Euro Bierfest

Photos from the 3rd Annual Euro Bierfest at Alpine Village

Published June 13, 2016 | By Lloyd Brown

On Saturday afternoon, the Steinhaus at Alpine Village in Torrance hosted their 3rd Annual Euro Bierfest; unlike their other numerous beer festivals all the beer for this event will came from various parts of Europe. For an event that was not guaranteed an appearance in 2016, the Euro Bierfest was very well attended with people still coming in when we were heading out.

A few of the 30+ beers being poured included Lava Smoked Imperial Stout by Ölvisholt Brugghús, Old Engine Oil by Harviestoun Brewery, Timmermans Lambicus Blanche by Brewery John Martin & Brewery Timmermans and Petrus 50/50 by Brouwerij De Brabandere (Bavik). They also had Hobgoblin, Chimay Rouge (Première) and Chimay Bleue (Grande Réserve), Super, 3 Monts Classic Golden Ale, Duchesse de Bourgogne and Rodenbach Grand Cru. As a special treat, BraufactuM who had their Progusta American IPA on the schedule also brought some BraufactuM Arrique barleywine that was left over from the Firestone Walker Invitational last weekend. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer Festivals | Tagged Alpine Village, Beer festival, Bières de Chimay, Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre, Braufactum, Brewery John Martin & Brewery Timmermans, Brouwerij De Brabandere (Bavik), Brouwerij Palm, Brouwerij Rodenbach, Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Einstok, Euro Bierfest, Fullers's, Harviestoun Brewery, Olvisholt Brugghus, photos, Spaten-Franziskaner-Löwenbräu-Gruppe, Steinhaus at Alpine Village, Steinhaus Restaurant and Beerhall, Torrance, Warsteiner, Weihenstephaner, Wychwood Brewery | Leave a comment

3rd Annual Euro Bierfest at Alpine Village June 11 – Promo Code

Published June 1, 2016 | By Lloyd Brown

Beers from all over Europe

On June 11, 2106 the Steinhaus at Alpine Village in Torrance will host their 3rd Annual Euro Bierfest from 12:00-4:00 PM. Unlike their Kraft Bierfest, LA Local or even Oktoberfest, all the beer for this event will come from various parts of Europe. I do not have the final list available to me at the time of this writing, but prior events featured ciders, sours, Pilsners, stouts, porters, guezes, tripels, quads and various bocks from countries such as France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Iceland, England, Czech Republic and Sweden.

A few of the 25+ brews that have been confirmed to be there include: Continue reading →

Posted in Beer Festivals | Tagged Alpine Village, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, Beer festival, Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven, Bières de Chimay, Birra Baladin, Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre, Brewery John Martin & Brewery Timmermans, Brouwerij De Brabandere (Bavik), Brouwerij Rodenbach, Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Chimay Brewery, coupon code, discount code, Einstok, Euro Bierfest, Eventbrite, Harviestoun Brewery, Olvisholt Brugghus, promo code, Steinhaus at Alpine Village, Steinhaus Restaurant and Beerhall, Torrance, Wychwood Brewery | Leave a comment

A Review of LA Beer Week 2015

Published July 3, 2015 | By Lloyd Brown

Unity release at Smog City Brewing

It has been a week or so now since LA Beer Week 2015 (LABW7) and I think I am ready to give a review of the “week-long” event. I say “week-long” because LABW7 officially ran from June 20-28 but some venues started celebrating early and others ended on the 27th. Heck, Smog City Brewing held their Unity (the official beer of LA Beer Week) bottle release on the Wednesday before, and Absolution Brewing released their LA Beer Week brew, AD/JD on Thursday. No matter when you started, it was a very long week with some very good beers to be found. There are a few events I attended but did not write about; if you want to see those photos please visit my Facebook page.

The LA Beer Week Kickoff Party was held Saturday, June 20 at Exposition Park. I have to be honest, even though I have been documenting LA Beer Week since LABW4 in 2012 I have never attended any of their kickoff events. This was due primarily to preconceived misconceptions of what a madhouse it would be; plus I really do not like driving to DTLA. On the Wednesday before the kickoff party I happened to notice an email that came in from Absolution Brewing to members of their Mug Club in which they were offering VIP tickets to the first five “Muggers” that asked for them. I asked Tanya if she wanted to go and she responded immediately with, “No!.” This was because I had been saying we were not going for the past week, so I think she was just making sure I knew she was okay with it.

