Smog City Brewing

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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

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

Smog City Brewing 12th Anniversary Photos

These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at the Smog City Brewing Company brewery and tasting room in Torrance where Smog City celebrated 12 years of brewing beer. The event featured multiple food trucks/popups, live music, a charity dunk tank, raffles, games and an anniversary beer to accompany the other 26 brews that were on the menu.

It is no secret that Smog City Brewing knows how to throw an anniversary party, and Saturday was no exception. Food was available from Pasta Selvatica with their handmade pasta created before your eyes, Proudly Serving was back with their delicious smash burgers, and All About the Cinnamon with their hip-hop influenced cinnamon rolls. Buddha Boy Tacos was setting up as I was leaving, so I am not exactly sure what else was available during the evening portion of the event. Continue reading

Cellador Ales Relocates to Torrance

These photos were taken Friday, February 3 at Cellador Ales new blendery location at Smog City Brewing’s Wood Cellar, where I met up with Cellador’s sales manager, Alex Ourieff, to discuss what is new with Cellador Ales since they closed their tasting room in North Hills at the end of last year.

Those of us into sour ales were saddened last June when Kevin and Sara Osborne announced that their brewery/blendery and taproom would close at the end of 2022. According to Kevin’s announcement, it was a combination of Covid related “financial issues, lease issues, personal life changes, and more.” 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

9th Annual South Bay Beer & Wine Festival Photos

These photos were taken Sunday afternoon at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills, where the Rotary Club of Palos Verdes Peninsula and Rotary Club of South Bay Sunrise presented their 9th Annual South Bay Beer and Wine Festival, their annual fundraiser which was brought back after a two year hiatus due to a global pandemic that you may have read about.

Sponsored by Beer Paper, Suzy Zimmerman Insurance Agency, Matson & Southwest Port Services (who also kept the beer cold), VEFA, and armanio, the day featured local craft beer, food, wine and spirits from close to 100 vendors, as well as live music from the TAPS drum ensemble and Detour, as well as a beautiful spring day; it would have been tough to have planned a nicer day. Continue reading

Photos of Kristie’s Going Away Party at Smog City

These photos were taken Friday evening at the Smog City Brewing tasting room in Torrance, where friends and coworkers gathered to wish Kristie Bjorklund a fond farewell as she said goodbye to the South Bay to pursue new adventures in Central California.

I was trying to think just how long I have known Kristie; I think it has been about 10 years. She has worked at Sierra Nevada Brewing, King Harbor Brewing, and most recently, at Smog City, primarily at their Steelcraft location. With her move comes a new job, this time with Firestone Walker in Paso Robles; so if you are going to the Invitational, be sure to tell her hello as she will be working. Continue reading

The Craft Beer Guy Recap of 2021

2021 is about to tap out; I guess it was better than 2020, but was it really? It almost seems like 2020 was just to immerse us into our new normal, and 2021 was a test run to test scientific theories and our own personal abilities to deal with this crap.

jonas-wife-mother

Rest In Peace Jonas Neubauer – January 5, 2021

I know I did some stuff this year that I had not done since 2019, so I guess things are improving, it is probably my own personal comfort level that I have to work on. This was my first complete year without my dog or a girlfriend, which is probably resulting in my becoming more of a wallflower again. We shall see.

Did you ever see the movie Memento? Well, I am slightly better than Leonard (the star) at remembering stuff, so I use my camera and my websites so I do not have to cover my body in tattoos to recall the past year.

Anyway, here is the Craft Beer Guy recap of 2021; what the hell did I do over the last 12 months? 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

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