Topa Topa Brewing Co. Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary on June 14th

On June 14th, Topa Topa Brewing Co. invites fans for a carnival-themed party at their Ventura HQ & Brewery (4880 Colt Street), followed by a very special after-party concert at their downtown Ventura taproom (104 East Thompson Blvd) headlined by Vetiver and Sam Blasucci (of Mapache). The day and night parties each have their own special offerings, created in partnership with Tierra Sol Institute, the event’s 1% for the Planet nonprofit beneficiary.

Topa has grown from its humble beginnings at its original location in downtown Ventura into an expansive, state of the art production facility, packaging hall, taproom, event venue, and beer garden just a few miles south on Colt Street. Topa now has five locations in Ventura & Santa Barbara counties, and distribution across Southern California and the Bay Area.

Since 2015, Topa has packaged over 12 million cans of beer and donated nearly half a million dollars to 1% for the Planet partners. This, and other cumulative factoids, are featured on the can labels of their limited release 10th Anniversary IPA, named “Topa Is Ten” which will be available exclusively at the anniversary event.

The beer is the first of its kind for Topa, carefully blended with select hop-forward projects to make Topa is Ten a veritable brewmaster’s cuvée. Topa is Ten combines Chief Peak IPA, Blue Heaven IPA, Level Line Pale Ale, and Huckster Double IPA into one bold, celebratory, expressive IPA with layers of zesty grapefruit and tangerine up front, a floral mid-palate, and a dank, slightly tropical finish that lingers just long enough.

Anniversary attendees will have a chance to learn more about this beer during the Founders Session Tour & Tasting, a ticketed special activity within the anniversary celebration that includes a tour of the production facility with co-founder Jack Dyer, a guided tasting of rare archive beers with co-founder Casey Harris, and a take-home goodie bag that includes a 4 pack of the anniversary IPA.

Festivities will include:

• Food & dessert ranging from fair food to fancy, including funnel cake & frozen yogurt, oysters & dumplings, and family-friendly options

• Carnival-themed attractions & activities benefitting select 1% for the Planet partners - petting zoo, dunk tank, climbing wall, face painting

• Live music & DJs from noon til 5 PM at the Ventura HQ & Brewery outdoor garden

• An after-party benefit concert with Vetiver, Sam Blasucci (of Mapache), and Farmer Dave & the Wizards of the West - Doors 6P, Show 7P. Tickets $15 available at topatopa.beer/products/pre-sale-anniversary-after-party-at-thompson.

• Founders Session Tour & Tasting - a ticketed, behind-the-scenes experience led by Jack & Casey. Spots are limited and guarantee a 4-pack of Topa Is Ten anniversary IPA. Presale tickets now available at topatopa.beer/products/topa-is-ten-vip-ticket.

• Brand new Topa Taproom merchandise, including collectible glassware, regional hats, and customizable Father’s Day gift bundles

ABOUT TOPA TOPA BREWING CO.

Topa Topa® Brewing Co. was founded in 2015 in Ventura, nestled between the Topa Topa mountains in Ojai and the salty shores of the Pacific Ocean. With five taprooms along California’s southern central coast, Topa Topa is upheld by a trifecta of values: quality, craftsmanship, and community spirit. This means using the freshest ingredients, working with the most skilled brewers around, and thriving on uplifting and unifying our community. Topa Topa is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, donating at least 1% of annual sales to local, approved environmental partners.

Mad Era Brewing Company Still Plans to Open Soon in Simi Valley!

UPDATE 9/15/22: Still not open but a week ago they indicated “soon” on their Facebook page. As they say…patience is a virtue :)

In July 2018, Mad Era Brewing Co., to be located in the former Marie Callender’s at 20 W. Cochran Street (at Madera) in Simi Valley, gave indications they would be opening in the fall of that year.

Here we are, fall of 2021, Mad Era is getting quite close to that day.. Earlier this month, they posted photos of brewing tanks being installed. In June they posted photos of new landscaping being planted. In May they installed new HVAC equipment and exhaust fans.

For updates, follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MadEraBrewing.