As I was going to the Torrance City Hall that night anyway for a Planning Commission hearing and Absolution was basically on the way home, it was decided that we would stop by after the Planning Commission hearing and see if any passes were still available. In other words, I was going to let others have an opportunity to score the passes before me. We showed up to Absolution shortly before they closed and no one had claimed any of the passes, so we decided to attend the kickoff.

Thank you to Absolution Brewing for the VIP passes

Continue reading →

Posted in Beer News | Tagged Absolution Brewing Company, Alpine Village, Beer festival, Carson, Congregation Ale House - Long Beach, David Walker, El Segundo, El Segundo Brewing Company, Euro Bierfest, Exposition Park, Firestone Walker, Inglewood, LA Beer Week, LA Brewers Guild, LABW7, local brewers, Los Angeles, Monkish Brewing Company, Naja's Place, Nate Soroko, Phantom Carriage, photos, Pink Boots Society, recap, Redondo Beach, review, Shane Kral, Smog City Brewing, summary, The SOLD Project, Three Weavers Brewing Company, Torrance | Leave a comment

Alpine Village 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest Photos

Published June 28, 2015 | By Lloyd Brown

These photos were taken Saturday at Alpine Village’s 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest; a craft beer festival featuring beers from across Europe. There were 62 beers from at least 30 breweries with Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and England being the countries I visited.

The event started at 11:00 AM but staff started checking people in about 15 minutes early so that when the drinking bell rang, people were ready to receive their pours. I suspect the early starting hour was the reason that the beginning of the event seemed to have as many attendees as beers to choose from, but by 1:30 PM the place was jumping. There was never any line that I saw so the pours came as fast as you desired.

Last year the Euro Bierfest was held in July; similarly, last year LA Beer Week was held in September. Alpine had changed their date before the LA Brewers Guild announced the change to June so the timing was not exactly ideal but they had a nice turnout and it was obvious that the event organizers are listening to the input of the attendees as evidenced by the new check-in procedure. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer News | Tagged Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren, Alpine Village, Beer festival, Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven, Binding Brauerei, Brasserie d'Achouffe, Brasserie de Silly, Brasserie Dubuisson, Brasseries Kronenbourg, Brouwerij De Brabandere (Bavik), Brouwerij Het Anker, Brouwerij Huyghe, Brouwerij Van Eecke, Brouwerij van Honsebrouck, Einstok, Eitenne Dupont, Euro Bierfest, Krombacher Gruppe, LABW7, Olvisholt Brugghus, photos, Radeberger Gruppe, Schlenkerla Heller-Bräu Trum, Schloss Eggenberg, Torrance, Warsteiner, Yards Brewing Company | Leave a comment

Alpine Village Euro Bierfest Taplist Update & Coupon Code

Published June 18, 2015 | By Lloyd Brown

Join us at Alpine Village’s 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest

As I announced about a month ago, Alpine Village in Torrance will be holding their 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest on Saturday, June 27 from 11:00 AM until 3:30 PM. According to the updated tap list, this beer festival will consist of craft beers from all over Europe, including Belgium, Germany, England, Scotland, Iceland, Italy, France, Austria, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

Some of the offerings will include Hell, Edel and Rose from ABK Beer, Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier from Schlenkerla Heller-Bräu Trum, Baladin’s Nora and Noel, Brasserie d’Achouffe’s Houblon Chouffe, La Chouffe and Chouffe Bok. Also included will be brews from Iceland’s Olvisholt Brugghus, France’s Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre, as well as Austria’s Stift Engelszell and Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg breweries. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer News | Tagged ABK Beer, Alpine Inn, Alpine Village, Bayreuther Bierbrauerei, Beer festival, Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven, Birra Baladin, Brasserie d'Achouffe, Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre, Brasserie de Silly, Brauerei Gebr. Maisel, Brouwerij De Brabandere (Bavik), Brouwerij Het Anker, Brouwerij Huyghe, Brouwerij Palm, Brouwerij Van Eecke, Brouwerij van Honsebrouck, Carlsberg Group, Chimay Brewery, Domaine Dupont, Dubuisson Brewery, Dupont Brewery, Einstok, Erzquell Brauerei Bielstein, Euro Bierfest, Greene King, Krombacher, LA Beer Week, LABW7, Meantime Brewing, Olvisholt Brugghus, Orkney Brewery, Radeberger Gruppe, Rodenbach Brewery, Schlenkerla Heller-Bräu Trum, Schloss Eggenberg, Schofferhofer, St. Feuillien, Stift Engelszell, Torrance, Warsteiner, Weihenstephaner, Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn, Žatecky Pivovar | Leave a comment

