Kick back and relax in one of the 10 best breweries in Los Angeles just to take the California edge off.
When you have exhausted all the celebrity hotspots in LA, worn out your shoes on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and left your fingerprints all over the windows of the shops on Rodeo Drive, then it’s time to relax and drink craft beer at one of the many beer bars in LA.
10. Beachwood BBQ & Brewing
Beachwood BBQ and Brewing in Los Angeles CA is more sophisticated than it sounds with no detail of its menu or brewing technique going unscrutinized. The beer scene here is great, with 22 rotating taps, it’s possible to not drink the same craft beer twice for quite a while, making this one of the best breweries in Los Angeles.
Menu items are carefully selected, prepared from scratch by order, and designed to pair well with all their craft beer. This brewing company is the one-time World Beer Cup winner for best Large Brewpub and is famous for its killer atmosphere, seasoned slow-cooked meats, and incredibly well-crafted homemade craft beer. They like to say they ‘teeter between tradition and innovation’.
Join trivia night, peruse the beer list try a Chaos Is A Friend of Mine – Belgian style sour ale, or Thrillseeker – a West Coast IPA, and be sure to sample their famous ribs or pulled pork.
9. Highland Park Brewery
The eclectic vibe in this trendy Los Angeles brewpub is heightened by the adventurous brewing techniques. Using local ingredients and unusual brew systems, like mixed culture fermentation, the selection at Highland Park Brewery is unique and full of exciting flavors.
There is a fabulous outdoor patio with a parking lot in their Chinatown location with a view of the park and one more reason it’s one of the best craft beer bars in Los Angeles. There is a large off-site brew-only facility on the other side of town to keep up with demand.
The kitchen eats at Highland Park Brewery are a great selection of everything from Crispy Cauliflower Tacos to Bub & Grandma’s Bread and Butter focaccia. Wash it all down with a Fluff Jackson, a smoked coffee porter with lactose cedar, and a hint of vanilla.
Highland Park Brewery’s beer bar offers a delicious West Coast IPA with Mosaic Hops as well as some delicious hazy IPAs, some of the hoppiest beers you’ve tried, sour, and dark beers. Occasionally you might find a few guest beers on the menu as well.
8. Cellador Ales
Cellador Ales is one of the truly unique craft beer bars on any craft brewery tour which is part of why it is known as one of the best breweries in Los Angeles.
Using a technique thousands of years old, Cellador Ales ONLY does oak barrel-fermented craft beers, which are very rare in North America and a real treat. For the environmentally conscious, this brewpub ticks all the boxes by using only locally sourced, organic ingredients.
The relationships with local growers are a key part of this fresh community-minded brewery. You’ll have an intense sensory experience drinking beer here with flavors like fennel, black sage, yucca flowers, and a variety of mountain berries finding their way into the barrels the same day they are harvested. Cellador Ales specializes in sour ales and high ABV (Alcohol By Volume) ales.
The brewing team, friendly atmosphere, and ambitious ales make this one of the best brewery taprooms in Los Angeles.
7. The Stalking Horse
The Stalking Horse’s food menu is amazing. If you are looking for a good old English brunch with bangers and mash, a codfish sandwich, or a lamb pot pie, not to mention amazing craft beer, no need to hop the pond to London.
The Stalking Horse is a hip British-style brewpub with various British beer styles in West Los Angeles and they are causing a stir in the craft beer scene with their old-world attention to detail. Don’t let the dim lighting and dark tones fool you, this is an impressive, contemporary beer bar to get a proper pint and drink beer from the rotating tap list. The interior alone makes this a very unique brewery.
Brandon Edwards, the internationally acclaimed brewer is involved in every recipe here relying on age-old techniques with a few twists of his own for good measure. His personal fave – a Sierra Nevada Pale. Beyond a doubt, one of the best craft breweries in Los Angeles. If you decide to go here, be sure to get the beer flight to get a taste of everything.
6. Brouwerij West
Situated on the San Pedro Harbour in an impressive WWll-era warehouse, Brouwerij West brewery has dug its heels into this real estate and committed to providing a destination brewpub.
Brouwerij West has one of the most amazing brewery taprooms in town and is being touted as having some of the best Hazy IPAs in LA. People with the Haze Craze must-visit Brouwerij West when they have the opportunity.
At this brewing company, there’s always a new Hazy IPA to try, always made with quality oats and wheat to create that distinct cloudy or hazy beer.
