Boomtown Brewery: Community As A Main Ingredient

Nestled in the heart of the Arts District, Boomtown Brewery has been gracing DTLA and the Greater LA Area with their eclectic and varying menu of beers since early 2015. We (@labeercats and @_adulting201_) got the privilege to visit for a private tour of the facilities and taproom, but what we really got was a wonderful history of Boomtown, a passionate exploration of beer, and a unique philosophy – all courtesy of their Brewery Manager, Benjamin Turkel.

Boomtown lays out their name’s origin right on their website by definition: a town that experiences a sudden growth in business and population; a booming town. Well, that may be the most fitting description of the Arts District in the last decade or so. A former grungy warehouse district with some spillover of textiles and the like, the Arts District has become a haven for burgeoning businesses and artists with a hunger for space and community.

It’s difficult to separate the inviting and rustic nature of Boomtown itself from the similarly welcoming personality of Ben. A former archeological chemist, Ben’s own ideology toward brewing is clearly informed by his love of history, chemistry, and beer. A background in winemaking doesn’t hurt either, as he is not only a practiced brewer, but one with a balanced view of brewing that ventures between lovingly methodical yet fun and relaxed. Ben’s passion for alchemy and transforming the mundane into fantastic material goods led to a partnership with one of DTLA’s premier breweries. Ben was the third employee at Boomtown and has been creating and serving up delicious brews ever since. Pilsner or Stout, Saison and Belgian, Boomtown is always pushing the question of ‘What is beer?’ with Ben at the helm.

In a city full of breweries and taprooms, Boomtown still remains a fan favorite, and as mentioned, it’s not just the beer. Creating a space that thrives on community has its challenges, but it clearly has its perks. That same inviting atmosphere in the taproom has clearly been extended to the rest of the brewery; the large event space that flourished prior to Covid is about to re-open. Weddings, parties, ceremonies, galleries, and all the like are about to return and we can’t wait to see this beautiful space utilized. While at the beginning of Covid, Boomtown was selling their beer out of a locked gate, they have transformed into having a bustling Open Mic night every Monday evening. “The past year has really shown us who our community is, and it has been heartwarming to witness,” noted Ben.

We were fortunate enough to try a few beers on tap aside from the oft-tasted Mic Czech and Limelight — all great — but the absolute standout was the most recent Artist Series beer. For anyone unfamiliar, the Artist Series is an initiative going on four years where Boomtown partners with an artist from a local network and collaborates on can art design displaying that artist’s respective style. July’s release, the Immerse Hazy Double IPA, (with art by @sevanselvadjian), is a beautiful sunny explosion, brewed with Citra, Nelson, Hallertau Blanc, Lemon Drop, and Amarillo hops. The result brings out strong notes of melon and citrus, with an incredibly refreshing palate and a smooth sessionability, despite the 8.2% abv.

As Ben said, “Boomtown is for drinkers. It’s for sippers. It’s for first dates. It’s for parties”. And it’s easy to believe. If you’re looking for a brewery that prides itself on building a community and supporting its neighborhood while simultaneously offering an unpretentious yet distinguished array of beautiful beers, make your way to the Arts District ale aficionados, Boomtown Brewery (and if you’re lucky, catch their brewery cat Miss Biggsz).