ColLAboration Mobile Craft Beer Garden

Not getting the 5 star reviews — at least for the one outside Blue Palms. I’m on the craft brew and consuming-​things-​from-​trucks bandwagons as much as anyone else, but this needed some help.
There were only 3 beer trucks, no food vendors, no music, long unorganized lines, it wasn’t any cheaper than drinking at a bar, and there was no real way to learn much about the beers or breweries. The beers I tried were not bad, but not great. I have a feeling all the good stuff ran out before 3:00 p.m.
I hope they improve it, because it had potential. Maybe they should hire someone to put this thing together who knows how to put these things together.

Great event!!!
I was the bachelor and this was my bachelor party kickoff.
What did I get to sample?
–Stone — smoked porter with vanilla bean
–Alesmith X
–An amazing sour beer (unknown name)
–Russian River — Supplication
–Russian River — Pliny the elder
–Ballast Point– Victory at Sea aged in oak whiskey barrels (this was the best of the event for me)
–ok the rest of the names escape me at this point…
$ 10 for the glass (sad story I had 15 glasses and by the end of the night I didn’t have one anymore… I like to share with my boys) and $ 5 for the fill…
I can’t say enough great things about this event. Tony was very welcoming and Cole (owner of 38 degrees and actually his name is Clay, I guess I just liked the ring of Cole like Cole Trickle, a little better) was an incredible host. It was clear these two guys went out of their way to make sure my group had a good time from the start.
It also put the other names of places involved on my radar like Surly Goat, Verdugo Bar, Blue Palms, and Mohawk Blend.
I can’t wait for the next one and next time I can share with my wife too. Either she will love it too or at least drive us home. Be Safe.

After I read the description of the first ColLAboration event, I wondered how they would pull off a seven hour beerfest. Being there for five of those hours, I have to say that this was a great event and can’t wait until the next ColLAboration sets up.
So here’s the basic run down of how it shakes down. You buy a $ 10 admission and receive a mug to fill up your beer (this is also your admission/​mug for any future ColLAboration event). Then you buy tokens for your beer at $ 6 each or 4 for $ 20. I bought 4, but ended up drinking at least nine or ten beers, as people will volunteer you their tokens after they’ve had too much or are just drunk and happy (or sloppy) and want to share.
When I entered, I looked around and only saw three beer gardens set up, which at first didn’t look so impressive. But each one was dishing out 10 – 15 different beers at any one time.
The beer selection was by far the most impressive that I have seen at a beerfest or tasting. All of the brews were micro and craft brews, with some of the bigger names such as Stone & Arrogant Bastard to be found. You won’t find any Bud’s or Miller’s here. The beer selection was designed for beer lovers. You could find a sour, a porter, an ale, a stout, wheat beer, a light but tasty beer, or a knock you on your ass beer. The pours were generous and almost every vendor filled the glass to the brim, regardless if it was a low or super high alcohol content in the pour of choice.
The event was run smoothly from top to bottom. There were limited amounts of certain beers, but when a keg would get kicked, a new brew would take it’s place at the beer garden. There was no less than 30 – 40 beers available to taste at any one time. If you followed twitter during the fest, they updated when and what was being brought out over the duration of the day.
A great, fun event from start to finish. I’m looking forward to the seeing what the next beer lover’s paradise shapes up like.

I would love to write about maybe the the 20 beers I tried, but trust me I will not remember. Tony’s along with 38d and others did a great job with what thirsty folk in LA and beyond is just the beginning of more to come!
This was are bachelor party for are buddy and they went out of there way to make sure we were taken care of.
I’m sure more reviews with more memory of what they had will come…
Just ready for the summer to come and more pints to fill!