Not currently logged in. [Login or Create an Account]

Stay Connected

Spring St. Opens With 26 Beers On Tap

By Pamela Rouse
Published: Wednesday, April 07, 2010, at 06:14AM

Pamela Rouse []

The still-in-progress menu at Spring St. has 26 beers on tap.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Opened quietly on Monday evening, Spring St. is a new venture from Michael Leko and Will Shamlian, co-owners a few blocks away at Library Bar and veterans of other L.A. night spots. It's a soft intro as they make final adjustments, but Downtowners can drop in now and enjoy the offerings, served in the space that was previously wine bar 626 Reserve.

Leko is hesitant as he explains, "It's not an official opening... We're still tweaking things like the lighting and the menu." Those options should be finalized by next Monday. "We'll have a deli and charcuterie, meat and cheese plates," he said. "We'll have some really good fresh sandwiches."

What about the beer? "There are 26 taps," Michael confirmed. Drinks are listed on a large black letter board on the right entry wall. The beer is all domestic, mainly micro or craft beers, and come in two sizes -- pints are $5 and "shorties" are $3. Selections may rotate in the future. The wines are those that Leko hand-picked. "They're all good wines that I'm familiar with," he said.

Full liquor will come shortly, once permits are finalized.

So why Spring Street for a location? "I'm originally from Downtown," he explained. "I grew up here. My mom worked at a cafeteria at 6th and Hope." Leko said he lived across the street last year and got a chance to scout things out.

"It's a fantastic location and a fantastic opportunity."

Spring St will be open 365 days a year (including this art walk!) from 5pm to 2am Monday through Friday and noon to 2am on Saturday and Sunday.

Spring St / 626 S. Spring St / Phone and Web Site Coming.

Conversation

bruins_united on April 07, 2010, at 09:17AM – #1

love the fact that all the beers will be domestic. can't wait to scope it out this weekend.

Julie Jamerson on April 07, 2010, at 09:22AM – #2

I'm overly excited about this place! The fact that the beers are all domestic, and the joint is open 365 days a year is probably the best news I've heard all day. Tho, it's only 9.

Dixon on April 07, 2010, at 09:38AM – #3

26 beers on tap? Man, I hope they're careful with the product. With CO2-driven tapped beer, you're looking at max 45 days shelf life before the beer in the keg goes flat and even discolors.

I suspect they'll soon find out which beers move quickest and then par the list down to a dozen or so on tap. Then they'll sell the rest in bottles (not cans!) and everyone will end up with fresh tasty beer.

Ken Hall on April 07, 2010, at 10:44AM – #4

Welcome to downtown and Spring Street!....Best of Luck to you.

Guest 1

Guest on April 07, 2010, at 11:17AM – #5

Welcome to downtown and to Spring St. A Meal at LA Cafe and beers here, what a night.

Ted

Guest 2

Guest on April 07, 2010, at 12:20PM – #6

Wow! What an amazing difference between this place and the 626 reserve! Great job! I didn't even realize I'm in the same space.

Guest 3

Guest on April 07, 2010, at 12:28PM – #7

With 26 Domestic Beers, do they have "Bud?"

It's great to have another stop, but I do miss 626.

2OX OK TK

Alonso on April 07, 2010, at 12:55PM – #8

"Man, I hope they're careful with the product. With CO2-driven tapped beer, you're looking at max 45 days shelf life before the beer in the keg goes flat and even discolors."

I believe pony kegs will solve that. Plus, it may allow for regular rotations, especially with seasonals, if that should be a plan for their model.

on April 07, 2010, at 01:02PM – #9

I'm checking this out this week. Thanks for the look, Pamela.

Guest 4

Guest on April 07, 2010, at 01:57PM – #10

SANDWICHES! SANDWICHES! SANDWICHES! SANDWICHES!

I hope they are along the lines of gourmet sandwiches. I think I am more excited about the deli than the actual bar?

Anyone know what is going in that space that is next to this bar?

Eric Richardson () on April 07, 2010, at 02:57PM – #11

Guest: The 626 A space will be The Falls, a cocktail bar. It should open in the next few months. We wrote about it in May of last year:

http://blogdowntown.com/2009/05/4306-two-new-bars-coming-to-spring-street

Guest 4

Guest on April 07, 2010, at 03:14PM – #12

Thanks Eric.

