HopSaint Brewing Company

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Discover Torrance: My Spring Break Staycation

These photos were taken April 1st and 2nd during my Spring Break staycation, when I stayed at the Bluestem Hotel and paid visits to the Madrona Marsh, Monkish Brewing, Smog City Brewing, Hermosa Brewing, Red Car Brewery, The Brews Hall, HopSaint Brewing, Absolution Brewing, Scholb Premium Ales, and Project Barley Square. This article is sponsored by Discover Torrance.

Numerous friends have asked, “You are retired, isn’t every day a staycation for you?” Well, maybe kinda, but sometimes one can be unhoused without being homeless. Sometimes, things can be too toxic to stay home; like if your home is being fumigated. While I have lived here longer than many of my readers have been alive, the reality is that when friends come into town I don’t help much when it comes to answering questions about what is the best deal as far as the 20+ hotels available in the City of Torrance. I decided I would reach out to the Discover Torrance Visitors Bureau to find out where the best deals were. That is when Debbie Hays, the Sales/Community Representative for Discover Torrance, stepped in and introduced me to the Bluestem Hotel. Continue reading

HopSaint at the Ditch: From the Beginning

These photos were taken in the Beermuda Triangle area of Torrance, on almost a weekly basis, beginning in June 2023 and continuing until February 13, 2025, of the newest soon to be open taproom in Torrance; HopSaint at the Ditch.

Nestled along the shores of the scenic Torrance River on Del Amo Brewlevard, HopSaint’s newest taproom is almost ready to begin welcoming their fans to HopSaint at the Ditch; and when I say “almost ready” I mean probably within the next few weeks. Continue reading

4th Annual Halloween Hootenanny Photos

These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at the Museum of Latin American Art, in Long Beach, where Obscura LB and Craft Beer LB held their 4th Annual Halloween Hootenanny. The annual event featured craft breweries, cideries, wineries and kombucha makers, as well as a “Macabre Marketplace” featuring 15+ creepy arts & collectible vendors, numerous food trucks, and live entertainment.

Craft breweries in attendance included Altar Society, Ambitious Ales, Artisanal Imports, Beachwood Brewing, Beachwood Blendery, Cellador Ales, Common Space, Dutch’s Brewhouse, Everywhere Beer Co, HopSaint Brewing, ISM Brewing, Long Beach Beer Lab, Los Angeles Ale Works, Project Barley Brewing, Radiant Brewing, RIIP Beer, Smog City Brewing, Syncopated Brewing, and Tortugo Brewing. Continue reading

The Craft Beer Guy Recap of 2023

Well, it is December 27 which means I am running out of time, and this recap of 2023 is not going to write itself. I frequently go into this task with the attitude of “what did I do this year”?, and while that remains true today, I cannot help but look back at this year and think of all the things I did not do this year. I think the combination of old age and a definite change in the craft beer world are both contributing equally. I guess we will see what 2024 brings us; in the meantime, here is my recap of 2023, beginning with the last hours of 2022.

Farewell to King Harbor Brewing

December 2022

King Harbor Brewing Company closed all three of their locations at the end of 2022, but they definitely signed off with a bang. Project Barley took over the waterfront location, a sandwich shop took over the Riviera Village location, and TrustedGut Brewing took over the brewery on 182nd Street. Continue reading

3rd Annual Halloween Hootenanny Photos

These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, where Obscura LB held their 3rd Annual Halloween Hootenanny craft beer festival. Obscura LB is an event production company created by LB Craft Beer and Festival Obscura. The event is a fundraiser, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the Museum of Latin American Art. The event featured numerous food trucks, vendors in their macabre marketplace, live music, DJs, and a magic show to go along with the 30+ breweries/wineries pouring delicious local craft beer, kombucha, and wine.

Besides the food, music, and libations, there were a few hundred attendees, many of whom dressed up in costume to get into the Halloween mood; as you can tell by the photos, many really went all-out with their costumes. Continue reading

HopSaint Brewing Company 7th Anniversary Photos

These photos were taken Saturday, April 29, at HopSaint Brewing Company in Torrance, where, for the first time ever, they celebrated their [seventh] anniversary with a party. The event featured music, tacos, an anniversary beer and free commemorative glassware.

Since I had already committed to the 2nd Annual Halfway to Halloween Hootenanny, and both events were scheduled for pretty much the same time (noon to 5:00 for the Hootenanny; noon to 4:00 for HopSaint) it meant I was going to have to hustle to cover both events. As a result I only got about 90 minutes at HopSaint, but it was obvious that I missed a lot of people. 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

8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover Photos

These photos were taken Thursday, September 1, at Tortilla Cantina in Torrance, where they hosted my 8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover. The event, meant to celebrate the South Bay’s vibrant craft beer scene featured 19 breweries from Torrance, Redondo Beach, Inglewood, Torrance, Carson, Lomita, Hawthorne, El Segundo, Gardena, and Lawndale.

The featured South Bay breweries included Smog City, HopSaint, Scholb, Hermosa Brewing, Yorkshire Square, King Harbor Brewing, Far Field Beer, Crac, Honest Abe, Eureka Brewing, Common Space, LA Ale Works, Tortugo Brewing, Three Weavers, Crowns & Hops, El Segundo Brewing, Upshift Brewing, Burnin’ Daylight, and Project Barley. Continue reading

8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover Coming September 1

tortilla cantina Torrance

8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover – September 1, 2022

Yes, it is that time of year again, and I am not talking about time to buy the kids new clothes and back to school supplies; it is time for the 8th Annual South Bay Tap Takeover which is returning to Tortilla Cantina in Old Torrance.

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

HopSaint Commissions Street Art

These photos were taken at HopSaint Brewing Company in Torrance over the course of four visits, beginning January 20 and ending today, January 27. The artwork was done by Nicolas Thollot-Arsac, also known as bottl3man on Instagram.

Anyone that has gone to HopSaint in the afternoon and sat at one of the community tables, facing away from the bar, is well acquainted with Sports Harbour’s white wall and the blinding glare it can throw out when the sun is heading towards the Pacific. It is no secret, it has been an issue from the beginning; the question was what to do about it. On January 19 I was looking at HopSaint’s Instagram page and saw that they had commissioned an artist from France to paint said wall using only beer bottles. Of course, I had to go check it out. Continue reading

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