Tag: Torrance

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N’Owt 2020

You know you can’t always have a Hazy IPA, so when you return to other styles, return in a big way. Might I suggest Stout, at Yorkshire Square?

There is a crackin’ list of breweries set to appear at the 2020 edition of N’owt But Stout…

Over 30 breweries pouring including:
Beachwood Brewing
Bottle Logic Brewing
Brewery X
Burnin Daylight Brewing Co
Cellador Ales
Chapman Crafted
Creative Creature Brewing
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
GameCraft Brewing
HopSaint Brewing Company
Laguna Beach Brewing Co.
Marin Brewing Company
MacLeod Ale Brewing Co.
Mission Brewery
Morgan Territory Brewing
Pizza Port Brewing Co.
Riip Beer Company
Smog City Brewing
SouthNorte Beer Co.
South Park Brewing
State Brewing Co.
Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co.
Yorkshire Square Brewery

Quite a few are not seen around L.A. so this is a great chance to check out places normally out of reach.

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Recap -Cask’s Not Dead 2019

Casks were out in force in the parking lot and interior of Yorkshire Square in Torrance for the 2019 edition of the Cask’s Not Dead Festival.

All of the royals were in attendance along with beer fans from as far away as Portland to taste Traditional and “Abnormal” cask beers. Just a touch over 30 casks were available and I tasted through a 1/3. Given a second day, I could have hit up some more.

Standouts included El Segundo’s collaboration with Yorkshire Square on Burton’s Pilgrimage an English styled IPA that I think is somewhat similar to this year’s Sierra Nevada Celebration. Thick on malt but with a big hop hit and a touch of spice note to it. Green Cheek Beer Co. brought in a Yorkshire Pale Ale take named Now Then, How Are We? which was delightful and filled with hoppy fruit aroma all in a 4% ABV body. Beachwood brought hops as well with a West Coast DIPA, By Hops Be Driven that was hugely floral and did not taste at all like 9%.

The only real downside to the occasion was that it was way too hot. How can a festival scheduled in November be over 90 degrees? But the crowds were happy, there were practically no lines except for the inside bar at times as people escaped the sun, and the beer was a lovely change of pace from the usual. If I were you, I would mark next November down for some cask ale.

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Reserved for South Bay

Tortilla Cantina in the Old Torrance neighborhood will play host to the 5th South Bay Tap Takeover, appropriately enough on the 5th of September.  45 taps of beers from one of the busiest sections of the L.A. brewing scene will be on tap along with a mega collaboration IPA, Better Sweater Weather that was created by a group of 20+ breweries and cideries in the area.

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Snap Tin Eatery

On the day before Fireworks/Earthquake Day, I pointed the car south to Torrance and Snap Tin Eatery. Some of the eagle eyed among you may have already guessed that Snap Tin is partnered up with Yorkshire Square Brewery. Now there is a full restaurant alongside the Andy Black English beers on cask (and draft).

I had the chance to speak with Chef Bruno Wu who brought the British inspired menu to life and they are really using beer in a lot of the recipes. More than I have seen in other places and the beer actually comes through in the cooking. But more on that in a future Food GPS post but I will say that maybe you should head to Torrance and watch the US National teams play and have excellent beer and food.

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Smog-urgy

In a case of in with old and out with the newer, Zymurgy Brew Works and Tasting Room in Torrance will be closing as of July 31, 2019. The space will not sitting fallow for long though as Smog City will be taking that space over with a projected 9/1/19 opening (don’t write that in stone).

I never visited the Zymurgy location. In ignorance, I thought it was a homebrew store only for a long time.  I did try their beers at the L.A. Beer Week Kick-Off  but never really learned more about them though they were on my too-long “should visit” list.

The space has “16 taps, a new long bar and a comfortable lounge area”, per the e-mail that announced the closing so that would seem suited to the full range of Smog City beers and not just wild and sours.

With space at SteelCraft in Bixby Knolls, selling at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and an upcoming stall at a Glendora Food Hall, this new space further expands the empire of Little Bo Pils.

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Take Home Casks

Looks like you can get that cask attitude at home. Yorkshire Square of Torrance is now selling “naturally carbonated 5 liter mini casks.” They have the directions right there on the cask. And for those who only traffic in the limited release, well according to the brewery “these are produced in super limited amounts and will rotate through different beers.”

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N’owt 2

Long time readers know that I do NOT go out on St. Patrick’s Day but that blanket ban does not extend to March 16th.  Especially when the 2 edition of the N’owt but Stout Festival lands on that day at Yorkshire Square Brewery.  The Torrance based but British in heart brewery will be bringing the dark stuff from over 25 breweries for unlimited pours as well as a brewers panel for those who want to learn more about stout in 2019.

Make sure that you get in on the Early Bird tickets!

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Rabbit Eyes

They’re watching you. They see your every move. Sorry. Got some Hall & Oates stuck in my head. Anyway, I am super excited about this new saison from Smog City because I love beers aged in gin barrels and there are so few of them.  This could be a great New Years Eve at home beer.

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Recap – Cask’s Not Dead Festival

I trekked down on sunny November Satruday to the beer oasis Torrance to check in on the 1st Cask’s Not Dead Fest and forthwith are my take-away’s and photos….

I was able to not only get excellent cask ale (and shade) but also I was able to have beers from breweries new to me like the new-ish Imperial Western Beer Co. They brought their Benjamin ESB which was a great way to delve into the beer menu. I also had a German cask from Weissenohe, their Kellerbier which was up there for my favorite beer on the afternoon. I also really enjoyed the HopSaint Pure Intention IPA which was smooth but then the bitter would kick in.

I went for another IPA from a spot that I have only visited once, Riip Brewing and it was fine in a dank meet creamy sort of way. Green Cheek (more later) had an autumnal beer which was solid and simple and nice. My least favorite pour was a lactose red ale from Chapman Crafted. The sweet was too much in comparison to the other beers.

I finished with the big Full Malted Jacket from Beachwood Brewing which is always good. Sometimes you have to go out on a known quantity. By the time that I departed the hot day was trying to chill and the VIP turn out was starting to ramp up as more people arrived.

They also had a judging component and…
here are the winners in Traditional:
First Place: Pizza Port (San Clemente), Nerf Herder
Second Place: Green Cheek Beer, Fallen for Autumn
Third Place: Yorkshire Square Brewery, Early Doors

The winners of the Abnormal Ales category were:
First Place: Smog City Brewing, Bloody Knuckle Fist Fight
Second Place: Trustworthy Brewing, Trustworthy IPA
Third Place: Transplants Brewing, Ocarina of Thyme

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Review – Smog City’s “Awkward” Anniversary

Yesterday I was in Torrance to congratulate Smog City on reaching another anniversary milestone.

Here are my personal highlights from the day….

Trying the anniversary beer, which was not Awkward at all.

Getting the tour of the sour side pf Smog.

Kegs ready to be filled.

Trying the blended collab saison with TRVE

I was able to try quite a few new beers, most of which of the saison persuasion and though the Awkward Teenager was really good, balance on the edge between rustic and hoppy, I have to say that Floret 2.0 a wild saison with seven different flowers was my top beer. And when their new outdoor patio is complete, that will be the perfect beer to enjoy for as long as it lasts.