Happy Birthday to Us! Happy Birthday to Us!

October marks the one year anniversary for Smog City Brewing, once described as the “little brewery that could“, and we hope we’ve delivered. So much has happened and there is indeed, so much to come.

These past few weeks alone have solidified our future home in the City of Torrance and we couldn’t be happier. Last week our CUP was approved, this week we put a down payment on the remaining pieces of the puzzle: fermentation and brite tanks are in the works and we’re already deep in the building permit application process, not to mention we officially begin paying rent October 1st…this s#!t is getting real! How can you beat a brewery on the westside with an ocean breeze? It’s pure heaven and we are looking forward to setting down roots there.

Hey, let’s make this official. Smog City Brewing’s new home will be: 1901 Del Amo Blvd Unit B, Torrance, CA 90501, 2 blocks from Monkish and 11 minutes from Strand Brewing Co…happiness!

So in order to celebrate our first pours which happened a year ago at BAM fest, Tender Greens and The Yard we have decided to have a month long celebration. I have always believed that one is entitled to a birthday month so why shouldn’t our brewery have one too? Additionally, by having multiple events around the city, we get to celebrate with all the neighborhoods of L.A. that have supported us throughout the last year. We are extremely grateful to all of you and sincerely hope you enjoy our birthday as much as we will!

The Events,  The Beers and Some Anecdotes

Library Alehouse, Anniversary Month Launch Event, October 3rd, 5pm-close, 2911 Main Street  Santa Monica, CA 90405

1. L.A. Saison

2. Groundwork Coffee Porter

3. Hoptonic IPA  (unfortunately, this beer is not available for the event. SORRY!)

3. Smog City XPA

4. Prickly Saison (LABW Saison with Prickly Pear)

5. Quercus Circus (barrel-aged blonde)

6. Little Bo Pils

We’re extremely excited to launch our anniversary month here at Library Alehouse.  The Alehouse was our first introduction to the L.A. craft beer scene 10 years ago and only 2 miles from the yard that served as Porter’s pilot brewery for 7 years. He was known back then as “The Beer Guy” by all our Venice neighbors and local dog walkers. I was sad to see the system move outside and off of our stove as I’m an addict for the smell of mash. So I’d open all the doors and windows and hope that the wind would blow it back inside. Alex Davis will be creating some excellent beer and food pairings for this event.

BAM Fest– 18th Street Arts Center, October 6th, 1-6pm, 1639 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90404

1. L.A. Saison

2. Groundwork Coffee Porter

3. Bourbon Collaborative Evil (Porter and Julian Shrago collaboration)

Laurie, Porter and Emmett at BAM 2011

BAM Fest was our debutante ball for the craft beer scene. No one knew who we were and we were floored by the welcome we received! Last year we poured the L.A. Saison and Smog City XPA. A year ago, XPA was a newish style, we didn’t know if it was a San Diego Common, Session IPA or an XPA…this little guy was still getting his wings but now the term XPA is well on its way to becoming a household style.  http://18thstreet.org/public-programs/upcoming-events/bam-fest-2012

A little history on the Collaborative Evil, this was Porter and Julian Shrago’s collaboration just months before Beachwood BBQ and Brewing opened their doors. The Bourbon Collaborative Evil was brewed at Tustin Brewing Co and split between the two brewers. Porter put some in kegs and the rest into bourbon barrels. One year in the barrel and this brew is going to rock your socks. For the record, another collaboration is in the works…the brewers don’t know it yet but owner Gabe Gordon and I have been talking…

Sausage Fest @ Fig– October 7th, 5pm-8pm, 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

 

1. L.A. Saison

2. Groundwork Coffee Porter

Although this party is not officially for us or our anniversary, we can pretend and we are especially psyched to partner up with Ray Garcia, chef of Fig and food geek extraordinare. Smog City’s focus has always been on making balanced beers that pair well with food. When great chefs like our beers, we know we’ve hit our goal. So when Ray Garcia came to us with this event, we leapt: great chefs, great food AND great beer, WIN!

Also in attendance and rocking the wieners will be Vartan Abgaryan (Public Kitchen), Greg Daniels (Haven Gastropub), Daniel Mattern (Cooks County), Bernhard Mairinger (BierBeisl) and Kris Morningstar (Ray’s & Stark Bar). Plus Eagle Rock Brewing, Noble Ale Works and Weissbierbrauerei Hopf…sweet!! Tickets are $69 and will probably sell out fast – Fig isn’t a huge restaurant.

