This is the fourth consecutive year Strand Brewing has been voted as the best local brewery, a period of time that coincides both with the birth of the local brew industry and with the category itself. Competition has grown significantly as the South Bay has become one of nation’s hubs of craft beer — on par with the famed San Diego area brewery scene — yet Strand still stands as the most revered local brewery. As the story goes, Strand started with two men, a Chrysler minivan, and a warehouse in Torrance. Brewer, artist, and all-around mad genius Joel Elliott disappeared into the brewery rarely to be seen again, sending out proof of his existence mainly through a series of supremely crafted brews, beginning with Strand’s flagship 24th Street Pale Ale, catching the attention of hopheads everywhere with the Atticus IPA, and continuing with the Beach House Amber and a series of IPAs, stouts, and even an orange wheat beer, all featuring that crisp drinkability that has become the brewery’s signature. Meanwhile marketing force of nature and community stalwart Rich Marcello, the man behind the wheel of the Chrysler and the public face of Strand, has the company poised to be the first local brewery to breakout to a national market. Marcello, while hinting that a major announcement is pending, said that for Strand it still all comes back to one word: community. “We’ve been very fortunate to be in such a great area that understands supporting local businesses, and an area where people do go out more than once or twice a month to restaurants and bars,” he said. “We live in a very social community, and when people do go out, they support local businesses. And we also try to give back to our community — we do charity events all year long.” Of course, it also comes back to the beer itself, and Strand’s brews are an expression of local taste, particularly the easy drinking pale ale and the Atticus. “Those beers are — not to be silly — still very drinkable,” Marello said. “You can have more than one, and they fit a lot of different occasions and go with a lot of different foods — burgers, anything grilled, which is a lot of beach food…tacos, pizza, any food you eat around the beach. That is who we are.”
Strand Brewing Company, 23520 Telo Ave # 2, Torrance, 310-517-0900, StrandBrewing.com.
Runner up: King Harbor Brewing Company, 2907 182nd St, Redondo Beach, 310-542-8657, KingHarborBrewing.com.
