Beachwood Brewing to expand production by taking over Beach City Brewing in Huntington Beach

Beach City Brewing, the two-year-old craft brewery in Huntington Beach, shuttered over the weekend. And while the closure is only temporary, when the brewhouse fires up again, it will be under new management from Beachwood Brewing.

The Beachwood empire, which includes the original restaurant in Seal Beach (known for its barbecue), the decorated brewpub in Long Beach, and the new sour beer and wood aging facility Beachwood Blendery on Long Beach Boulevard, has struggled to keep up with demand for its brews, which includes a parade of hoppy offerings and specialty brews. The company plans to use the Huntington Beach facility to increase production capacity and expand its distribution reach.

“Our beers are increasingly growing in demand and this production facility allows us to expand at a rate we believe the market can sustain,” said Beachwood founder and co-owner Gabe Gordon in a statement. “We are still in the process of securing the proper licenses that will allow us to take over the facility; our hope is to increase our production capabilities over the next five years to upwards of 8,000 barrels.”

>>Los Angeles craft beer guide

Beachwood Brewing currently produces all its beer (except the wild ales being cultivated at Beachwood Blendery,) in the cramped quarters behind the taps at its Long Beach Promenade brewpub. Brewmaster Julian Shrago managed to cook up around 2,100 barrels of brew in 2015 (about 54,000 gallons), with most of the beer being sold over the pub’s bar.

A limited amount of kegs are distributed to select accounts around Los Angeles, and small batches of bottles are also released regularly at the pub. Cases of bottles do make it out to retailers around L.A., but they rarely sit on the shelves. The expansion will mean a more steady stream of Beachwood’s sought-after IPAs, stouts and specialty releases in retailers across Southern California.

Beach City Brewing opened in 2014 and quickly became a favorite with Huntington Beach locals. The brewery is located just off Beach Boulevard, and the 4,200-square-foot space includes a 15-barrel brewhouse and a tasting room. There’s no word whether the tasting room will reopen under the Beachwood Brewing banner or if the brewery will be solely dedicated to production.

7631 Woodwind Dr., Huntington Beach, www.beachcitybrewery.com.

ALSO:

Where to find craft beer at Grand Central Market

Encino is about to get a new ramen restaurant from two big-name chefs

Korean barbecue and Argentinian asado come together at Ombu Grill in Koreatown