Beer Bros: King Harbor Brewing Co. & Adam Carolla join in an Endless Rant

By Ed Solt

King Harbor Brewing Company founder Tom Dunbabin’s coming-of-age story, turning 21 in the early aughts, not only included visiting the finer South Bay late night waterholes but attending a taping of the Comedy Channel TV show, “The Man Show.” Dunbabin had been a fan of co-hosts Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel since their days with KROQ. “The Man Show’s” overtly male perspective, with skits and segments like “girls on trampolines” and the “wheel of destiny” combined with Carolla’s critiquing personality and Kimmel’s everyman appeal popularized the variety show, especially for Dunbabin’s age group. As an audience member, Dunbabin lived his dream of pounding a mug of beer during the shouting of the show’s infamous drinking toast “Zicke, Zacke, Zicke, Zacke, Hoi, Hoi, Hoi!”
Flash forward 15 years, Dunbabin is at the helm of his own brewery. Although never mentioned by Dunbabin, a “Man Show” influence can be felt at King Harbor Brewing Co. His brewery’s chooses to not chase and offer only high ABV [alcohol by volume] IPAs, but a well rounded selection that includes 4.5 to 6 percent ranting beers — beers one can imagine chugging before Carolla summons the “Juggy Dance Squad” more than a 9 percent imperial stout.
One of Dunbabin’s close friends happened to work as an assistant to Carolla and gave him the inside scoop. The timing was perfect. Carolla’s wine company, Carolla Drinks, known for its signature Mangria, a combination of red wine and other spirits from the liquor cabinet, was looking to grow.
“We got word that Adam was making an appearance to promote his Mangria at the Manhattan Beach Ralphs,” said Dunbabin. “I was out of town so we sent our head brewer Phil McDaniel, who is also a huge fan, to bum rush Adam in the parking lot. The only thing is, no one informed Adam we were coming.”
A nervous McDaniel waited patiently parked in the parking lot. In the back of his pickup truck, a cooler full of the latest King Harbor Brewing Co. waited for Carolla, chilled on ice. McDaniel noticed through his rearview mirror Carolla pulling up.
“It shouldn’t be called bum rushed. I was rushed but I wasn’t the bum. Phil, more the bum, rushed me. There needs to be some clarification,” Carolla said on the TheBrewingNetwork.com.
Carolla cracked open a Quest Pale Ale even before McDaniel pitched his beer collaboration.
“Adam is just a cool dude and was just stoked somebody would offer him a beer in the parking lot to pregame his own event,” said Dunbabin. “It only took a six pack to get him to do a collab.”
Carolla’s palate encompasses the full spectrum of West Coast IPAs. One side of the spectrum favors the classic hop profile while the other side is all about the new school tropical profile hops, featuring Cascade, Columbus, and Azacca. McDaniel decided to mix the two to come up with a beer that meets in the middle. The name of the beer, Endless Rant, is an homage to Carolla’s ability to endlessly complain and hints at King Harbor Brewing beachy/surfing background.
“The Endless Rant is a smooth blend IPA with a hop forward aromatic flavor,” said Dunbabin. “It’s a little of the old and the new with the hint of tropical flavor undertones, not having a big bite finish.”

King Harbor Brewing will be releasing Endless Rant in cans October 15 at the brewery tasting room, part of “Hop-Tober” celebrations.
“For the last two weeks in October we will be tapping some radically amazing hoppy beers, including two fresh hop IPAs, and washing it all down with a halloween fiesta,” said Dunbabin. “Seven hoppy creations on tap and Thirsty Crows playing a Misfits cover set live in the brewery tasting room, October 28th.”
For more info on the “Hoppenings” at King Harbor Brewing Co., check out KingHarborBrewing.com. ER