Brouwerij West
Brouwerij West 8th Anniversary Photos
These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at Brouwerij West in San Pedro, where they celebrated their eighth anniversary. The all day long event began with a pancake breakfast and concluded with a concert by Metalachi, the world’s first and only heavy metal mariachi band. There were also a couple food trucks, and the release of their anniversary beer, 8 Times 8 Times.
While I did not arrive for breakfast or stick around for the concert, I did bring my buddy Phil for his first visit to Brouwerij West and we had a couple beers. Considering the early hour and the weather, they had a pretty nice crowd. Knowing Brouwerij West the way I do, I am confident that they had an even larger group by the end of the evening. Continue reading
7th Annual Craft Beer LB Fest Photos
These photos were taken Saturday, September 16 at the Rancho Los Cerritos Historical Site in Long Beach, where Craft Beer LB held their 7th Annual Craft Beer LB Fest. The event featured plenty of craft beer from more than a dozen local breweries, sake, live music, and food for the approximate 1,000 attendees. It was a fun event that even the weather cooperated with.
I had to mention the weather because in the past I have mentioned how great the weather was, and frequently joke with festival organizer Dennis Trilles about how he seems to have a connection with the weather gods as no matter how sucky the weather might be prior to the event, it always seems to be nice on the day of the event. When I walked out of my house yesterday I could see that there must have been rain overnight. Having to utilize my windshield wipers on the way down to Long Beach I was beginning to wonder if I should have brought a windbreaker or not. While it was misting a little early on, the rain went away and the marine layer left everything comfortable in just a t-shirt. Continue reading
Brouwerij West 7th Anniversary Photos
These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at Brouwerij West, in San Pedro, where they celebrated their seventh anniversary. The event featured a morning brunch, food trucks, live music, a DJ, a beer release and games. I probably missed something, but I was only there for a couple of hours, and while the event started at 10:00 AM, it lasted late into the night.
I got there around 2:00 which means I arrived well after the brunch was completed, but I was able to chat with a couple attendees that were still hanging out. Pancakes and stouts made up the primary part of the menu, which sounds like a pretty good way to start the day. Continue reading
The Craft Beer Guy Recap of 2022
Well, it is that time of year again, when I try to recollect everything that happened in the craft beer world this year that I participated in. This is typically the most difficult article of the year for me to write because I go into it thinking, “What the hell did I do this year anyway?” 
I know I went on my annual craft beer tour, I know I was able to put on the 8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover, and I know there was at least one brewery closure in the South Bay. I used to end these recaps by predicting what I expect to happen in the following year, but the last two years have been really tough to predict. Unfortunately, there is a lot slated for 2023 that is not exactly positive, but I don’t make the news, I only report it. So, let’s look back at 2022, because I am sure I must have done something more that what I have already mentioned. Continue reading
Photos of the 2022 Craft Beer LB Fest
These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at Ranch Los Cerritos Historical Site, where Craft Beer Long Beach held their 6th Annual Craft Beer LB Fest. The sold out event featured brews from 14 breweries and the Long Beach Homebrewers, as well as food from local vendors, live music, and a Kid Zone for the families in attendance.
It was a remarkably lovely day in Long Beach, especially when compared to the past couple of weekends. While it was sunny, the overhead clouds, trees and tents kept it from getting too hot. Continue reading
8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover Coming September 1
8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover – September 1, 2022
I know I say it every year, but there is no way I ever anticipated this event celebrating the South Bay’s craft beer scene would still be going on all these years later, but here we are. I didn’t let a little thing like a change of ownership at the original venue, or a global pandemic with its accompanying shutdowns stop us from continuing what has become, dare I say, a tradition.
There is no question that COVID has caused a few changes over the last two years, but we will not let that stop us. The 8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover will provided live music, Tortilla Cantina’s fabulous food, and of course, plenty of craft beer that was brewed in the South Bay. Continue reading
Brouwerij West 6th Anniversary Photos
These photos were taken Sunday afternoon at Brouwerij West in San Pedro, where they celebrated day two of their six year anniversary. The day featured live music, a couple anniversary beers, and a few food trucks.
During my time there, live music was provided by Sentry Dogs, Mor Flowrs, and Moldy Roses. There were three other bands that were scheduled to play after I left.
For their anniversary, Brouwerij West released their Six Times Six Times Hazy IPA, and their Dead Water Imperial Pastry Stout as well as a barrel-aged version of Dead Water. Continue reading
Photos of the 7th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover
These photos were taken Thursday at Tortilla Cantina in Torrance, where they hosted my 7th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover, featuring 28 of the South Bay’s craft breweries, with more than 50 taps pouring, and a couple brews that came in cans as keg space was becoming an issue.
I do not know what to say other than thank you to everyone that came out to enjoy the liquid gold provided by the participating breweries, cidery, and meadery. And thanks definitely have to be given to the servers who were kept pretty busy from noon until well after 10:00. The star of the day has to go to Rick who literally took things into his own hands when kitchen staff came up short. Continue reading
7th South Bay Tap Takeover to Feature 28 Breweries
The 7th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover is two days away, and as hard as it may be for me to believe, this may be the first time that I am not going to be rushing around trying to fill taps with less than 24 hours to go; knock on wood.
Just in case this is the first you have heard about my event, shame on me, but this is what you need to know.
The tap takeover is returning to Tortilla Cantina in Old Torrance, from noon until 10:00 PM. Tortilla Cantina is located at 1225 El Prado, in Torrance. Parking is always free in Torrance and there is a large parking structure just south of Tortilla Cantina. Continue reading
7th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover Coming September 2
7th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover September 2
These tap takeovers have been a great success since the first one in 2015; over 400 people attended the inaugural event. Only due to a temporary change in management at the original venue, Flights Beer Bar, was I forced to find somewhere else in the South Bay that could accommodate the amount of beer I wanted to bring in; Tortilla Cantina fit the bill nicely as they actually had more taps than Flights. Icing on the cake was that owner Rick Gomez already had a positive relationship with all the local breweries.
The transition was smooth enough that we even survived the Great 2020 Pandemic, even if the second or third lockdown was scheduled to begin the day after the 6th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover. At least this year we do not have to worry about another lockdown disrupting the event as there is no way Newsom will do that right before the election, so we are a definite go. Continue reading
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