Tasting Arcadia

Episode 13 - Mt Lowe Brewing Company

• Karen Mac Nair • Season 2 • Episode 13

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Raise a glass to community and craft brewing! Our conversation on Tasting Arcadia is with Joey, manager of Mount Lowe Brewing Company, reveals the heart behind Arcadia's only brewery and what makes it such a beloved local business. Also, will be featuring some of their favorite beers at the Taste of Arcadia.

For more information and tickets to the Taste of Arcadia visit TasteOfArcadia.com.

Follow us on social media. Join us for another episode of Tasting Arcadia.


Karen Mac Nair:

Hello everyone, I'm Karen McNair, the CEO at the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce. Thank you for joining us for a wonderful podcast. This is Tasting Arcadia. The whole idea of this podcast is to share with you about Taste of Arcadia, which is a large event put on, presented by the Chamber of Commerce at the beautiful Santa Anita Park. I'm going to start off right away to say get your tickets now, get your VIP tables now, before it is too late and we are sold out. So you go to tasteofarcadiacom to get your VIP tables now, before it is too late and we are sold out. So you go to tasteofarcadiacom to get your tickets today. The goal for this podcast is you get to know, meet, spend time with some of our food and drink vendors. You know we have such a great place in Arcadia to taste so many different types of food and drinks that I just felt like we should bring a few of them to you. So we're jumping into this episode with Joey, who is the manager of Mount Lowe, our wonderful local brewery. Hello, joey, good to see you.

Joey Rodriguez:

Hello Karen, Thank you for having me so glad you're here.

Karen Mac Nair:

We're going to start off, jump right in to get to know a little bit about Mount Lowe. Why don't you tell me a little bit about the business and the history?

Joey Rodriguez:

Absolutely so. Mount Lowe was founded in 2016. We are going on our ninth year. We're getting there anyway, going on our ninth year. The brewery is an homage to the San Gabriel Valley I'm sorry the railway that was built in the San Gabriel Valley in 1839. I'm sorry, 1893, forgive me by Thaddeus Lowe. The brewery itself has a bunch of the history of Mount Lowe and is kind of this outdoor fun feel to it.

Karen Mac Nair:

I do love when you walk into Mount Lowe. Not only is it family friendly, so great to see faces, it's kind of like the cheers you walk in. Everyone knows each other, but your artwork is a little walk down history memory lane of what Mount Lowe was like live somewhere around the area they visited.

Joey Rodriguez:

There's so much history to be found in it. The artwork, as you mentioned on the walls um are legitimate photos and they bring a great piece of the history to you oh great, okay, so take a look around as soon as you walk in.

Karen Mac Nair:

That's my absolutely so where is mount lowe located?

Joey Rodriguez:

um. So we are in arcadia, california, right between first and second, on st joseph we're not too far from here. The Gold Rail takes you right to us. It's a super close walk from there. We are still the only brewery in Arcadia, so you can always just search that. I've always been told Google Maps or some kind of map takes you some funky way, but you will find us.

Karen Mac Nair:

Joey says here too, we're currently recording in downtown Arcadia, so it's near the downtown Arcadia area. Hours of operation how often are you open? When can I get my beer, Joey.

Joey Rodriguez:

So we are open Tuesday through Sunday. Monday we are closed. Hours of operation are from 4 to 9, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 4 to 11, Friday, Saturdays 1 to 11, and then Sundays 1 to 8. A bit funky as far as the hours go, but they work for us.

Karen Mac Nair:

Yeah, it's the time of year where people are traveling, so it makes it a little hard. But we'll touch base a little bit later on how we can help you more. Okay, why don't you tell me about special? I feel like I follow you on Instagram. I know I follow you on Instagram and you post so many great videos, so many upcoming things. What are some events and some activities that are happening at Mount Low recently?

Joey Rodriguez:

Absolutely. We do something at Mount Low just about every single day there is always something fun, it does seem that way, there's always something fun happening there, even if it's not exactly in a scheduled event, you might walk into a dog birthday party.

Karen Mac Nair:

Oh my gosh, that is the best. Please call me next time, no.

Joey Rodriguez:

I've had plenty of those. They're always a great time. You might walk into anything, but as far as scheduled events go, we have bingo on Sundays. It's not your typical bingo. It is a ton of fun. Um, we do trivia just about every single wednesday and we have a great trivia turnout. It's not too hard, not too easy. We give prizes away, um, including things like crafting your own beer if you end up being like the champion of our quarterly trivia.

