First Annual LA Craft Beer Crawl in Historic Downtown, Los Angeles (2010)

Why hasn't anyone thought of this sooner? A leisurely (or not so leisurely, depending on your pace of alcohol consumption) way to spend a day in Downtown Los Angeles and see the various sites and bars propping up from the continuous revamp of the city - all while drinking beer! Such was the first annual LA Craft Beer Crawl on Saturday, September 25, 2010, in which, with a purchase of an advanced ticket, you receive a 6 oz. beer glass and a map, with which you travel from bar to bar to get your fill on various featured craft beers. First stop: Casey's Irish Pub.

The line wrapped around the block as you approached Casey's around 3pm when the event started and was filled with thirsty enthusiasts salivating for their first glass on a scorching day in Los Angeles. The line moved fairly quickly, however, and soon after hundreds had empty glasses in their hands storming the bars to get poured. Anything goes from there and you were free to roam the streets to any participating bar on the map in no particular order, to get your fix. Some were across the street, some were a bit of a trek (for native Angelinoa at least), but since all were within walking distance of one another (hence "crawl"), it was a very convenient way to check out the different bars and taste various types of beers for an all-inclusive price. Furthermore, the walking provided for the opportunity to explore Downtown and enjoy its unique vibe in a way that you normally wouldn't --- when else would you walk around Downtown LA on a random afternoon anyway? Besides, the walk from bar to bar provided for some time and exercise and digest all the beer that had filled the stomach to prepare for another round.

There were 7 bars participating in total, which included the Downtown revival staples such as Golden Gopher, Seven Grand, Cole's, and Broadway, as well as new hole-in-the-walls like Cana Rum Bar, and Las Perlas, in addition to the old favorite Casey's, where the event kicked off. Each had a different vibe and ambiance that added to the enjoyment of the crawl. Only disappointment? After more than a 15-minute walk to Cana Rum Bar (which, in an inebriated state, felt like an hour), with the goal of drinking the two most interesting-sounding beers on the list - Coconut and Pumpkin - they were out!

But other than that minor hiccup, good times were had by all. Not only was it a good marketing ploy of introducing everyone to the flavors (of beer and bars) of Downtown LA, it provided business opportunities for surrounding restaurants and cafes, as you stumbled across places you've never heard of, or have heard of and always wanted to try, but never went just because, be it lack of parking or opportunity. But this afternoon, when everyone was on foot anyway, there was no reason not to make the visit. It was a win-win situation for everyone participating, from the vendors, local businesses, and attendees.

People's love fest with beer was so abundant that this was a sold out event with over 1200 tickets sold. So with my 6 oz. glass raised, here's to a second annual LA Craft Beer Crawl next year, hopefully with more participating bars! But in the meantime, there is nothing stopping people from doing their own beer crawl any day, and hop from bar to bar, since these bars are here year-round, all conveniently within blocks of each other. CHEERS!