Smog City Brewing of Torrance named best South Bay craft brewery by Daily Breeze readers

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El Segundo Brewing arguably has the best lineup of IPA’s in the county.

Inglewood-based Three Weavers Brewing, chosen to make this year’s official LA Beer Week brew, is catching eyes for its quality lineup of beers and is regarded as an up and coming brewery to watch.

But it is Torrance’s Smog City Brewing that was selected as the best brewery in the South Bay as part of this year’s Daily Breeze Readers Choice Awards.

It is the first time the South Bay’s rapidly increasing number of production breweries was included in the annual poll conducted by the newspaper’s advertising department.

Smog, owned by husband and wife team Laurie and Jonathan Porter (who goes by his apt last name), has a reputation as one of the most experimental and innovative breweries in the county as the shot of the beer lineup taken earlier this week below lineup suggests.

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You may notice the list is without a single IPA even though Smog makes Hoptonic IPA year round (it’s the biggest seller at the brewery, although it sells more Little Bo Pils to bars and restaurants than any other), a new Steelcraft IPA (named after the Long Beach tasting room that will open soon) or any of its seasonals such as Grape Ape IPA. I suspect they are so popular, Smog has problems keeping them available.

Smog is among the busiest local breweries, not only because of its excellent product, but because of its freeway-close location on Del Amo boulevard just east of Western Avenue.

Still, its tasting room is among the best with standing-friendly steel tables, stacked oak barrels aging beer and a brooding black and white picture of rock star brewmaster Porter overlooking the space.

Parking has improved markedly in recent months with the departure of its doggy day care neighbor opening up spaces and Smog is always trying new brews in relatively small batches, which pushes locals to become regulars so they don’t miss a thing.

If you haven’t tried Smog yet, make a visit and tell ’em readers of the Torrance-based Breeze sent you.

Torrance brewpub Yorkshire Square Brewing hires former McLeod Ales brewmaster Andy Black

blackNew brewpub, new brewmaster: Forthcoming Torrance brewpub Yorkshire Square Brewing has hired dashing brewmaster Andy Black to oversee its craft beer production (Photo courtesy Yorkshire Square Brewing).

Brewmaster Andy Black, who spent three years at San Fernando Valley-based McLeod Ales, has landed at Yorkshire Square Brewing, which plans to open in Old Torrance in August.

Black, who reportedly interned at a brewery in Yorkshire, England guided production at Mcleod Ales for three years before joining El Segundo Brewing Co.

Yorkshire Square Brewing will focus on traditional cask ales and intends to install a traditional Yorkshire Square Brewing system on site “soon.”

A press release issued by the brewpub Tuesday said that the goal is to “push the boundaries of cask ale well beyound

Eighth Annual LA Beer Week returns June 18 with biggest kickoff event ever

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beerweekwire(Photo by Bernie Wire courtesy of the LA Brewers Guild)

A record 86 breweries — 46 from LA County — are expected to serve tastes of more than 200 craft brews at LA Center Studios June 18 for the kickoff LA Beer Week event.

“The event will also feature food vendors including fan-favorites The Oinkster and BrewWings, popular pub games, Snap Yourself! photo booth, and live music which includes a special performance from the L.A. Brewers All-Star Band comprised of some of the city’s multi-talented brewers,” said Frances M. Lopez, ececutive director of the LA County Brewers Guild.

“L.A.’s craft brewing community has been getting some national buzz this year with big wins at the World Beer Cup and L.A. & San Diego International Beer Competitions,” she added. “LA Beer Week is our grassroots, DIY way of celebrating our region’s beer culture with a week worth of quality craft beer events all across the county.”

For more information on both the kickoff and other events throughout the week, click here.

Two South Bay breweries, one birthday bash Saturday: Smog City in Torrance and El Segundo Brewing

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Ride the free shuttle, drink the special anniversary brews Saturday as Torrance’s Smog City turns two and El Segundo Brewing marks its fifth anniversary.

Yorkshire Square Brewing bringing traditional cask ale to Torrance

squareThe future home of Yorkshire Square Brewery in Old Torrance.

Read more about Torrance’s latest brewery that is aiming to open by summer.

This should be a very different brewery than any other in Southern California, although the local brewers have consulted with San Fernando Valley brewery McLeod Ales, which specializes in similar-style brews and pumps hand=drawn pints.

I was unaware until writing this story of the Yorkshire Squares brewing system, which is explained here and still used at this very old English brewery.

Incidentally, in case you were wondering, Tips Cadillac has not closed its doors.

Scholb Premium Ales to hold Torrance brewery grand opening Friday

Scholb Premium Ales is the newest brewery on the Torrance craft brew scene Thursday, April 07, 2016, Torrance, CA.  The menu shows the current offerings being poured in the tasting room.Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

Scholb Premium Ales is the newest brewery on the Torrance craft brew scene Thursday, April 07, 2016, Torrance, CA. The menu shows the current offerings being poured in the tasting room.Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer

Torrance’s sixth craft brewery, Scholb Premium Ales, which began observing its regular hours last weekend, hosts its grand opening and ribbon cutting Friday.

Incidentally, to the beer list in the above photo you can add Columbia Street Pale Ale and Not Lyin’ Rye IPA, which will be on tap for the first time this weekend.

Read more about Scholb Premium Ales in this Torrance Daily Breeze story.

Second annual L.A. Local Craft Beer & Artisanal Food Festival Saturday at Alpine Village near Torrance

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Sixty-plus beers from 30 local breweries accompanied by 15 food samples are available on Saturday at the second annual LA Local Craft Beer & Artisanal Food festival at Alpine Village near Torrance.

Notable beers available from Torrance breweries include include Smog City’s Amarilla Gorilla, Scholb Premium Ales’ Cherrywood Smoked Brown and a couple of mystery brews from new brewpub HopSaint.

Tickets, at $5 off the price at the door, are here.

Scholb Premium Ales in Torrance has soft opening Sunday

hops (Photo courtesy Scholb Premium Ales)

Torrance’s newest brewery, Scholb Premium Ales, finally has a soft opening this weekend with an abbreviated three beer line-up.

The brewery will open its doors at 2 p.m. Sunday serving their SoCal Blonde, Roll With Brown and a 6.6 percent ABV Bat Ray Red IPA:

Big hop and malt contributions combine to create this aggressive Red IPA brewed with a spectacular new hop grown by Hopsteiner (Experimental #07270). This extremely resinous hop features tropical fruit, tangerine, apricot, and pronounced spice characteristics. A substantial malt backbone counters filled with caramel and brown sugar flavors.

The brewery is at 2964 Columbia St., making it a (very) close neighbor of Absolution Brewing.

More information here.