Joey Rodriguez:

It's a ton of fun. I've had a quite a few teams make a beer to be served there already, which I think they have a lot of fun with.

Karen Mac Nair:

I love that.

Joey Rodriguez:

So I've got an adult bingo night coming up that is adults only and we have a ton of fun with that one. That one's getting a lot of popularity. We've only done it three times, but they've all been a blast. And as of right now, I'm really hoping to kind of start some kind of networking thing, where I know that a lot of small businesses are struggling these days and I think it'd be a great way to kind of gather, network, get a little time to talk about what your business does, just like this. I think this is a wonderful idea.

Karen Mac Nair:

Gets everybody invested in, or at least gives them the idea that something like this exists out there for them. Yeah, that's definitely a lane that the Chamber of Commerce would love to participate with you on but definitely helping our businesses able to share. It would be great. Now, just so I can make sure it's on my calendar if I follow you on Instagram, is there a calendar? Do I pick something up? Do I call you? How do I find out what's going on?

Joey Rodriguez:

So any one of those avenues will work. Social media will work just fine. We have a website as well, which is mountlowbrewingcocom, but we have Instagram, which I think is our number one social media site right now, and most of the, if not all of it. You can find on that, including our calendar, what food trucks we might have for the day and events.

Karen Mac Nair:

Great, that always helps me. So this focus today is beer.

Joey Rodriguez:

Right, okay, as it should be every day, especially in the summertime.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, so what is your favorite beer that you feel like you're serving brewing creating right now?

Joey Rodriguez:

Sure. So at this very moment, it's got to be the Lowdown hazy ipa which I happen to bring for us to try today. If you'd be so kind we're gonna try it.

Joey Rodriguez:

Folks, hang on now mount low like we get asked what our flagship beer is all the time and in my opinion, mount low's greatest success has always been having something for everybody. Okay, you're not um, a beer person, I've got a beer for that. You know. Um, I also got seltzers. And a beer person? I've got a beer for that. I've also got seltzers and different avenues around that. I've got light beers, dark beers, mid-range hoppy, not so hoppy. Mount Lowe, to me, has always been the place to get to find something you will like you know, so that's what it's always been for me.

Joey Rodriguez:

Right now, if I absolutely had to pick one again, it's this Hazy IPA that I've brought today. It's got this juicy citrus forward. Start to it. It is so refreshing. It's not too heavy on the ABV. I'm not a big fan of IPAs, which is typically the most popular style of beer.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, that's good to know, but this is one.

Joey Rodriguez:

That again, it's just one of those things where Mount Low has got it. You know I'm not an IPA person, but this IPA I really enjoy.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, we're going to taste it a little bit later. I have an idea for one of your t-shirts, so wait before you open the cap?

Joey Rodriguez:

Yeah, please Lay it on me.

Karen Mac Nair:

I think it Okay all of you laughing at that dumb joke right now, or not laughing, please just do a little laugh to make me feel better. Okay, you were talking about the different beers. We've talked about your favorites. What's something that is a fan favorite the most?

Joey Rodriguez:

popular Sure. So our bestseller the last three years running has been a beer called the Hills have IPA. Okay. Years running has been a beer called the hills have ipa. Okay, that is a good one there. If you've ever been there, I'm sure you've you've at least heard about it. Um, it is a phenomenal double ipa it's traditional west coast.

Joey Rodriguez:

It's got a really great multi-star to it, a nice hoppy finish it is the traditional, like hop head beer. You know people really enjoy those bitter finishes which, again, they've never been. For me I really do believe ipas take a little bit of a palate adjustment. You got to get used to them. But um, it's, people just love it. They absolutely love it. That's been my best seller the last three years awesome.

Karen Mac Nair:

So what at the brewery are you most proud of?

Joey Rodriguez:

you feel like it's a great part of your business you're excited to share with us I love the fact that the people who have been with us have been with us for almost the entire time we've been open yeah um, don't get me wrong.

Joey Rodriguez:

I've had a rotation of bartenders and everything like that different, different reasons, of course, but people seem to really love working there because the experience overall is just fun. It's just a fun place to be. In my mind, it really is like one of the last really great social experiences that a lot of places have to offer, something like a brewery. It's not your traditional bar where you go to get absolutely hammered. It is a social experience. You go there to have a beer with friends. You go there to let your kids kind of have some fun while you sit back and do whatever it is you'd like to do. I like that. We've catered to that experience for so long. The feedback has always been great about the brewery and I'm very proud of that.

Karen Mac Nair:

Yeah, I agree. I'm very proud to have been a part of that.

