While whispers and rumors told among barstools are often shockingly untrue, in the case of Firestone Walker Brewing Company opening an L.A. location, the rumors are fact. According to Firestone Walker, the brewery plans to open a taproom restaurant, pilot brewhouse and craft beer hub on Washington Boulevard in Venice. The L.A. plans are already set in motion, and the project is set to be complete in late 2014.
Now after you take a few moments to sip on your beer and calm your excitement, let’s get down to the details.
If you’ve never tasted Firestone Walker’s beer before, it’s about time you give yourself the opportunity. Tasting their beer is an education in balance, precision and many times, barrel-aging. But their dedication to education goes beyond the lead-by-example bit, and with the new location, Firestone Walker plans to take full advantage of the creative energy Venice has to offer.
“We are excited that this location will bring us geographically closer to more homebrewers and aficionados, and we plan to host homebrewing seminars, technical talks and other events that will add to the learning curve.”
As if you needed another reason to go check out the California craft beer scene, I think this will help you solidify your plans. And while Firestone Walker’s plans are still in the works, here’s what they’ve decided so far:
- A small-scale complete pilot brewhouse for brewing R&D beers and special one-off brews.
- A taproom restaurant that showcases their approach to beer-making while offering a menu and ambiance unique to the Venice property.
- A discovery center featuring a retail space and training room for educational experiences such as hop seminars and blending sessions.
- The goal is to develop a connective channel with craft beer enthusiasts and the local brewing community, from homebrewers to professionals.
The thing about Firestone Walker that really comes through in their beer, is their true understanding of patience. And not just when it comes to barrel-aging, but patience when working to understand what craft beer enthusiasts want, and educating soon-to-be craft drinkers.
The Venice location will focus on “observance of the surrounding culture.” So while visitors take in the Venice culture, locals can take in fresh Firestone Walker beer.
Let’s hope we can all show some patience as Firestone Walker embarks on this new endeavor. Is it late 2014 yet?
Tiffany Lutke is the current Craft Beer Program intern at the Brewers Association. She spent her days as a kid in the small craft brewery her father owned on the east coast, which led to her love for small and independent breweries. When she’s not pouring beer at Upslope Brewing Company taproom in Boulder, she’s sharing pints with old friends at her favorite beer bars like The Mayor of Old Town in Fort Collins, Colo.
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