The Dodgers and Golden Road Brewing Company

Flashback

Before I moved out to Los Angeles, I had [3 MAJOR] assumptions about the craft brewing industry. First, that Michigan, Oregon, and Colorado were the only states with a [booming] craft beer industry.  Secondly, Michigan was the leader in the craft brewing industry, that is the best craft beers and breweries are found in Michigan [Grand Rapids was voted Beer City US]. Lastly, Dogfish Brewing Company is more of a major beer company [like the Miller Brewing Company] and as a result they're REALLY overrated. Unlike the typical college student when I turned 21 I bought craft beers from [mostly any] Michigan craft brewery,  it wasn't my only section, after all cheap beers are best for parties, but during the week when I just had a beer or two I bought the best craft beers Michigan has to offer. Some of my favorites include the Michigan Brewing Company High Seas IPA [unfortunely MBC went broke/under when they rented out a bigger building and couldn't afford to make payments], Bell's Hopslam and Arbor Brewing Company's Sacred Cow IPA. I really enjoy beer that ACTUALLY has flavor and doesn't taste mostly like water. For those of you haven't already figured it out, I'm 1. a homer [I think Michigan has the best craft beers] and 2. I LOVE a good IPA. 

MBC's High Seas IPA, my all time favorite beer. 

The only picture I've taken in L.A. and I wasn't even driving. 

Fast forward to moving to L.A.

In September I moved out Los Angeles to continue my education [via graduate school, as a student of philosophy, get you're laughs and HA's out of the way now] and like anyone who just packs up and moves I was homeless and jobless.  For the better part of two weeks I followed the same routine with my friend and p.i.c. Sabin,  wake up and check out of the motel I was staying at [I was fortunate enough to not encounter any that had roaches], find the nearest Starbucks, and spend the entire day applying for jobs and drinking coffee [I stuck to the old fashioned stuff, specifically the dark roast, to keep costs at a minimum].

Once I finally acquired a [part time] job I did what most twenty something single guys would do- I celebrated at a local sports bar where I drank a [good, local craft] beer, and I watched the Dodgers play the Braves, and the Tigers play the A's. In that time a few things have changed, firstly the Dodgers are down 2 games to 0 against  the Cardinals in the NLCS and the Tigers and Red Sox are tied at one game apiece in the ACLS.

As I sat there enjoying my beer and fries I thought 3 things, [1] the Dodgers were going to go all the way [after all they have Grienke/Krenshaw and Wilson in their bullpen and let's not forget Hanley Ramirez] and [2] the best bet for the Tigers to go all the way was not to have to verse the Red Sox. Looking back I was only half right, the Tigers were better off facing the Pirates [the Red Sox pretty well swept us in the regular season outscoring the Tigers by a ridiculous amount]. Secondly, Kelly,/Wacha/Wainwright/Lynn will be too much for the Dodgers, or anyone at that matter, the Cardinals have all the right stuff to win it all, [even though I would LOVE the Tigers to ACTUALLY win this year]. The Cardinals are just a team that in recent years has the right stuff to go all the way.  Relying on Grienke/Krenshaw is going to be the downfall of the Dodgers, the Cardinals [and even the Tigers/Red Sox] have much more depth in their bullpen, sorry Brian Wilson, you went with the wrong team [signing with the Tigers would have gotten you to the WS].

With that being said here are my predictions, Cardinals in 5 for the NLCS, Red Sox in 6 for ALCS, and Cardinals win the WS in 6.  

Maybe Weezy and the Beard will get a ring next season. 

My third and final thought was that there's most to the craft brewing industry then I [arrogantly] assumed.

Back to the beer

As I sat in the bar drinking a local craft I came to a conclusion

[1] There's more to craft brews than just Michigan  breweries

and

[2] I need to get off my ass and try as many as I can in the entire country.

So, begins my journey to combine sports and craft beer, the two things I love most. What would better fit than of this combination than to talk about the L.A. IPA I drank in L.A. as I watched an L.A. based team [the Dodgers, of course].  Without further delay, onto the beer!

While the Dodgers slammed the Braves I slammed down Golden Road's Point The Way IPA. I had a couple [I don't remember the exact number...], but here are my thoughts:

[1] I've never had an IPA out of a can before, so that instantly intrigued me, I'm one of those people that thinks beer is best served out of a glass bottle and at room temperature.

[2] I poured it into a glass and it came out a golden color with a generous foam, which I thought was kind of good for an IPA, I prefer the darker hop-ier IPA's  

[3] It had a good balance of hops and malt, with a pine and citrus smell

[4] I thought of it more than a pale ale than an IPA [just my two cents, so take it for what it's worth].  

[5] I'm more of a hop bomb person but none the less this was still a decent beer.

Golden Road's Point the Way IPA

Now for a history lesson

In 2011 Tony Yanow and Meg Gill founded Golden Road Brewing Company. Both Tony and Meg had experience in the beer industry before starting Golden Road, Tony with Tony's Darts Away and Mohawk Restaurant, while Meg was with Oskar Blues Brewery and Speakeasy Lagers and Ales. Golden Road came about when Tony consulted with Meg for the top craft brews in California to put on tap in Tony's Darts Away. Soon he realized that he shared a similar interest in with Meg in bringing brews as individual, as energetic and vibrant as L.A.

It was while tasting a beer at Zeitgeist in San Francisco that the vision for Golden Road was born. Together they chose to delivered beers as unique as L.A. using an eco-friendly brewery. After all can's are better for beer, better for the environment and you can take a can more places than a glass bottle.

When Golden Road was founded just two years ago it was the first craft brewery in L.A. to package and distribute beers [there are plenty of in-house breweries here, as I've traveled around the city I've been able to spot them]. Now just two years later Golden Road is making beers that are award winning and getting attention at beer festivals. 

Currently Golden Road Brewing has 17  total beers [5] anytime beers [2] custom IPA and [10] Limited Releases, they goes as follows:

ANYTIME BEERS

1.Cabrillo Kolsch

2.Get Up Offa That Brown

3. Golden Road Hefeweizen

4.Point The Way IPA

5.Wolf Among Weeds

CUSTOM IPA

6.Burning Bush Smoked IPA

7. Heal the Bay IPA

LIMITED RELEASE

8.Almond Milk Stout

9. Aunt Sally's Pale Ale

10. Citrus Blend

11. Darts Away IPA

12. El Hefe Anejo

13. Emil's Special Beer

14. Golden Road Berliner Weisse

15. Hudson Porter

16. It's Not Always Sunny in LA

17. Schwartz Stout

 A final note

There are big "craft breweries" spread across the country such as Dogfish Brewing and New Belgium Brewing, it's my honest opinion that these aren't craft brewing companies anymore, for me a craft brewery is one that serves at either a [1]  local [city, county, etc.] level, [2] a state level or a [3] a region level [like the Midwest]. Anything further than that ceases to be more than a craft brewery.  As I finish writing this the Dodgers are down 2 games to 1, Grienke and Krenshaw BOTH got loses in the NCLS while Adam Wainwright couldn't get the W even with his nasty curve. The Red Sox are up 2 to nil and some Tigers fans [myself included] are having nightmares of Papa Grande's return after Benoit gave up a grand slam to David Ortiz and well there's plenty of good handmade craft beer that needs to be consumed.  Also [just my opinion] but I think Brian Wilson has shown that he is a quality pitcher no matter what and he gets a long term deal somewhere, just don't be surprised if its not in L.A. He wants to pitch at the best place possible and for the most money, he's more than proven he's worth the money.