Alpine Village 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest Promo Code

Published May 22, 2015 | By Lloyd Brown

UPDATE: Effective June 1, online prices for tickets has increased to $45. Use the NEW PROMO CODE: EURCBGA to save $7.50 per ticket. This expires June 26

Join us at the 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest

On Saturday June 27, The Alpine Village Inn in Torrance will hold their 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest. This beer festival will consist of craft beers from all over Europe, including Belgium, Germany, England, Scotland, Iceland, Italy, France and the Czech Republic. If you attended last year, you know what a good time it was; if you didn’t, you don’t want to miss two in a row.

As I look through the partial list of breweries scheduled to be represented I see Chimay, Silly, Het Anker, Einstok, Orkney, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan and Courage Brewery included. While this event will definitely be light on IPAs there will be lots of ciders, sours, Pilsners, stouts, porters, guezes, tripels, quads and various bocks to try. The first Euro Bierfest provided about 50 brews to 300 attendees and it was a very fun event. If history has proven anything, this 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest will be bigger and better than last year. To help make things a little easier at the door, this event will begin at 11:00 AM.

Join us on June 27 for the 2nd Annual Euro Bierfest

Continue reading →

Posted in Beer News | Tagged Aecht Schlenkerla, Alpine Inn, Alpine Restaurant, Alpine Village, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, Beer festival, Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven, Birra Baladin, Brasserie d'Achouffe, Brasserie de Silly, Brasserie Dubuisson, Brasserie Dupont, Brouwerij De Brabandere (Bavik), Brouwerij De Musketiers, Brouwerij Het Anker, Brouwerij Huyghe, Brouwerij Van Eecke, Brouwerij van Honsebrouck, Chimay Brewery, coupon code, Courage Brewery, craft beers, discount code, Domaine Dupont, Einstok, Erzquell Brauerei Bielstein, Euro Bierfest, Eventbrite, Kronenbourg Brewery, Meantime Brewing, Olvisholt Brugghus, Orkney Brewery, Torrance, Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn, Žatecky Pivovar | Leave a comment

Photos from the 2014 Euro Bierfest at Alpine Village

Published July 20, 2014 | By Lloyd Brown

It must have been six or seven months ago when Alpine Village General Manager Otto Radtke first mentioned the idea of a European beer festival to me. While I was not entirely sure how well it would be received, there was one thing I was quite confident of, the Alpine Village in Torrance would be the one logical location in the South Bay, possibly in Southern California that could pull this off. Saturday afternoon they proved me right by holding their first ever Euro Bierfest 2014, featuring more than 50 beers from France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Iceland, England, Czech Republic and Sweden to probably 300 attendees.

I do not know if I have ever attended a beer festival that had so few IPAs; there were three only Belgian IPAs, none of which displayed the hoppiness to which Southern Californians have become accustomed but the ciders, sours, Pilsners, stouts, porters, guezes, tripels, quads and various bocks more than made up for it. For people with Untappd accounts, this was an excellent opportunity to rack up some of those more difficult to achieve badges like Belgian Holiday, Johnny Appleseed and Crisp as Day. Even more important was the opportunity to try beers that are rarely seen in any of the beer bars I frequent. It was really fun trying brews that I really had zero knowledge of only to discover how delicious they were.

