Hiking And Beer Your Vibe? We Have The Book For You

Julia Paskin is the local host of All Things Considered and the L.A. Report Evening Edition.

Published May 5, 2024 5:00 AM

At sunset, two people stand in silhouette with their backs to the camera, their arms raised high in a "cheers" gesture, they hold two bottles that touch in the air. In the background is a forest view below them with tall trees peaking out between clouds along the horizon.

From Escondido Falls in Malibu, to Weir Canyon in Anaheim Hill, to Mount Baldy in the San Gabriels bordering LA and San Bernardino, Southern California has some of the most breathtaking and varied hiking locations in the world.

The region is also home to a thriving community of independent beer brewers and fortunately for the thirsty hiker, many of them are within a short drive of hiking locales, offering an equal variety and flavor and ambiance.

A new book combines the two offerings, pairing gorgeous natural experiences with curated destinations to quench one’s desire for a cold-one after a hike.

Author Johanna Flashman of "Beer Hiking Southern California: The Tastiest Ways To Discover SoCal’s Beaches, Mountains and Deserts" spent nine months traveling Southern California in her van, researching and trying out hikes and beers. The result is this compilation of forty recommendations pairing hiking destinations and beers to try at nearby breweries.

The perfect combo: Beer and hikes

Flashman’s guide covers locations across nine Southern California counties, each complete with photographs and maps describing the hike and its corresponding beer.

When it comes to hiking, each entry includes Flashman’s own observations including warnings of more difficult spots and how to avoid them. And for the brewery selection, each comes with a description of the beer’s flavor notes and alcohol content.

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All of the paired hikes and breweries are within a 40 minute drive of each other but some of them are even closer. This Southern California guidebook is one of a larger series of books covering the beer and hiking scenes in different parts of the country produced by publisher HELVETIQ.

San Gabriel Valley pick

RT Rogers Brewing Co in Sierra Madre is less than a mile from the Mount Wilson trail to First Water – and that’s where she and I met earlier this month for a chat about her book.

A sign at RT Rogers reads The Gold Spinner's Hefeweizen. Below the price and alcohol content is listed. On the right side is an illustration of the miller's daughter from the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin and she carries a basked of gold yarn.

Flashman found the microbrewery and taproom through word of mouth from other brewers.

RT Rogers has the feel of an old tavern. A book-lined, wooden bar features shiny, red beer taps that dispense beers made on site, each with a fairytale themed name.

In her guidebook, Flashman chose the Gold Spinner’s Hefeweizen to feature (notice the Rumpelstiltskin reference), with a hint of the banana flavor.

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"We were trying all of the beers and this one had a super interesting taste and I really liked that it shifts," said Flashman. "As it ages, it gets more of a banana flavor."

A frosty glass of golden beer, curved towards the bottom sits on a wooden bar. In the background as shiny, red beer spouts and a festive garland hangs from a shelf above filled with books.

But the brew is only half the experience of Flashman’s travel guide.

RT Rogers’s Gold Spinner hefeweizen is paired with a nearby hike to First Water from the Mount Wilson trail.

That wasn’t the first plan but the folks at the bar were all about Mount Wilson to First Water.

She initially planned to include Eaton Canyon with RT Rogers. That was until she spoke with the owners and customers at the brewery and one after another, they each assumed she was covering Mount Wilson.

"It was at that point where I was like, everyone here is going to look at this book, and if it's not Mount Wilson, they're going to be like, why isn't it Mount Wilson?" said Flashman.

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So she scoped it out immediately, hitting the trail around sunset and was not disappointed.

Looking towards down from the Mountain Wilson trail at dusk, a hillside green with brush sloped from the right down to the center, opening up to a view of the canyon below wich is dotted with houses and trees. Streaks of gray, pink, orange, yellow and blue line the horizon.

"It was gorgeous," Flashman said. "You get to this little creek part, it looks like somewhere fairies should live, which kind of goes along with the fairytale theme of RT Rogers."

A narrow creek along the Mount Wilson Trail flows downhill between slabs of gray rock. Above, green shrubs and trees shoot out from the rock to shade the stream of water.

Other recommendations

"Beer Hiking Southern California" can be a guide for day-trippers and weekend-travel-warriors.

If you’re looking for a hike in Orange County, one of Flashman’s favorites if Black Star Canyon in Silverado. "Its a lovely, adventurous hike that goes to this gorgeous waterfall," she said.

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And Flashman added "Chula Vista Brewery has some of the best beers I’ve ever had."

That’s saying a lot considering how much reconnaissance she did both on the trail and at the bar.

Author Johanna Flashman hold a copy of her book. The cover is bright blue with graphics of a beach, joshua tree and beer glasses. Flashman smiles wearing a white shift with blue flowers and stands in front of the wooden bar at RT Rogers

“In just the past like year, I’ve been to like 50 plus breweries for the book and I’ve probably tasted 200 different beers,” Flashman said. “The research was a ton of fun. My job was to literally go on hikes and drink beer.”

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Hiking And Beer Your Vibe? We Have The Book For You

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The perfect combo: Beer and hikes

San Gabriel Valley pick

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