Lucky Baldwins British Pub & Café

These sister pubs, with their 63 taps in Pasadena and 46 in Sierra Madre, are well-known destinations on the beer-lover's map. Though British and Irish brews are thoroughly represented and all kinds of beers are celebrated, the emphasis is on Belgian beers. Aficionados come from far away for special events such as the annual Belgian beer festival in February, the barleywine festival in May and Oktoberfest, when German beers are front and center. Co-owners David Farnsworth (originally from the north of England) and Peggy Simonian keep in touch with regulars through e-mails and fliers. The kitchens do a fine job with a well-thought-out menu of British fare such as some very good pasties, a tasty English-style chicken curry and a decent ploughman's plate of bread, cheeses and pickles. The 10-year-old, brick-walled Pasadena pub is a hangout for Cal Tech students and faculty as well as Jet Propulsion Laboratory employees -- there's a lot of intense talk-talk-talk over pints on the patio. The year-old Sierra Madre spot fits right into the historic little downtown near the Mt. Wilson trailhead with its pressed tin ceiling, polished wooden floors and bar with attractive stools. It boasts a tiny but richly rewarding package shop in the back with hard-to-get beers and a few British foodstuffs.