Community Corner
Cheers to Independence: 5 Craft Beers for the Fourth of July
Local beers and beers from America to drink on the Fourth of July in the South Bay.
With so many barbeques and celebrations on the Fourth of July, it is always important to pick a good beer to go along with all that cheer.
With Fourth of July landing on a Thursday – the day we publish the South Bay Brews News – we thought we would recommend some good beers that go well with the Fourth of July holiday.
With that in mind, Patch asked some local beer industry representatives what they will be drinking on the Fourth of July in the hopes that fellow readers could get some inspiration. Below is a summary of some of the beers that were recommended and we even threw in some of our own:
- El Segundo Brewing | Blue House Citra Pale Ale: While there is plenty of hop to this beer, it is not overwhelmingly hoppy and can easily be had at an outdoor barbeque or party.
- Strand Brewing | Berliner Weisse: At just over 3 percent alcohol, this beer is easy to drink and won't put you flat on your face by 2 p.m. Slightly tart but refreshing. Get it in bottles or in growlers from the brewery in Torrance.
- Drakes Alpha Session Ale: Another "session" beer, this beer also has a low alcohol content of 3.8 percent. While low in alcohol, the beer is still flavorful with nice hop aroma and taste. Not bad for drinking in the hot sun.
- Smog City Brewing Little Bo Pils: Crisp and refreshing like a pilsner should be. This popular beer from Torrance's Smog City can be purchased in a growler at the brewery to take to any party. Perfect for a summer day.
- Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale: A nicely balanced pale ale that comes in cans. Cans you say? Yes, cans. It keeps the beer fresh and also makes it great to take camping. Grab a six pack and show up your friends drinking Coors Light out of a can. The cans are also patriotic in the colors red, white and blue.
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Here is a look at what else is happening on the South Bay craft beer scene for the week of July 4-11:
Beer Bars, Restaurants and Stores
Select Beer Store | Redondo Beach
Select Beer Store will hold limited Fourth of July hours from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Stop by and grab a pint or some beer to go before you head to that barbeque or Fourth of July fireworks show.
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1321 Downtown Taproom | Torrance
Monday Night Local Happy Hour | Mondays | 5 p.m. - Close
On Monday nights, 1321 features a $3 local beer night. Every Monday, anything from the South Bay on tap will be $3 after Happy Hour to close. This week's local beers are:
Find out what's happening in Redondo Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
- Strand 24th Street (Pale Ale)
- Strand Atticus (IPA)
- Smog City Groundwork Coffee Porter
- Monkish Brewing Shaolin Fist (Dubbel brewed with sichuan peppers)
- Monkish Brewing Por Toi
- Dudes' Brewing Blood Orange
- El Segundo Brewing Blue House IPA
Rock & Brews | El Segundo Location
Every Wednesday, Rock & Brews El Segundo will feature a different brewery for pint nights. Pint nights begin at 6 p.m. and those who purchase the featured beer will get to keep a glass from the brewery. Upcoming pint nights, as per South Bay By Jackie are:
- July 10: “Special Cask” tapping (Brewery TBA)
- July 18: (a Thursday) St. Arnoldus* Day Celebration with Belgian Brews (*Patron Saint of Belgian Beer)
- July 24: El Segundo Brewing
- July 31: Strand Brewing Co.
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Breweries
Find out what's happening in Redondo Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Simmzys Manhattan Beach will feature four Smog City beers on tap including:
- XPA
- Groundwork Coffee Porter
- LA Saison
- Third Nipple Tripel
Smog City Brewing will hold limited tap room hour on the Fourth of July but will also offer discounts on growler fills.
This week's taproom hours for tasting and growler fills are:
Thursday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (Note Changed Hours)
Friday: 4-9 p.m.
Saturday: 12-8 p.m.
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Strand Brewing's tap room will be closed on the Fourth of July to allow staff to spend time with family and celebrate the holiday. Normal hours resume on Friday.
Current beers on tap at the Torrance taproom include:
- Black Sand Imperial IPA
- White Sand Doulbe IPA
- Musashi Black IPA
- Beach House Amber
- 24th Street Pale Ale
- Atticus IPA
- Ito Weisse (Berliner Weisse)
- Cherry Blossom Berliner Weisse
Tap room hours this week for beer tasting and growler fills are:
Thursday: CLOSED
Friday: 4-9 p.m.
Saturday: Noon-8 p.m.
Sunday: Noon-6 p.m.
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El Segundo Brewing | El Segundo
El Segundo Brewing will also be closed for the Fourth of July on Thursday.
Blue House Citra Pale and Two 5 Left Double IPA bottles are slated for release next Friday, July 12. Bottles should be available in the taproom that night barring any complications.Also, next Saturday, July 13, the brewery will be tapping two casks of Hyperion's stout with coffee!
El Segundo collaborated with the Conservatory for coffee in Culver City and came up with two special blends that they cold brewed and added to casks to condition. More details next week!
Tap room hours for beer tasting and growler fills are:
Wednesday: 5-9 p.m.
Thursday: CLOSED FOR JULY 4
Friday: 5-9 p.m.
Saturday: 2-9 p.m.
Sunday: 2-7 p.m.
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Monkish Brewing Co. | Torrance
Tap room hours this week for beer tasting and growler fills are:
Thursday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Friday: 4-9 p.m.
Saturday: 3-8 p.m.
Sunday: 1-6 p.m.
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Editor's Note: Only establishments that have submitted updates are included in this column. If you own a beer bar, brewery, beer store or beer-centric restaurant in the South Bay of Los Angeles and would like to include your establishment's updates in this column, please send editor John Schreiber an email atJohn.Schreiber@Patch.com. This column relies on the updates from local business owners to keep it running—please contribute!
Full Disclosure: John loves working around craft beer and as such, is an employee of Select Beer Store one day per week. However, he is not involved in the store's submission process for this article.
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