by Ed Solt
The 8th Annual LA Beer Week launches June 18, igniting local hop spots in celebration of South Bay beer culture.
LA Beer Week, called LABW8 in brewery shorthand, is organized by the LA County Brewers Guild and starts properly with the Kickoff Festival at LA Center Studios all day Saturday featuring 80 breweries pouring 200 different kinds of brews. Several events will occur throughout the week at South Bay craft brew hubs.
Started in 2013, the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild is a non-profit beer brotherhood (and sisterhood) comprised of over 45 independently-owned craft breweries. Its mission is to “promote, protect, and foster a world-class beer culture in L.A,” uniting the local beer community as well as providing practical guidance on handling regulations on the beer industry. El Segundo Brewery’s Rob Croxall and Tom Kelley have been an influential part of the Guild since its founding; Croxall formerly served as its president and Kelley as a committee chairman.
“LA Beer Week is the highlight of the year,” said Kelley. “It’s a week where we all come together and show the best of L.A. craft beer as well as introduce fresh new beer.”
The official beer of LA Beer Week, “Unity,” is a special collaboration which all members of the guild take a hand in brewing. Every year calls for a different recipe and beer style.
“‘Unity’ is an annual tradition. It’s a testament to how strong our community is,” Kelley said. “Last year Strand Brewery hosted. This year, Three Weavers Brewing will be brewing a unique IPA, called Los Angeles IPA. ”
Although located in Inglewood, Three Weavers Brewing is closely associated with the South Bay beer scene. The all-women run brewery is a rising star locally and a destination on the local beer tours who frequently participate in pairing events with South Bay restaurants. The Los Angeles IPA features an experimental hop varietal called HBC522 that’s so new it’s yet to be officially named. The very limited 7.4 percent ABV beer is distributed at the finer hop centers all throughout L.A., Orange County, and San Diego and will be poured at the Kickoff Festival.
El Segundo Brewing will be hosting several events during LABW8. After an afternoon at the Festival, ESBC hosts a post-fest pizza party to soak up the suds that will feature a surprise guest. On Wednesday, June 22, Vagabond Cheese Company will be on hand to pair brews with their hard-to-find craft cheeses. Wilson (think “Castaway”) shall be sighted and Hawaiian shirts rocked for ESBC’s June 24 “Cask-Away.” Some say craft beer is at its best fresh from the cask — the brewing process is unfiltered and self-contained in the cask, producing a live beer, bursting with flavor and character.
“We have created tropical-fruited cask of our favorites beers,” said Kelley. “Margaritas Dog, Lychee Citra Pale Ale, Papaya Broken Skull IPA [the collaboration with former professional wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin] and Guava Mayberry Pale Ale.”
The froth will be felt all over the South Bay for L.A. Beer Week in the form of beer pairings, specialty releases, charity events, and tap takeovers.
Baleen Kitchen in Redondo Beach will be offering a four-course beer pairing with local breweries Smog City Brewing Co. Strand Brewing Co., El Segundo Brewing Co., and King Harbor Brewing Co, the entire week.
On Father’s Day, Select Beer is celebrating with rad beer while Phantom Carriage Brewing in Carson is inviting dads to bring their own beer and vinyl to share as well as a limited barrel-aged dark sour ale; King Harbor Brewing Company is also celebrating its 2nd Annual Father’s Day Beer Brunch, featuring beer pairing with meals for man-sized hunger (remember, they just released Adam Carollla’s “Endless Rant” IPA).
On Monday, June 20, Three Weavers Brewery is “handing over the tasting room license” to the Pink Boots Society, inviting breweries from all over to participate in the charity.
Phantom Carriage is serving fresh ceviche to compliment four sours for their “Ceviche, Sours, and Screams” on June 21. On June 23, Phantom Carriage will be releasing a collaboration with Portland Oregon’s Cascade Brewing.
The Slip Bar and Eatery located on the International Redondo Beach Boardwalk partners up with neighboring King Harbor Brewing on June 21 for the “South of the Border” event pairing KHBC’s “Cervaza Hermosa” with tacos and Empanadas from The Empanada Factory.
El Segundo’s Rock & Brews starts its LABW8 with a tap takeover with new Gardena-based State Brewing Company on June 19, and on June 20 will host a screening of “Craft: The California Beer Documentary” on June 20th followed by a panel discussion.
Select Beer Store in Redondo Beach’s Riviera Village pits four LA IPA’s in a death match on June 25.
Najas Place reinforces its reputation as the South Bay’s original beer mecca during LABW8, featuring a tap takeover by Anaheim’s Noble Ale Works June 19 followed by a Ballast Point Night, Wednesday on June 22. The 2nd Annual Battle of the Guilds: L.A. Beer Week Edition takes place on Thursday, June 23rd.
For more info on the hoppenings, check out: labeerweek.org. ER
