Craft Beer and Artisan Pizza

Pizza And Beer Los Angeles

Pizza and beer. It conjures up a certain image in one’s mind of empties. Pizza boxes and crumpled cans. But if you walk into any one of the Pitfire Pizza locations across the Southland, that image will change.

I recently spoke with Larry Rudolph and members of the downtown location during a recent El Segundo Brewing night about what Pitfire is aiming for when it comes to craft beer and equally crafted food. Or as Rudolph put it, “Give people elevated quality at the best value.”

Pitfire will be featuring a brewery each month like El Segundo Brewing Co. was in April and the General Manager at each of the 7 locations can choose between 10 craft beer choices to augment those special nights and the special seasonal menu that includes not only multiple pizza selections like the Burrata Pie or the Green Eggs and Ham but also a generous shredded kale salad with honey dates and almonds, pastas and a sandwich with meatballs and peppers.

The beers on tap are “almost, always local” and primarily California based and you can take advantage of their “study hall” with lower priced beers, but most of their tap offerings are $6. Like Golden Road‘s Get Up Offa That Brown or Autumn Maple from The Bruery.

Los Angeles needs more restaurants that understand the importance of craft beer on a beverage menu and with 7 spots in the Southland, Pitfire is doing their part to bring the movement to the masses.

The Beer of the Week celebrates three breweries that have reached the 25 year mark. Rogue, North Coast and Deschutes have collaborated on a barley wine that celebrates the Class of ’88. 1988 was also the year that noted Portland beer writer, Fred Eckhardt, published The Essentials of Beer Style. So the trio have selected a style from that book and brewed their own interpretation. Each brewed their own batches so there is a slight variation. I found the North Coast more citrus based and a little lighter while the Deschutes version had more caramel notes to it. Now I just have to find a Rogue bottle to complete the trilogy.

Homework involves a different type of class. Class A baseball. The Lancaster JetHawks have a beer garden filled with beer from local Kinetic Brewing on the third base side. And it is at the same prices as you would find at the pub. So you can watch a potential Hall of Famer with a glass of Potential Blonde in your hand.

Find more of Sean Inman’s writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.

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Sean Inman

Find more of Sean Inman's writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.

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