The Pearl Spills the Suds on LA’s Award-Winning Craft Brewers
Beer lovers rejoice! Los Angeles County craft breweries recently took home 45 awards from the Brewers Cup of California, including 16 gold medals and a second consecutive Guild of the Year award. You can sample many of the winners during LA Beer Week (June 14-22) and Los Angeles Independent Beer Fest on June 14, featuring the largest number of Los Angeles County-based craft breweries, live music, great local food, games, and more. Great news for residents of The Pearl, Koreatown is home to some of the best craft beer bars in LA, offering a wide range of pours, along with delicious, eclectic food menus. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite spots to soak up the suds!
Arts District Brewing Company 828 Traction Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90013
Arts District Brewing Company took home three golds from the Brewers Cup of California: one for Norm in American-style stouts/black ales, another for Kindling in smoke beers, and the third for The Lush in Vienna-style lagers. With a 15-barrel brewhouse that produces an average of 2,100 barrels each year, their brewers craft a variety of beer styles ranging from wheat ales to stouts to IPAs. The hearty food menu offers a beer-appropriate selection of wings, burgers, salads, fish & chips, and nachos.
Angel City Brewery 216 S Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
Angel City Brewery tapped into gold for Grenache Grisette under fruit beers; bronze for its IPA under American-style pale ales; and bronze for Apple Pomace Puncheon under sours/bretts/other yeasts. Founded in 1997, Angel City Brewing quickly became a leader in the LA craft beer scene. In 2004 Angel City bought an 8,000-barrel German-made brewery in Alpine Village near Los Angeles, and lovingly restored the facility. In late 2010, Angel City relocated to the historic John A. Roebling Building in the DTLA Arts District. The vision was, and remains, to give this great city a great brewery.
BiergartenLA 206 N Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90004
Established in 2010, Biergarten was Koreatown’s first craft beer bar. Featured on The Food Network’s Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, this hip gastropub offers Korean and German fusion food, along with other great bar food items. Biergarten’s extensive draft and tap list offers a vast selection of beers and ales from Germany, Iceland, Belgium, Austria, and Denmark, as well as domestic brands. The eclectic beer-friendly menu includes an assortment of burgers, Bavarian pretzels, tempura fries, kimchi pancakes, and German platters such as pork schnitzel and wurst.
All Season Brewing 800 S La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036
Rooted in the historic midcentury modern Firestone tire shop in Miracle Mile, All Season Brewing Co. is a drinking place dedicated to good beer, good times, and good folks. Established in 2021, they brew crushable beers in their glass-encased 15-barrel brewhouse. The blurred indoor-outdoor space is designed for the everyday drinker. Los Angeles doesn’t have seasons, and neither does drinking. Even though All Season is a brewery, they’re a bar first. In addition to beers, they have a full bar including classic & draft cocktails, wine, and house-made ginger beer.
Fountain LA 2889 W Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90006
Situated in the bustling heart of Koreatown, Fountain LA is a vibrant bar and lounge offering Korean fusion food and a vast menu of signature cocktails, Korean spirits, and draft and bottled beer. With 10,000 square feet of space, they offer a lively atmosphere perfect for dining, sports viewing, and private events. The fully equipped bar and kitchen serve up delicious cocktails and diverse cuisine, while over 50 private parking spaces ensure convenience for guests. Get ready for an unforgettable experience where every visit promises excitement, great food, and lasting memories.
Frogtown Brewery 2931 Gilroy St. Los Angeles, CA, 90039
Frogtown Brewery is an independent craft brewery and taproom located in northeast Los Angeles along the L.A. River. It was recently named one of the 50 Fastest Growing Breweries in the United States by the Brewers Association. Owners Adam Kestel and Mike Voss are long-time friends who shared a passion for home brewing and DIY projects, along with the crazy dream to one day open their own brewery. Frogtown Brewery has made a name for itself in the L.A. craft beer scene with its standout classic Kinky Blonde Ale and experimental releases such as Painkiller, a tiki-inspired IPA made with toasted coconut and pineapple. The taproom boasts an ever-changing selection of beers and a welcoming family and dog-friendly environment.
Benny Boy Brewing 1821 Daly St. Los Angeles, CA 90031
Located in historic Lincoln Heights, minutes from Downtown LA, Benny Boy Brewing is LA’s first combined brewery and cidery, and the only Tank Bar in town. They are home to a 15-barrel production brewery, an adorable cider house, plus a huge beer garden. Founded by husband and wife team Benny & Chelsey, they make beer and cider the way they used to be made — with quality ingredients straight from the farm, less processing, zero filtering, and only natural carbonation. The result is cleaner, classic beer and natural dry cider.
Highland Park Brewery 1220 N Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
From their original space in Highland Park as a production-only facility, Highland Park Brewery has expanded into Chinatown, housing their first tasting room. Highland Park Brewery has a simple goal of making excellent beer in Los Angeles. Their journey in beer focuses on good people, discovery, adventure, and, quite simply, fun. Their world of fresh hoppy beers, crisp lagers, bold stouts, and adventurous mixed culture fermentation is accompanied by unique processes, wacky microbes, and local ingredients among other things.
Homage Brewing 1219 N Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90012
In 2021, Pomona-based Homage Brewing opened a taproom near Highland Park Brewery in Chinatown. The establishment was inspired by the many breweries, musicians, and artists who push forward, by taking risks and experimenting to help keep our world innovative. Beer is their passion, and their hand-crafted ales are an homage and direct representation of their contribution to the on-going pursuit of creating meaningful art that defines a generation. Homage serves a beer-friendly menu of burgers, fish tacos, chicken wings, sandwiches, and salads.
Photo Credits:
Photo #1: Arts District Brewing Co.
Photo #2: Arts District Brewing Co.
Photo #3: Angel City Brewery
Photo #4: BiergartenLA
Photo #5: All Season Brewing
Photo #6: Fountain LA
Photo #7: Frogtown Brewery
Photo #8: Benny Boy Brewing
Photo #9: Highland Park Brewery
Photo #10: Homage Brewing