The Dudes’ Brewing Co. has found itself right at home at its newest location in Santa Monica Place. Just steps from the Santa Monica Pier with a killer location on the top deck of this high-end shopping mall, The Dudes’ has had no problem melding its uber-relaxed vibe in with its new digs.
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Inviting patio furniture and high-top tables made of barrels line the outdoor patio while communal tables and a long bar make up the interior; both great for viewing sports on the massive projector screens or people-watching the endless passers-by. The Dudes’ has found an excellent balance between plush and humble, staying true to its modest Torrance roots while slowly but surely making its mark across Southern California.

The food menu builds off the successful foundation of The Dudes’ also-recent Santa Clarita location. House-made pizzas, pretzels and salads come out with the same fresh ingredients and genuine attention to detail that made The Dudes’ famous in the first place. That prosciutto arugula pizza and strawberry balsamic salad are hard to pass up. They’re continuing to push the envelope in Santa Monica, introducing wine to the menu.

And of course, The Dudes’ iconic beer lineup continues to go unrivaled in creativity, producing a plethora of innovative flavors from grandma’s pecan to kokomo key lime sour and nitro mint milkshake. Flights are encouraged and ever-abound, served atop wooden bowling pins as an homage to the dude himself, from The Big Lebowski.

Brewery Draconum has found itself right at home in downtown Newhall. It brings with it the exact kind of authentic, small-town character you’d hope to find in this historic wild west district, and at the same time a level of sophistication in its menu and ambiance that reminds you that you’re still in LA.
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And the beer? Unquestionably killer, crafted through decades of experience under owner Ben Law and his humble yet visionary team.

​A true brewpub, Brewery Draconum brews a wide variety of beers in-house, turning out new types so often that they can’t print new menus fast enough. The beer room is visible from the other side of the bar, rows of stainless steel vats a beautiful site for patrons seeking beer straight from the source. Their gutterhead red ale is a house favorite, with excellent Saison, melonkolschy [kolsch] and ABVAF [golden Belgian strong] as additional contemporary highlights. You’ll also find additional craft brews from SoCal icons such as Stone Brewing and Mother Earth.

​Brewery Draconum’s meticulous attention to detail carries through to its food menu, which of course incorporates into recipes whenever possible. They make nearly everything from scratch, all the way down to their potato and tortilla chips. Enjoy them with some impressive spinach dip, then move onto a fresh, colorful beet salad finished with creamy burrata.

Mains go for an unbelievably reasonable price point, from $10 perfectly fried fish tacos and customizable burgers that start at $12. And hallelujah, those burgers include fries! If you’re seeking something more elevated, try the rack of lamb with Irish mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. Unsurprisingly, everything pairs quite fittingly with the beer menu, including dessert—how about a nitro beer float?

​Out back is the beer garden, where communal picnic tables and lawn games allow you to make the most of your afternoon or evening.
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Brewery Draconum is located at 24407 Main St, Santa Clarita, CA 91321. Open Tue and Thu 12 – 10 p.m., Fri – Sat 12 – midnight, Sun 12 – 9 p.m. Closed Tue and Wed for brewing. Avg. out-the-door price for split appetizer, entrée and 1 – 2 drinks is ~$41/person. For more information call (661) 568-9160 or visit Brewery Draconum’s Facebook page.

The Santa Clarita BBQ and Beer festival saw continued expansion in its third year, building on its namesake food and drink with an elevated entertainment focus. Country music star Billy Currington headlined the two-day festival, bringing with him a sea of cowboy hats, plaid shirts and leather boots that gave the festival a true identity for the first time, and one that will inevitably take it further down the country route for years to come.

Another part of the festival’s remodel was the addition of an ‘a la carte’ program to Friday’s bottomless beer offering. Two tents hosted dozens of breweries featuring endless pours, as well as additional stands throughout the venue that worked on a drink ticket system. In both cases, the crowd had no shortage of options. Several local favorites highlighted the lineup—Brewery Draconum, Wolf Creek Brewery, Pocock Brewing Co. and The Dudes’ Brewing Company—showing some exciting development in Santa Clarita’s beer scene. Lagunitas, Shock Top, Firestone Walker and Angel City Brewery were just a few major players on the festival’s growing list of purveyors.

Barbecue was, of course, ever-present. Carter’s Smoked BBQ dished out their heavenly pulled pork and jaw-dropping grande nachos, while Ambience Catering served up some mean hot links and tri tip. Panchos Nachos and Tacos prepared some excellent bbq beef made especially for the event, accompanied by street tamales and other south-of-the-border favorites. Burt’s garlic fries were certainly a crowd favorite, their aroma bringing in a steady stream of patrons

The festival drew its biggest crowd to date, with a venue nearly four times the size compared to years past. The concert stage, previously tucked away in a corner, took its place front and center this time around, majestically flanked by the hilly landscape. Two enormous fields in Santa Clarita’s Central Park were more than enough to accommodate all the cowboy-clad shenanigans that took place, and you’re always pleasantly reminded that you’re in a family-oriented town when you leave a beer festival and there’s a youth soccer game taking place on the other side of the fence.

For more information, visit bbqandbeerfestival.com