38 Degree Ale House & Grill

38 Degrees Ale House & Grill has an extensive selection of beers available on draught and in bottles.



This place also boasts a great menu and serves food that is several notches above run of the mill pub fare. Aside from being delicious, the presentation of the food is pretty awesome as well.



But enough about the food - though if you are going to consume some of the bigger, better quality beers available here, then you'll definitely want to eat a good meal and keep the water flowing in between drinks.



In addition to selections from micro brew heavy hitters like Stone (Arrogant Bast***, Smoked Porter, etc.) and Russian River ( Pliny the Elder), 38 Degrees' taps feature some local players as well, including Craftsman's Triple White (Pasadena), and a few selections from the new and upcoming Eagle Rock Brewery (Populist and others).



If you are a purveyor of fine beers, try this place. You'll enjoy it and like me, you'll definitely go back.

Anytime a new brew pub or beer bar opens up in or near Pasadena, I get a bit skeptical. Such was the case when I heard that 38 Degrees opened it's doors in Alhambra. It took me a while to make my way over here, but when a friend who works at a nearby establishment suggested meeting here for dinner, I figured it was time to take the plunge.



Let's just get to it up front: 38 Degrees does not disappoint. From a hearty "Starters" menu (try the Mini BBQ Short Rib "Sloppy Joes" and amazingly flaky Beer Battered Onion Rings), salads that include Arugula and Beets, and Main Courses that entice, like the BBQ Baby Backs, the food here is quite hearty and prepared quite well.



But this is an Ale House, right? And if you're serious about beer, that's why you're reading this review. Well. Let's just say that the selection here is impressive enough for 38 Degrees to have it's own iPhone app! There's a great selection of "Draught Craft Beers" including Port Brewing's Hot Rocks Lager, a dark lager reminiscent of Sam Adam's Black Lager, with a 6.9% ABV kick. Hopheads will love the Drake's Bass Ackwards American IPA (also 6.9% ABV), or the Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down American Strong Ale. Locals will appreciate Pasadena's own Craftsman Saison, also on tap. The beer menu also includes an impressive, well-chosen selection of bottled brews too. And you can purchase your own little taste of bottled beer heaven to go!



The dessert menu has exactly two choices: 38 Degree Brioche Bred Pudding and Liquid Center Chocolate Cake, neither of which I've tried. Thing is, I come here for the beer. And of an Ale House is doing it's job right, I won't have room for dessert.



Well done, 38 Degrees, well done.