In 2006, when Bob Kunz was making his debut on the beer scene in Los Angeles, he made a list of all the breweries he could apply to for a job. His magic number? Five.

“These were the only five I could find in LA,” he said in a previous interview with Forbes. “If there was more than that, it was less than ten.”

Kunz now runs Highland Park Brewery, one of the city’s most renowned operations, joining over 150 other breweries in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In LA, there is something for everyone. The city has been recognized as one of my own ‘Top Five Beer Cities of 2019’ and is frequently visited by tourists from all over the world for its robust drink scene.

Ready to book your flight? Here’s how a Forbes writer would spend his day shopping around from the airport beer to downtown LA.

Brewing Company of the Three Weavers

1031 W Manchester Blvd AB, Inglewood, California 90301

Just an eight-minute drive from the Los Angeles Airport is Three Weavers Brewing Company, one of the largest independent breweries in Los Angeles County. Founded by Lynne Weaver (go to the women founders!) In 2013 and run by master brewer Alex Nowell (go to the women brewers!), The brewery recently joined the CANarchy Brewery Collective, which includes Oskar Blues Brewery, Perrin Brewing Company, Cigar City Brewing, Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery, and Deep Ellum Brewing.

What does this mean to you ? If you’re into Three Weavers beer, the brewery is probably not going anywhere anytime soon, and CANarchy’s geographically diverse portfolio could mean opportunities for expanded distribution in the near future. For a taste of the West Coast, try the Expat IPA.

Firestone Walker Propagator

3205 Washington Blvd., Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Twenty minutes north of Three Weavers is the Firestone Walker Propagator, an outpost of one of the MAs of the California craft beer community. Currently one of the largest breweries in the United States, Firestone Walker makes Pale Ale, once named “America’s Best Beer” by the Men’s Journal. While the Pale Ale is tasty and the Propagator has a host of unique and creative beers, you’ll want something crisp and refreshing after getting off the plane. We therefore recommend a Firestone Walker Lager or a classic Pivo Pils. If you are hungry this would also be a great place to grab a pizza.

Modern Day Dankness Dojo

832 S Olive St, Los Angeles, California 90014

NOW you will have the chance to experience this famous LA traffic. But don’t worry – the 30 minutes between the Firestone Walker Propagator and the Modern Times Dankness Dojo isn’t a long ride, and from there it’s going to be pretty smooth sailing. With several arts-focused taprooms on the West Coast, Modern Times is the tour of choice for anyone interested in design (their walls are COVERED with art installations), and their coffee program rivals even that of roasters. local. Grab one of their dark beers like Black House and a bag of cask-aged coffee beans for the road.

Mumford Brewery

416 Boyd Street, Los Angeles, California 90013

In 2015, brothers Peter and Todd Mumford quietly started Mumford Brewing, which quickly became one of the city’s most respected independent craft breweries. For those interested in hazy IPAs, this is your place, although the brewery likes to build muscle by creating a variety of styles. Think barley wines, lagers and stouts, among others. Still, you can’t go wrong with something like Skimboard Stylee, Soundpieces or Oddestly, all IPAs produced by Mumford.

Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown

1220 N Spring St, Los Angeles, California 90012

Highland Park Brewery has quite a history of origin. The incredible space of North Spring Street is just its next chapter. What started as one of the smallest production breweries in the country is now a beautiful space bathed in natural light, right next to David Chang’s Majordomo. The brewery specializes in IPAs and lagers, so try either style. Can we recommend America’s Preference, a low blood alcohol pilsner? And maybe Chang Restaurant for dinner?