Though she spent a relatively short period helming fermentation operations at Pizza Port’s original Solana Beach location, Devon Randall brewed up a good name and following. Many were disappointed in 2015, when she left that position and San Diego County to assume the head-brewer role at a start-up brewpub in Los Angeles. Named for the downtown La La Land neighborhood it inhabits, Arts District Brewing Company is where Randall currently hangs her hat, as well as the Great American Beer Festival silver-medal she won in the Smoke Beer category this summer. That hardware went to Cowboy Curtis, a smooth-drinking smoked porter that’s one of a great many beers Randall has concocted since Arts District went live a year ago. It’s a good beer and indicative of what one can expect when visiting Arts District—balanced, extremely drinkabile brews with nice but not overblown upstrokes of flavor. It’s fair to say that the beers she brewed at Pizza Port were bolder, but subtlety is most prominently on display at Arts District; something that’s arguably more difficult to achieve and essential at her new stomping grounds.
In Solana Beach, Randall worked at a craft-beer Mecca known across the country as the first link in a chain displaying legendary brewing prowess. There was no one to convert. Everybody who showed up were hallelujah-shouting members of the hop-head choir. Though there is a burgeoning and swiftly growing craft-beer scene in Los Angeles, Randall is right to dial things back to a small degree. Doing so should help win a larger percentage of patrons over during Arts District’s infancy. Most Angelenos don’t arrive at Arts District aware of Randall’s solid reputation, so they’re getting to know her through her beer-list, which is highly varied, offering ales ranging from session to the low-end of high-octane.
When visiting last month, 17 house-beers were on-tap. Seventeen! Holy Bagby Beer, Batman! On the lighter, more introductory end were an English summer ale, golden ale, Belgian singel, wheat amber ale, oatmeal stout, and an Irish-style dry stout and red (on nitro). Each of them are extremely to-style and only two come in above 5% alcohol-by-volume. The smoothest of the bunch is the aptly named Velveteen Rabbit oatmeal stout, while the best of the thirst-quenchers in this group is the singel, which goes by the name Francois. A Bavarian pilsner (a new addition to the line-up) is a light yet potent archetype of this en vogue style that also hits the spot.
Experience across various styles is one of the key attributes a good brewer picks up working within the Pizza Port structure. So, too, is the ability to brew a mean IPA! Randall’s were some of the best in San Diego and often incorporated one of her favorite ingredients: rye. Arts District had five India pale ales on tap when I was there. My favorite was Redbird, a red rye IPA (a version of which was available in Solana Beach under the name “Ghost Fire Spider”) with a citrusy hop-bill supported by a malt-bill rife with peppery rye-spice. Even with all that complexity, it goes down (maybe a little too) easy. A wheat-infused IPA called Expo Line is similarly drinkable, but flagship IPA Traction is where it’s at for those seeking a little more body to go with an onslaught of orange and stone fruit-like flavors.
All of Randall’s beers are served (along with a succinct but admirable list of guest-beers) at a long rectangular bar erected around stainless steel tanks. Seating is provided indoors and outdoors, plus there are myriad games—Skee-ball, ping-pong, darts—and a pair of food options. A small eatery called Fritzi is attached to Arts District, but because there is no passage from one venue to the other and only a handful of house-beers are available there, I’d recommend ordering from the limited food-menu offered at a walk-up window inside the main space. Or just skip the food, but make sure to sample through a decent number of Randall’s ales. They’re definitely worth the trip.
Though unorchestrated, the timing of this post works out well in that Randall and her beers made guest appearances at Toronado in North Park during last night’s Drinkabout festivities, meaning there’s a good chance the latter can be sampled by locals who, like me, miss this talented brewer and liken losing her to the City of Angels, to seeing former Padres player and coach/current National League Manager of the Year Dave Roberts sporting Dodger blue. Of course, SD-homerism isn’t required to enjoy Randall’s brews. All you really need is a simple appreciation for good beer.