LA’s best beer spot called out

Highland Park Brewery was the headline winner at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival, walking away with four gold medals and the event’s Brewery of the Year honor. (brewersassociation.org) The four GABF golds included top prizes in highly competitive categories such as American‑Style IPA, Contemporary American‑Style Lager, American‑Style Pale Ale, and a Juicy/Hazy Imperial IPA. (gearpatrol.com) Founder and head brewer Bob Kunz launched Highland Park Brewery from a small project inside The Hermosillo and is widely credited with building the brand since its 2014 founding. (hopculture.com) (dayonedistro.com) The Chinatown taproom at 1220 N. Spring Street opened in March 2018 as a roughly 9,000‑square‑foot warehouse across from Los Angeles State Historic Park, giving the brewery more than double the space and brewing capacity of its original site. (laweekly.com) (hopped.com) Timbo Pils, Highland Park’s flagship West Coast‑style pilsner (5.8% ABV, dry‑hopped with Mosaic and Citra), has become a signature release with thousands of user ratings on Untappd and recurring “Timbo Week” collaborations. (hpb.la/timbo) (untappd.com) The brewery’s origin story is specific: HPB began in a 400‑square‑foot VIP room in 2014 with a 7‑barrel brewhouse, two 15‑barrel fermenters, and an initial buildout reported at roughly $130,000. (dayonedistro.com) Eater’s recent profile of Highland Park Brewery was published March 17, 2026, and adds local reporting to the national awards and industry coverage the brewery has accumulated. (la.eater.com)