Beer Belly- One Night Stand, October 17th 5pm-close, 532 S. Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90020

 

1. L.A. Saison

2. Smog City XPA

3. Groundwork Coffee Porter

4. Hoptonic IPA

5. Quercus Circus (barrel aged blonde)

6. Prickly Saison (LABW Prickly Pear Saison)

7. Little Bo Pils

Beer Belly is one of our favorite locals only craft beer bars! Owners, Jimmy and Yume, know that supporting the Los Angeles beer scene is good for us and great for them. In a little over a year, they have really put themselves on the map.

Not to mention these guys have a great sense of humor. Beer Belly is working with us on our promo video for the event and we hope you enjoy it.  I can’t say much more than, we’re taking a slightly less than traditional route…this you will just have to wait and see…but believe me, IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

Octoberfest Whole Animal Roast –Tender Greens Hollywood, October 28th, 5pm-9pm, 6290 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

 

1. Octoberfest

2. L.A. Saison

We are not vegetarians! Pulling the crackling off of a pig or gnawing on a pig ear is right up our alley. Each year Porter brews an Octoberfest for Tustin Brewing Co and this is the one keg that will silently slip out the door and make its way to L.A. County. Plus Porter will be in Leiderhosen and that’s worth the $35 right there! Tickets are almost sold out on this one so if you’re interested, get thee to the bank!

Halloween Costume Party, Tony’s Darts Away, 6pm-close, 1710 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506

A little help from our friends at El Segundo Brewing Co.

 

1. L.A. Saison

2. Smog City XPA

3. Hoptonic IPA

4. Groundwork Coffee Porter

5. Quercus Circus (barrel aged blonde)

6. Weird Beer (5 Grain Saison hopped with Sage)

7. Cask Beer TBD

Tony’s Darts Away will be our closer and it’s going to be a big one! Come in costume (or don’t) but we’ll probably be looking pretty ridiculous ourselves so we’d love the company. For this event we’re bringing out a beer call Weird Beer. Not much of this will go out as is, although it’s exceptionally good, because the rest of it is hanging out in wine barrels getting even more Exceptionally Gooder. Yup, I said it…Gooder.

LA Beer Week

LA Beer Week is upon us and all Porter and I have been able to focus on is the CUP hearing we have tonight, keeping our production up to service our accounts and all the events we have coming up in October. We have scheduled a few events for the coming week: King’s Row Oktoberfest, Select Beer Store Tap Takeover, a prix fix dinner at Savory in Malibu and of course, LABW Union Station Beer Festival.

Forgive us if we seem like we’ve checked out of this year’s LABW. We’re deeply engrossed in the machinations of getting our brewery open, keeping our current accounts happy, and maintaining some modicum of Porter’s sanity…is if! This is a balancing act on a weekly basis and no little stress. We do hope to see you out and about this year for some of the wonderful events featured around town and fear not that our absence from this week’s festivities seems like more than it is…we’re just super busy and focused on our own little world right now. Plus, we’ll be rocking all of October with events across the city! More on that to come…now for LABW 2012

Here’s a list of our LA Beer Week events:

Sept 22nd 2pm-8pm, KING’S ROW, Pasadena, Oktoberfest

Sept 23rd noon-8pm, SELECT BEER STORE, Redondo Beach, Southbay Tap Takeover

September 20-30 –SAVORY–  3-Course Beer Dinner, paired with local brews from Beachwood Brewing, Monkish Brewing Company and Smog City Brewing. , $40/person. Dinner Hours: Sunday-Thursday 5:30-9pm, Friday & Saturday 5:30-10pm. 29169 Heathercliff Road Malibu, CA 90265. Reservations recommended. EAT.DRINK.BE LOCAL.

Sept 30th noon-4pm, LABW UNION STATION BEER FESTIVAL, Porter’s bringing out the big guns, we’ll be pouring an experimental called CITRA QUERCUS. Yes, that’s right, our barrel-aged Quercus Circus dry hopped for the last month with Citra hops.

Our October events to follow soon! With a full list of the beers we’ll be pouring. Let’s just say, we’ve been holding out and there will be some delicious and RARE beers available.

Cheers and Be Safe!

Laurie + Jonathan