Guest 5

Guest on April 07, 2010, at 04:22PM – #13

@Ciscustop... Are you for real, go open your own bar and we'll make sure downtown makes retard comments that really do nothing to boost moral or give encouragement. What is wrong with you.

Dixon on April 07, 2010, at 05:15PM – #14

Dude, I'm just worried about the beer going flat. Relax.

Barry P on April 07, 2010, at 11:49PM – #15

$5/pint and a $3 'shorty' for every beer on the list worked for me last night (prices will probably change eventually). Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA FTW! Busch is their lowest rung. Lovely space to meet neighbors and friends. Promise of good sandwiches in time. Great addition.

Maxx Gillman on April 08, 2010, at 01:31AM – #16

The price has already changed. prices are 5 or 6 dollars for pints. (all the beers I wanted were 6).

Busch is 4. but...it's busch.

Guest 6

Guest on April 08, 2010, at 06:01AM – #17

This is a place I need to try out.

John Apodaca

www.daddyosmartinis.com

crystal on April 08, 2010, at 09:08AM – #18

its exactly what our block needed! very thought out beer selection with a wide range for everyone. I like the standardized pricing.

Loved meeting some of my neighbors the other night. hopefully the first of many nights to come. See you guys again soon

Downtownie on April 08, 2010, at 10:16AM – #19

We're going tonight!

() on April 08, 2010, at 07:16PM – #20

FWIW the taps are nitrogen not C02.. and these guys know their stuff; they're very experienced in keeping a bar.

I went by there tonight and it was noted that "shorties" will no longer be an option, and some price adjustment has occurred as part of the tweaking.. In the future weeks they may be offering taste flights.

Food items have been added to the menu, but as noted before, won't be set to serve til near Monday.

They are open tonight for Art Walk and will be carding.

(as a personal aside I realize we don't do reviews here but I highly recommend the Seadog Blueberry Ale or the Fox Black Currant Cider..)

Dixon on April 08, 2010, at 08:54PM – #21

Thanks for the update, Pamela. Nitrogen-driven beer has a slightly shorter lifespan than C02-driven beer, but if they keep all 26 kegs under consistent pressure they may be able to squeeze in 60 days to a keg. I'd hate to drink the beer on days 59 or 60, though!

A good bartender who knows his stuff should be able to tell the customer the tapping date of a keg. It can really make a difference in brew quality.

The place just opened and everything is fresh right now, though, so drink up!

bruins_united on April 09, 2010, at 09:30AM – #22

scoped out the spot last night. good beers, good crowd (so far), and an overall nice place. i'm definitely adding this to my list of go-to bars in the area. looking forward to seeing the food items showing up!

on April 09, 2010, at 11:21AM – #23

Yeah, bummer prices went up and the short glasses are gone.

But I hear tasters are on the way. I dig that.

Guest 7

Guest on April 12, 2010, at 01:00PM – #24

tried Spring St. out. Great Bar!

Guest 8

Guest on April 13, 2010, at 08:32AM – #25

@ Ciscustop: Speaking as a veteran of the craft beer movement and former homebrewer/professionally trained commercial brewer, it's obvious you don't have the first clue as to carbonation, mixed gas draft systems and beer shelf life. Please do some homework before posting your uneducated guesses on a public web page.

Dixon on April 13, 2010, at 09:29AM – #26

Secret guest #25, if I'm wrong then why don't you preach the gospel truth? Let's face it: juggling 26 tapped kegs of different beers---some of them obscure---will take careful monitoring and controls. I still maintain that the bartenders should receive some sort of spread sheet daily with the date of tapping for all the kegs. Maybe that's planned, but the owners haven't indicated so.

on April 16, 2010, at 11:01AM – #27

Just went there last night for the first time, very nice. Can't wait for the charcuterie to arrive!

Guest 9

Guest on April 17, 2010, at 06:40PM – #28

I am so glad I moved off this block!

raven on July 02, 2010, at 04:44PM – #29

Do not like the type of establishments that have a "door guy" at the front door, much rather visit one without.

Add Your Voice

In an effort to prevent spam, blogdowntown commenting requires that Javascript be enabled. Please check your browser settings and try again.

Stay Connected

blogdowntown: Home Page for the Downtown Click.

http://blogdowntown.com

Spring St. Opens With 26 Beers On Tap

SHARE:

Related Stories:

March 08, 2011

January 28, 2011

October 08, 2010

July 20, 2010

May 08, 2009

March 02, 2010