The Best Brewery Hops in Los Angeles: The Westside
July 31, 2018

“I’m in West LA, it’s almost 2 PM, and I don’t want to be near a freeway for at least six hours. Anywhere I can drink beer to pass the time?”
The westside of Los Angeles is a gorgeous place to visit— but unfortunately, your options for a brewery hop are slim to none. The only downside to visiting a coastal paradise, but a downside nevertheless.
There are three breweries at present on the westside, all three of which have a good variety of tasty options— and one of which is the potential end point of a hop including two local craft beer bars. This breaks the usual “brewery hop” tradition, but hey man, you’re at the beach. Time to mellow out.
3. Santa Monica Brew Works
Santa Monica Brew Works is a great place to spend a Saturday. It’s an open-air facility, perfect for catching those westside temperate breezes. Pets are welcome, food trucks seem omni-present. There’s ample parking, which is a rarity for this side of town. Most importantly, the beers are tasty across the board— the IPAs, the stouts, the occasional ciders and barrel-aged options. Our recommendation: the PCH, their flagship golden milk stout, and its cousin, the local coffee-infused Breakfast Beer. Either would be a great start— or end— to a sunny California day.
2. West 4th and Jane —> Stout Burgers & Beers —> The Dudes Tasting Room
Okay, so as noted above, this is cheating our usual format of sticking to the breweries… but we’ll make an exception for these two terrific beer bars. As someone who lives in this area, West 4th and Jane is our go-to when we need a pint. They have a top-tier selection compared to most every beer bar in Los Angeles, so settle in, grab a basket of sweet potato fries, and get to drinking.
From there, walk a couple blocks west to Stout Burgers & Beers, a bar that, in our estimation, boasts the best burger in Los Angeles. You’ll be tempted by many of the burgers on the menu— get the restaurant’s namesake, The Stout Burger. Don’t overthink it. But we didn’t put Stout on this hop solely because of its delicious food (though the food helps). They keep a wide range of barrel-aged stouts and wild ales on tap and in bottles— you’ll routinely find something phenomenal from across the country or overseas you never thought you’d get to try. Stay local or drink something from abroad. Sipper’s choice.
Finally, you’ll head to the southern-most tip of the Santa Monica Promenade and into a shopping center called Santa Monica Place. There you’ll find a tasting room for The Dudes, which offers a fairly wide variety of beers– a 20+ tap list– in a terrific location. Their offerings can be hit or miss, and The Dudes beer isn’t beloved by many of the more discerning beer bloggers and reviewers, so those who consider themselves “beer snobs” may choose to end their excursion at Stout. Still, if looking to play games, watch sports, or hang out with a large party of friends, you’ll find The Dudes’ taproom to be convenient and accommodating. Our recommendation: end your hop on a dessert-y note with the sugary, pie-like bliss of Grandma’s Pecan.
The Promenade can get especially crowded and touristy during the summer, so this hop is definitely not for those looking for an afternoon of peaceful drinking. Traffic to this beach-adjacent area can also be a bear if not already staying on the Westside, so time your travel accordingly. There’s a parking garage next door to West 4th and Jane between Broadway and Santa Monica that’s free for the first ninety minutes– you could do a lot worse in Santa Monica.
1. Firestone Walker: The Propagator
This isn’t just the single best brewery on the westside of LA, it’s also one of the premiere breweries in the greater Los Angeles area. They are renowned for their stouts and their wild ales— and the food at their Propagator restaurant is quite good by brewpub standards. Order a pizza, sip sours, and hang out all night. Our recommendation: stout lovers must find a Velvet Merkin or any of their barrel aged options on the menu— whereas our fellow sour fiends should try any of their Bretta line of wild ales. Keep an eye out at bottle shops around town to see if you can find their absolutely fantastic sour cherry ale, Krieky Bones.
The only downside of this brewery, not unlike that of the last hop: its remote location in Marina Del Rey is a hell of a hike for most anyone in Los Angeles— unless you’re staying by the airport or making plans specifically around this brewery, it’s unlikely you’ll find yourself near it. Plan to arrive early— not only because of Los Angeles’s famous traffic, but also because The Propagator gets quite busy, even on weeknights. Still, the beer is absolutely worth it.
BEST PLACE FOR IPAS:
Santa Monica Brew Works (Runner-up: Firestone Walker)
BEST PLACE FOR SOURS:
Firestone Walker (Runner-up: The Dudes)
BEST PLACE FOR STOUTS:
Firestone Walker (Runner-up: Santa Monica Brew Works)
BEST PLACE FOR A LARGE GROUP:
Santa Monica Brew Works (Runner-up: The Dudes)
BEST PLACE FOR A QUIET DRINK:
… probably not on the westside of LA. West 4th and Jane would qualify when not at peak hours, though.
BEST PLACE TO EAT:
Firestone Walker (… but really, just go to Stout)
Which is your favorite of these brewery hops? Are there any you love that we neglected to mention? Please shout them out in the comments below! Also, check out our other Los Angeles guides, including the best brewery hops Downtown and in the South Bay!