Finishing vacation with a few beers with a friend

The time in LA was filled with family time, relaxing time, beer time and just barely some friend time.
The last stop I made in LA was in Santa Monica at the Library Ale House. It is in a great location right on Main St. and walking distance to Venice. This trip was more about drinking a few beers and catching up with an old friend but I took a few notes anyway.

• Velvet Merkin by Firestone Walker Brewing is a bit disappointing. I have enjoyed most beers I have tried from them (like Union Jack IPA) until this one. It is an average stout. The flavor is understated and thin. I expected something a bit more robust.(But it won silver in the World Beer Cup 2010 in the Oatmeal Stout category)
• Strand Brewing 24th St. Pale Ale was the opposite experience. I had never heard of Strand Brewing until I tried this beer. They are a new brewery in Torrance, Ca. I am very impressed. It has a great hop aroma. Probably a little much for a pale ale but I love it. It has nice thick, smooth malt flavor but is well balanced with the hops. It finishes dry and leaves you wanting another one.
• New Belgium's latest in the Lips of Faith series is an interesting American Wild Ale. Wild Ale is a way of saying sour beer. It is intended to taste a bit like a sweet tart and this delivers. It starts with a sweet peach aroma. It bright and juicy on the palate with a plethora of gentle acid notes suggesting citrus, wild yeast, and a hint of yellow sour grass. It is actually quite refreshing for a wild ale.
  
• Sierra Nevada Glissade is a "Golden Bock" that seems to fall short. The malt sweetness overpowers the hop. I expected more of a clean finish with a golden bock. This could be more my preference though.