Joey Rodriguez:

I've shared some really, really incredible experiences, made a ton of friends that I now consider family. I incredible experiences, made a ton of friends that I now consider family. I think the place just has a really, really great vibe to it, something that everybody can enjoy. It truly is a place where everybody is welcome and at some point, everybody will know your name.

Karen Mac Nair:

It's true, I totally believe it. It's a family. When you walk in, not only with staff, not only with the owners, the managers, everyone, it's the customers too. You walk in, it's just that warm feeling like you're home. So I agree, just so you know. Now it's summertime, it's warm out. I feel like I know the answer to this, but I'm going to ask it anyway what is the best way I could support your business?

Joey Rodriguez:

All right. So the best way you can come in is come in, have a beer and enjoy yourself 100% that is the best way to do it, but word of mouth is super important right now.

Joey Rodriguez:

Um, every single day I have a new customer walk in and they tell me that they live, you know, a mile or two away and they had never heard of us. So it's super important to, uh, if you did enjoy yourself at the place, tell your friends about it. Yeah, check out our social media Again. We've always got something going on there. We do retirement parties, we've done wedding rehearsals, all the stuff we can do it all there.

Karen Mac Nair:

I love that, that you can host parties. I can go have a beer, but the point I think is really received To take a friend with you, tell someone about it.

Joey Rodriguez:

Right.

Karen Mac Nair:

The point I think is really received to take a friend with you, tell someone about it, because we all talk about these small businesses and how much we love them, but we don't want you to be a hidden gem. We want you to be out there and people coming and the rooms packed and the parties booked and the dog birthday which is now my new favorite event to have is the best.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, we're going to jump in to Taste of Arcadia. So Joey and I were prepping and we're talking. How many years, joey, have you been part of Taste of Arcadia at Mount Lowe?

Joey Rodriguez:

I believe we had come up with five, if I'm not mistaken. You are correct Yay, five years, which is so exciting.

Karen Mac Nair:

We have always been so proud to have you as part of Taste. Thank you so much. As we realize we've still got some time, but what are you kind of thinking about bringing to Taste for us to?

Joey Rodriguez:

test. Last year, when I was here doing the podcast, I had a beer called the Cuatro Dias the Four Days. That was the one we tried. I will be having that beer again.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, great.

Joey Rodriguez:

Phenomenal easy drink and lager. I'll have a blonde with me. I'm hoping the Boricua Blonde, our delicious blonde that we have available at the brewery right now. I'm really hoping we have the low down there because, again, phenomenal beer that every person should try, and probably the Hills have IPA as well. So those are the four I'm thinking about bringing. One may change because I would love to have either a dark or maybe something mid-range there, but that's probably what it'll be.

Karen Mac Nair:

So you did mention you were on the podcast before in our first season. So if you're listening now, you can always go back and listen to the podcast from last year. Hear a little bit more about Mount Lowe's, so we're excited. Anything else you want to share before we start our tasting. Anything else we don't want to miss out. We've learned a lot.

Joey Rodriguez:

Let me see Anything else. Well, again, word of mouth is huge. Please come on by to the brewery sometime. I think you will have a blast with it, definitely. But I have got one more piece of it. I figured it out. I figured out why these podcasts really are happening, because every single interview you do, right you?

Karen Mac Nair:

got to bring are happening because every single interview you do right you gotta bring in food, beer, something like yes, this is just a big, long cheat week for you, isn't it? Oh my gosh, yes it is, and some podcasts, some recordings go, one after the other it is, I do need to uh adjust a few vegetables in my diet after this. Well, on that, note that, um, I'm to now have a beverage, please Okay.

Joey Rodriguez:

Share this one with me.

Karen Mac Nair:

This is a beautiful large can, so can I buy it and take the can home?

Joey Rodriguez:

Absolutely so this is called a Crowler. It's a 32-ounce can of beer that I sealed at the brewery. Oh, that's so cool Fresh off the tap. Okay. So I have plenty of these available at packs of cans as well, but I don't at the moment, so I'm going to open this bad boy up. Oh no, I forgot to open it up in the mic. That's all right, you just get to hear me enjoy it. Okay, I'll pour you the first one here.

Karen Mac Nair:

Thank you.

Joey Rodriguez:

And then I'll drink the other 30 ounces.

Karen Mac Nair:

Oh boy, Should I say thank you. Cheers, cheers way should I say thank you, cheers, cheers, thank you so much for having me.

Joey Rodriguez:

I love doing this with you. You do such a fantastic job posting. Thank you, they are so fun.