As one of the best brewpubs in Los Angeles, they have an incredible new outdoor beer garden and on all days except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, food trucks show up and line up to feed the hungry craft beer drinkers. Live music (not every night), events, and tastings round out the Brouwerij experience. The West Coast warehouse-style beer bar makes it a great space for large groups or to meet like-minded people in the beer scene – those who enjoy a good craft beer!
5. Modern Times Dankness Dojo
Once the San Diego location had perfected the selection of craft beer and the customer experience, the next natural step was to open this Modern Times Brewery in Los Angeles too.
Perfectly situated in downtown LA, famed South Park area, the vibe is very laid back and artsy with neon light installations and colorful tiled walls. The in-house food is fabulous with a California-style vegan-type menu in the eatery and cafe attached to the brewery.
This brewing company offers a beer flight from the menu or you can design your own for the same price. More than 30 taps are offering seasonal beers and house favorites. There is a great retail space where you can pick up cans to take home as well. Try a Bedrock, a combination nitro brown ale, and a coffee roast.
4. Sunset Beer Co
If you are looking to try something new or rediscover a long-lost favorite, this gem between all other bottle shops will entertain you with a tasty selection and an endless colorful array of artwork-branded bottled beers.
There are hundreds of beer brands available at Sunset Beer Co with fridge-lined walls. Whether you purchase to take home or pay the nominal corkage fee to drink on-site, you will surely find a few beers that excite you.
There is a limited, often seasonal beers selection on tap but you won’t mind when you see what else is available. Everything from rum barrel-aged imperial stouts, to chai-spiced ciders.
After walking around Echo Park, make your way for Sunset Blvd and look for this non-descript strip mall, and tucked in the corner is this surprising craft beer haven.
The lounge attached to the bottle shop has board games and a Beertender who will open your beers for you. As one of the best beer bars in LA – the prices are amazing. While this isn’t an on-site brewery, it is worth a visit.
3. Mumford Brewing
LA’s brewery scene and Arts District keep getting better with every new innovative entrepreneur that adds to the business landscape and the brewing co Mumford Brewing is no exception. They have taken full advantage of the vibrant scene downtown to open up this spacious gallery-feel on-site brewery and lounge.
Great light and a roomy interior make Mumford Brewing a nice spot for a ‘day drink’, closing daily at 9 pm and 3 pm on Sundays. Be sure to grab lunch before you go or be prepared to head out for dinner after as only snacks are available inside.
These new brewmasters hit the ground running here in 2015 and have been making first-class craft beer ever since. Try a rye or rum barrel-aged stout, a Bier Beer unfiltered lager, or a Tripping In The Desert, made with mosaic and cashmere hops and a special house yeast blend – as long as it’s still available.
2. Arts District Brewing Company
Another hot spot downtown is the Arts District brewpub with a sprawling 17,000 square foot space meant for food, fun, and froth. With a 15 barrel brewhouse, they can produce upwards of 2100 barrels of fresh and innovative craft beer a year!
Now with over 30 craft beers on tap brewed on-site, customers can choose from a variety of craft beers from golden ales to ambitious ales to IPA’s. The decor is a mix of dim lights, neon signs, and a dark wood rec room/warehouse style. The adjacent taproom is a grown-up playground with old-school skeeball, ping pong, darts, and giant Jenga.
The fun, noise, and exceptional craft beer make this place one of the best brewpubs in Los Angeles and a popular haunt on weekends so get there early to get a spot! Inside the brewhouse is a take-out food window – Fritzi Dog where you can sample some loaded beef dogs or some healthier fare like a vegan carrot dog.
Arts District Brewing Co also allows you to book an event, whether that’s a personal event like a birthday party or a business event for your colleagues, Arts District is definitely one of the best brewpubs in LA to host an event.
1. Tirebiter Brewery
Last but not least is Tirebiter Brewery. This brewery is one of the best breweries in Los Angeles and their tasting room epitomizes ‘DTLA cool’ with a hipster vibe and amazing outdoor patio seating.
While the craft beer selection is limited to a blonde ale, a stout, a pale ale, and a porter, they are done well – especially the blonde! The food menu featured “Tirebites” which are just small bites to grub on while having a few craft beers. The location of this brewery is perfect for all DTLA adventures – just get there early to get a seat (especially if you want to enjoy the outdoor space). It’s the little things that make this brewery stand out from others in LA.
New visitors to Tirebiter Brewery should get a flight of all their craft beers when they go in. If you’re lucky – they might give out some free tastes or brewery tours.
These were the 10 best breweries in Los Angeles CA, if you think we missed one – let us know!
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