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APR/MAY 2005 | REGIONAL | WEST
COAST
Lucky Baldwin's To Buy A Brewpub
By Jay Sheveck
As of February 27, 2005, Lucky Baldwin’s British
Pub and Café in Pasadena, Calif., gained a
sibling. Proprietors "Sir" David Farnworth and Peggy
Simonian announced that they are purchasing Sierra Madre Brewing
Company in Sierra Madre, Calif. (five miles northeast of Pasadena).
They plan to convert the 35-seat brewpub/alehouse into a Belgian-style
pub and eatery.
“We’ve always been looking for a small place
to expand into,” Farnworth said, “and many of
Lucky Baldwin’s customers live in that area.”
The proposed Belgian pub will undoubtedly share some similarities
with Lucky Baldwin’s in Pasadena. It is expected to
offer unique brands of craft beer and to have a very large
number of taps. It may even maintain the name.
“We might call it ‘Lucky Baldwin’s Trappist
Abbey Beer Bar,’” Farnworth said. “It will
definitely have a Belgian theme. We will feature Belgian beers,
Craftsman’s beers, sticking with what we know. One of
the main reasons we are buying Sierra Madre is because they
have a ‘to-go’ alcohol license. That will allow
us to sell our fantastic Belgian beers to go in both bottles
and kegs!”
Sierra Madre Brewing Company opened in 1997. Owners Stephen
Haydorff and Jim Moran relocated the brewpub to its downtown
storefront two years ago. Although planned, a formal brewhouse
was never installed. Sierra Madre’s five house beers
were brewed under contract by Southern California Brewing
Company. Farnworth has no immediate plans for the brand’s
continuation.
The imminent closure of Sierra Madre Brewing Company may
be sad news for its followers. Nonetheless, the welcoming
in of a second Lucky Baldwin’s to Southern California
should prove to be a positive affair. Farnworth said the Belgian
pub’s official grand opening will be in the latter part
of April 2005. Stay tuned…
Sierra Madre Brewing Co. Two
21 Kersting Ct.
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
626-355-1140
sierramadrebrewery.com
Jay Sheveck, aka "the Beer Guppy, is
the author of the destination guidebook The Beer Guppy’s
Guide to Southern California. Preview it at BeerGuppy.com.
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