.

In this episode of HOPTALK, Emily chats with Kirk Nishikawa and Sherwin Antonio, co-owners of Brewyard Beer Company in Glendale, CA. They chat about how Kirk and Sherwin got into craft beer, their early days homebrewing in the backyard, ale’d lagers and the versatility of lager yeast in their beer program, what it’s like brewing beer in Glendale, and more! Listen in and then follow Emily at @hops_and_highways and Brewyard at @brewyardbeerco.

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we chat with El Segundo Brewing Co’s Tom Kelley about the philosophy of El Segundo Brewing, their Day One program, the Broken Skull phenomenon, and so much more. We also open up cans of their recent seasonal release, The 105 IPA, and talk about what that beer is all about and drink through it together. Pick up El Segundo’s beers at your local beer retailer, at their brewery taproom or Slice & Pint location (where you can also get some of their amazing pizza), or have them overnight ship directly to your door. It’s a beautiful thing. Follow El Segundo Brewing on Instagram at @esbcbrews or at their website.

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Teo Hunter, co-founder of Crowns & Hops, a Black-owned craft beer lifestyle brand and brewing company based in Inglewood, CA. They chat about how Teo’s “Black People Love Beer” brand transitioned into “Dope & Dank”, creating a brewery taproom space in Inglewood, the current Black is Beautiful initiative by Weathered Souls Brewing Co, what it’s like pouring a beer for Garrett Oliver, local breweries’ role & responsibility as community pillars, and so much more. Teo also hints at the just-announced “The 8 Trill Pils Initiative” a brand new initiative dedicated to achieving racial equity in the craft beer industry, kicked off by a $100,000 grant program backed by BrewDog. Listen in and then follow Javi at @javibrews , Teo at @teo_hunter, and Crowns & Hops at @crownsandhops.

Welcome to a brand new episode of Ranked, where Gary is joined by special guest, Russell Hainline of TheBeerTravelGuide.com to walk through their rankings of the top 10 breweries producing West Coast IPAs in Los Angeles. Here’s a quick rundown of the breweries featured in this episode, but to get the fully ranked list, you’ll have to listen in to find out! Smog City, Burnin’ Daylight, HopSaint, Arrow Lodge, El Segundo, 14 Cannons, Highland Park, Beachwood, Ogopogo, Claremont, Indie, and Three Weavers. By no means is this a comprehensive or definitive list. There are plenty of other local breweries making fantastic IPA, so we want to hear from YOU! What is YOUR top 10 list for West Coast IPA breweries in Los Angeles? Special thanks to Russell for joining this episode of the pod. Give him a follow on Instagram at @russellhbeer and @thebeertravelguide.

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Brian Herbertson, head brewer over at The Brewery at Simmzy’s in Burbank, CA. They chat about Brian’s transition from homebrewer to pro brewer at Wick’s Brewing in Riverside, 5-hour commutes and sleeping on grain sacks, making cheese wheels during quarantine, what it’s like to be a part of  LAFC’s the 3252 supporters club, and more! Listen in and then follow Javi at @javibrews , Brian at @herbiebrews, and Simmzy’s Brewery at @beermesimmzys.

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we dive into the story behind “Mas” Farmhouse Ale with Kevin Osborne, the owner, brewer, and blender behind Cellador Ales in North Hills, CA. Kevin walks us through the story behind Cellador Ales and what makes them such a unique brewery. Then, we talk through the history of Mas, a very special collaboration beer between Cellador and Masumoto Family Farms featuring their innovative late-harvest peaches. We then take the time to open a bottle and experience the incredible aromas and flavors of this amazing beer. While bottles of Mas are likely pretty hard to come by now, we highly encourage you to keep an eye on Cellador Ales for all the unique and incredible beers they put out over the course of the year. Follow them on Instagram at @cellador_ales or at their website.

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Ryan Demarest, comedian, podcaster, and beer slinger over at Wingwalker Brewing in Monrovia, CA. They chat about Ryan’s journey in the stand-up comedy scene, how to get free beer by inviting brewers on as podcast guests, why working in a brewery taproom is the perfect job for a comedian, and more! Listen in and then follow Javi at @javibrews , Ryan at @ryanpdemarest, and Wingwalker Brewing at @wingwalkerbrewing.

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we dive into the story behind Tyrannicide IPA with Nic Bortolin, head brewer at 14 Cannons Brewing in Westlake Village, CA. Nic walks us through the story behind the brewery and what they’re all about, then talks us through the origins of Tyrannicide IPA, how it’s evolved over time, why it’s different from other West Coast IPAs, and then, of course, we open, pour, smell, and taste through this amazing beer. While this conversation was recorded in May during the coronavirus shutdowns, the 14 Cannons taproom is NOW OPEN and you can grab Tyrannicide IPA on tap there, local draft accounts, or in cans at select craft beer retailers in Southern California. Follow them on Instagram at @14cannons or at their website.

In this episode of Beer Breakdown, we dive into the story behind Amarilla Gorilla IPA with Jonathan Porter, co-owner and brewmaster at Smog City Brewing in Torrance. Porter talks us through the concept behind Amarilla Gorilla from when they first started brewing it back when they first opened, how the recipe helps it stand out from other IPAs in their portfolio, and how it’s become the brewery’s very first can release and one of the favorites inside and outside their taproom. We then open up fresh cans of Amarilla Gorilla and do a deep dive into the aromas and flavors of the beer. Check out the video of this conversation on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD6w1YK0DHE Look out for Amarilla Gorilla IPA cans out in your local beer retailers as well as at Smog City’s three taprooms in Los Angeles.

In this episode of The Hop Show with Javi, he chats with Megan Paige, Social Media & PR Director of Pacific Plate Brewing in Monrovia, CA. They talk about Megan’s early beer education as the president of the Association of Beverage Professionals at Cal Poly Pomona, their epic Bluesapalooza road trip, her past accomplishments as a competitive accordionist, avoiding getting posted on Worst Beer Blog, and more! Listen in and then follow Javi at @javibrews , Megan at @m364np4163, and Pacific Plate Brewing at @pacificplatebrewery.