beer blah blog

3229 Helms Avenue

Los Angeles, California

(310) 736-2224

I've always liked the original Father's Office but it had 3 things that always kept me from loving it: the crowd - Westside yuppie types, the hassle - having to fight for a table / waiting to get in & distance - I live on the East Siiiiiiiiiiide. This improved greatly for me in all 3 categories.

It's roughly 3 times the size of the SM location with one long room almost entirely open to the outside. There's an outdoor patio that increases the size even more. The bar runs along the length of the room with the taps behind it. There are 72 taps in total BUT each is duplicated, so actually there are only 36 draught beers available. The beer selection, while quite good, is a bit more pedestrian than the other one. Nothing really stands out as something you couldn't find elsewhere. That said, there's plenty there to enjoy.

The food is exceptional. The sweet potatoe fries with bleu cheese are unbelievable. Of course, they are known for their hamburger and that will not disappoint. Love it. It's worth looking into some of their other dishes as well as everything I've tried has been extremely tasty. I kinda went with what I know, so I didn't ask for any pairings; but I guess each dish has a corresponding beer to go with it. Unlike the previous location, this one has a full liquor license. With that they have an impressive selection of spirits much in the way they pick particular beer. I saw someone order a a drink that came with a dropper full of liquid - a bit pretentious, yes.

With all the good beers though, I didn't feel any need to go into the liquor section.

Again, you pay for what you get. A tulip of Delirium Tremens is $8. The food isn't cheap either. The location is dangerously close to my office, so I'm hoping they will remain open only a few days for lunch so I don't become a poor man.

As of 2005, Trumer set up a 2nd brewery in Berkeley, California - the 1st is in Salzberg, Austria. It always puzzles me why I cannot find this beer easily in Los Angeles. In the Bay Area, every corner liquor shop has this everywhere.

It's a fine, easy-drinking pilsener. Everything about it shouts "session time". Nice straw color with a minimal head. Nice and balanced with a slight more hop kick than a German (or in this case, Austrian) made beer in this style.

The only drawback is the green bottling, I've come across some sun contaminated ones that have made me sad.

81 / 100

My favorite fish spot in Los Angeles, Sushi Zo, just started carrying this which is a step up from my usual draught Kirin.I actually quite like some of the macro rice Japanese lagers when paired with raw fish. I realize they are all made somewhere other than Japan. Yebisu is not.It's has a nice malt profile - something you won't find in the rice beers. It also has a slight yeast flavor - something I've never really came across in lagers.

It's a unique beer and quite tasty. Enjoy with some sushi, if every you get the chance.

90 / 100

I've had this beer now several times and each time I find myself enjoying it more. My brother now lives in Santa Barbara; so one fine sunny afternoon while visiting him, we biked over to the Telegraph Brewing. It's a small operation that offers tastings - I definitely recommend swinging by if in SB.

Since then I've been seeing their quality beers popping up throughout Los Angeles and more often than not - it's this one.

It's generally considered a saison but thisdarker and a bit maltier than a traditional one. In fact, there's no indication by Telegraph themselves that this is a saison. The rest of the elements certainly suggest it though. It has the pepper and citrus tones. A flavor that is quite complex but enjoyed so simply. The malty edge Telegraph infuses will probably be a bit confusing initially - for me the first two times I've tried it. But it warms up to you and you can easily see how this helps it transcend to a be a beer that can be enjoyed all year round.