T Phillips Alehouse - La Verne

No Longer In Business

Kind of a strange place. They have all the typical macros on tap, but also have a decent selection of American micros and some imports. Prices are pretty decent on the beers, food portions are enormous, though kind of expensive. The atmosphere can vary from empty and depressing to super-happening when you get the college aged crowd in there. Service is very hit or miss. It’s a decent spot if you’re in town (as there isn’t much beer-wise in the area), but not a destination.

So over the last 7 years this place has gone from being a popular college bar called Hero’s (same as the one in Claremont and the one in Fullerton) to a split in ownership, to being kind of dead for a few years, to now being a decent beer bar that is slowly picking up in business again.

I used to complain (to them) that they had all these taps and they were all crap. Who really needs Bud Light, Miller Lite, AND Coors Light all on tap at the same time, all the time? Over the last year they’ve started swapping out the taps for better things. Currently you’ll find at least 5 Stone taps, a couple Hangar 24 taps, a couple Bootleggers taps, the current Sierra Nevada seasonal, a Lagunitas tap or two, Sculpin, Avery White Rascal, and some staple European taps (Chimay White, a couple of Spatens, Guinness, Boddingtons, and a few rotating ones). They also seem to have a staple imperial stout nitro tap going. It was the same old keg of Rogue XS but theyve since done Rasputin and Speedway (though Speedway may have been CO2).

Service can be slow at the tables on a busy night but I’ve never had a problem at the bar. Food is good and portions are big. Classic American types of food and portions.

Complaints include prices going up, being located next door to a police station, and there not being more people there.