It was another year, another Los Angeles Independent Beer Fest for the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild in June.
The annual event was once again held at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach. About 80 breweries from in and around L.A. County set up shop, each offering between two and five beers for guests to sample throughout the afternoon. An assortment of about a dozen food trucks were there to feed guests and live bands served as entertainment.
According to the Brewers Guild, about 2,400 tickets were sold for the event – nearly the same as 2024’s festival.
“They’ve done a good job of supporting all of the brewers in the guild. It’s such a good community because it’s a big region filled with big cities,” Ryan Ahrens, founder of Malibu Brewing Co., on the Brewers Guild. “I find it fascinating to chat with people and figure out what’s working or not working. It’s a great community because we’re all in it together. It’s not the easiest industry to be in since the pandemic, that’s for sure.”
It’s been a busy year for the guild and its members. Following the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires in January, members teamed up to launch a We Love L.A. fundraising collaboration. Participating breweries each produced their own style of a beer, which carried the We Love L.A. name, and donated a portion of its sales to United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ wildfire response fund.
Participating breweries, which included dozens nationwide, had contributed more than $325,000 as of June.
L.A. County breweries also have continued raking in accolades this year, with guild members taking home 45 awards – including 16 gold medals – at the Brewers Cup of California in April. The L.A. County Brewers Guild also took home its second consecutive Guild of the Year award from that contest.
Members are likely now gearing up for the Great American Beer Festival. Last year, 10 local breweries took home awards – with Chinatown’s Highland Park Brewery winning the coveted Brewery and Brewer of the Year title.
“It’s cool when we go to the Brewers Cup and the Great American Beer Fest and see your colleagues win medals,” Ahrens said. “There’s a lot of regional pride in making great beer and it’s fun to be a part of that, too.”