Karen Mac Nair:

You make this so easy so oh, thank you so much letting us get ourselves out there okay, so we're going to talk about the beer, and I did not make the beer, so it's a fresh example. I am smelling it for a second Citrus Orange.

Joey Rodriguez:

Absolutely. Look at me knowing stuff. Okay, in our tasting Arcadia cup, I'm going to what do you think is as good as I hyped it up? Oh, it is good, it's easy, it's very easy, so smooth yeah no bite, lots of flavor, um nice and cold yeah which I appreciate great for a day like this a little bit warmer and you don't want to be too overwhelmed with something too hoppy. This is a great right, this will keep you hoppy that's for sure uh, poolside, I'm sorry.

Joey Rodriguez:

I have a pool so I was thinking about taking oh yeah right, pick up some from mount low, enjoy there and then take it home for the next day as I'm reading a book and poolside enjoying it.

Karen Mac Nair:

I'm gonna take one more drink. Yes, just to taste it, to make sure it's approved before I get the okay, can I ask about the label? As I look at it, is the art. Something you created Is someone.

Joey Rodriguez:

Yeah, so this was a. This shows the incline railway here, and we had originally done four different artworks for the cans, and I do actually have four different cans available at the brewery. So if you find yourself to be a little bit of a collector of things like this, I do have four different versions of this can here, um, that people uh seem to really enjoy uh having no, I I must compliment that for all the years I have been able to participate in Mount Lowe's journey.

Karen Mac Nair:

Sure, the cans are always amazing. Yeah, we've got some great artists for sure. Yes, there have been so many From the glitter beer.

Joey Rodriguez:

The glitter one? Yeah, that one's got my face on it, it does, it's got me with the beard far bigger than I've ever actually had, but I've had some decent beard time. But it is fun yeah but it's got this glitter in it and it's such a fun can and it's just one of those things I get to say, like my face is on that beer, you know, and that's really fun for me.

Karen Mac Nair:

I have a good time with that. If we ever think about bringing that back. It is one of my favorites.

Joey Rodriguez:

It's always been one of those secret like okay, this is the last resort, the the last brewery rally. You know we're going to release the glitter can again and hopefully it skyrockets us, let me know I'll stand in line.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, anything else you want to share, about taste, about Mount Lowe, about things happening. Why don't I take another sip? Come on, joey, carry the podcast At the brewery.

Joey Rodriguez:

We have always got fantastic beer for you and the idea, of course, is to keep the staples and rotate through new things. Fantastic beer for you, and the idea, of course, is to keep the staples and rotate through new things. So we try and keep people interested in making sure they've got something new to try there. Again, new events all the time. We've done Jurassic Park brunches, Golden Girls. We do theme trivias like the Office and Harry Potter. Again, we've got an adults-only bingo coming up here that we call Bango, which is a ton of fun that one goes 21 and over after a certain time. But that is so much fun and, just like I said, it's always just a fun time at Mount Lowe.

Karen Mac Nair:

I just really want to encourage everybody please, please, please, come by Mount Lowe. They are the only brewery in Arcadia and they are wonderful, and I just, I feel like we need to support our breweries right now more than ever, absolutely, and celebrate all the years you've been with us, but make sure you're around for many, many more. So please go by and visit. Now I'm going to talk about Taste of Arcadia again. Joey, hang on.

Karen Mac Nair:

Tastearcadiacom is where you get your tickets. Today we have VIP tables, which has early entry, a private table that you and your friends can sit at, walk around. It is a walk and visiting event where you get to go to all the booths, food and drink vendors. Tasteofarcadiacom has all the lists, all the great things happening. So thank you for being with us, joey, we have a next episode, a new episode coming on. We're doing two a week, so the next one is Sweet Nothings Cake Shop, where we were just saying how much we love their cakes. So we're excited to hear a little bit more from them. Thank you, I am excited to finish my beer. Yeah, me too. Thank you, I am excited to finish my beer.

Karen Mac Nair:

Yeah, me too. Thank you everyone for joining us. Please keep listening on all the different channels that you enjoy hearing a podcast or watching us on YouTube. We're on YouTube, spotify, apple Podcasts and iHeart Radio. Download for your run, your walk hey, go for a run and listen about food and drinks. I love that. It's a way to burn the calories and then get to go enjoy.

Joey Rodriguez:

Finish it off at Mount Low.

Karen Mac Nair:

Finish it at Mount Low. Thank you all for joining us. Have a great day and we will see you soon.