In addition to the fine biers, there was a buffet of German and American foods available to help soak up some of the alcohol; and there was a Chicken Dance in which contestants displayed their Oktoberfest dancing skills for a chance to win some Alpine Village t-shirts. All in all, this was a blast and I personally enjoyed meeting those of you that came up to say hello. Meeting you people is part of what makes my covering of these events so enjoyable; I thank you. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer News | Tagged 2014, Alpine Inn, Alpine Village, Beer festival, Euro Bierfest, Otto Radtke, photos, Torrance | Leave a comment

Euro Bierfest 2014 Beer List Revealed

Published July 1, 2014 | By Lloyd Brown

A few of the fine biers to be found at Euro Bierfest 2014

I announced last week that Alpine Village will host Euro Bierfest 2014 on Saturday, July 19 featuring more than 50 microbrews and craft beers from all over Europe. Not only will the three big beer countries of Belgium, England and Germany be represented, but breweries from France, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Lithuania, Poland, Italy and more will also be represented. Yesterday I received a list of the biers that had already been obtained as well as some of those that Alpine Village is still waiting on. The breweries include Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie, The Royal Brewery of Krušovice, Einstok, Brasserie Dubuisson, Duvel-Moortgat, Thatchers and Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven to name but a few. This event will be like taking a beer tour of Europe without the jet lag and at a fraction of the price.

It will be like taking a beer tour of Europe without the jet lag

Having attended several craft beer events at Alpine Village I feel confident in saying this event is going to be amazing. Euro Bierfest 2014 will run from 1:00-4:00 PM for general admission attendees and is priced at $40 each which includes unlimited tastings and a commemorative tasting glass. VIP tickets are $60 each and will get you in an hour early and you will get a Euro Bierfest t-shirt. There are discounts available with a built in $7.50 off for tickets purchased online before July 5, 2014; you will get another $7.50 off if you use PROMO CODE: ‘craftbeerguy’. That is a total of $15 off per General Admission or VIP ticket purchased online by Friday, the 4th of July. After July 4 you will still receive $7.50 off if you purchase your tickets online and use the craftbeerguy promo code (be sure to click APPLY on the order form). You can order your tickets online at https://events.admitoneproducts.com/tkt_sales.php?test=true&event_id=793814

I was talking to a friend the other day and she mentioned that she needed to practice up on her European beers for her cicerone test; so if you are in the same boat, Euro Bierfest 2014 is going to be a great way to try many European beers under one roof. So cram for that exam at Euro Bierfest 2014, Saturday July 19, 2014. I hope to see you there. Alpine Village is located at 833 W Torrance Boulevard in Torrance; that is where the 405 and 110 meet. Cheers!

Posted in Beer News | Tagged Alpine Village, Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie, Beer festival, Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven, Brasserie Dubuisson, discount code, Duvel-Moortgat, Einstok, Euro Bierfest, promo code, Thatchers, The Royal Brewery of Krušovice, Torrance | Leave a comment

Euro Bierfest 2014 coming July 19 – Get your discount info here

Published June 24, 2014 | By Lloyd Brown

Euro Bierfest 2014, July 19 at Alpine Village

On Saturday July 19, Alpine Village will host the Euro Bierfest 2014 featuring a selection of more than 50 microbrews and craft beers from all over Europe. It is safe to say that unless you spent a lot of time drinking beer in Europe there will be beers and breweries you have never heard of; in fact, there will be beers that may have never been poured from a tap anywhere in the continental United States. Any craft beer drinker worth his salt knows that craft beer and many of the styles emulated by American craft breweries originated in Germany, Belgium and England and all three countries will be well-represented. In addition to them, breweries from Latvia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Italy will also be represented. This is a beer event that only an establishment like Alpine Village can put on.

Alpine Village, located in Torrance at the 405 and 110 freeways was established in 1968 and has been the home of the biggest Oktoberfest celebration in Southern California for more than 40 years. In 2012 they held their first Alpine Bier Fest which had more than 100 beers with almost as many attendees. Believe me when I say, if you did not attend it was your loss; there were amazing brews there. Last year they had their 2nd Annual Alpine Bierfest which many of you did attend and can attest to the fact that this was another great beer event and possibly the best value of any beer festival I attended in 2013. The point is, Alpine Village has been doing beer festivals longer than anyone I can think of on this side of the Mississippi River. When Alpine Village says they are providing some of the most amazing beers from across the Atlantic for your tasting pleasure, they mean it. Belgian Sours, German Bocks, English Porters, French Ciders and more. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer News | Tagged 2014, Alpine Inn, Alpine Village, Beer festival, craft beers, discount code, Euro Bierfest, promo code, Torrance | Leave a comment