COMPILATION OF OTHER LOCAL BREWPUBS AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Ladyface Alehouse in Agoura Hills is Now Tavern Tomoko and Ladyface Brewery

Recently, Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie in Agoura Hills changed ownership and rebranded as Tavern Tomoko and Ladyface Brewery.

The new concept brings together contemporary Japanese small plates (grilled skewers, hot and cold tapas, etc.) and American gastropub fare (burgers, sandwiches, sliders, etc.) along with the Ladyface craft ales, cocktails and more that we've enjoyed since 2009.

Located at 29281 Agoura Road (at Kanan). Visit www.taverntomoko.com or call 818.477.4566.

The Dudes' Brewing Company Tasting Room Thousand Oaks Has Closed Its Kegs

No more Dudes at Janss Marketplace. The Dudes' Brewing Co. Tasting Room that originally opened in July 2016 has closed its kegs and its doors. I enjoyed The Dudes’ from time to time. Sorry to see them leave.

According to The Dudes’ Brewing Company Management Team:

After another year of remarkable growth, the national award-winning THE DUDES’® BREWING COMPANY has announced the expansion of two groundbreaking 13,000+ square foot “Beervana” super locations in Hollywood and Anaheim!

In an effort to best streamline the company’s efforts moving forward, The Dudes’® will be closing two of their existing locations in Huntington Beach and Thousand Oaks effective immediately.

“We greatly enjoyed our last three years in both Huntington Beach and Thousand Oaks and are so very proud of what we’ve done and of our incredible and loyal fans and staff,” said The Dudes’® owner Toby Humes. “At this time however, we felt it important to refocus the direction of the company and move from the suburban environments to more urban environments.”

The existing The Dudes’® Brewing Company locations in Santa Monica, Santa Clarita and Torrance will remain in operation. Resources from the closing locations will be reallocated to the new restaurants while both locations are currently searching externally to fill the many needed positions in both Hollywood as well as Anaheim.

Interested parties are encouraged to view the latest openings listed on The Dudes’® website: https://thedudesbrew.com/work-for-us

“We are still very much continuing to grow as a company. Concentrating our focus and energies to our bigger restaurant locations is the next step in our growth,” said VP of Marketing Sean Fanton. “ Our amazing new 13,000 square foot Hollywood location is weeks away from opening with Anaheim scheduled to launch Quarter 2 of this year.”

The new Hollywood location is conveniently located amidst the perennially foot-trafficked Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard at Cherokee Ave and will feature the only brewery tap room in Hollywood. Equipped with 90 taps of cold, freshly-brewed beer, the restaurant is scheduled to officially open in mid-March with Anaheim’s unveiling in the second quarter of 2020.

“People from all over the world flock to Hollywood,” Fanton continued. “In terms of convenience and foot traffic, our newest location on Hollywood Boulevard is second to none.”

Featuring a rustic industrial decor, a state of the art scratch kitchen and three bars - each with 30 flowing taps - the Hollywood location will serve as a destination for beer lovers everywhere as it will feature the only outdoor deck on Hollywood Boulevard. The new location will also offer a professionally curated wine selection.

The Hollywood and Anaheim locations will mark the newest restaurants for the family-owned and operated The Dudes’® Brewing Company. Other locations include Santa Monica, Santa Clarita and their flagship location in Torrance. In 2019, The Dudes won two category awards at the Great American Beer Festival®, taking home medals for their Los Dudes Cerveza Lager Mexicana and Grandma’s Pecan Brown. The newest location will feature the award winners as well as other customer favorites like their CalifornIPA®, JuiceBox Series®: Peach Sour and Double Trunk® DIPA.

The aforementioned award-winners can be found on tap at all The Dudes’® Brewing locations and also available for take-home enjoyment in canned four-packs. If you are in California, Reno or Las Vegas you can get these beers delivered straight to your doorstep via our online store. Check out www.thedudesbrew.com for additional details on ordering as well as information on applying for positions in either Hollywood or Anaheim.

Meanwhile, expect Pedals & Pints Brewing Company at The Oaks Mall to be opening real soon. The recently started their on-site brewing processes.

Mad Era Brewing Co. Coming Soon to Simi Valley

UPDATE 10/16/21: It’s been awhile, hasn’t it!? The latest from Mad Era is that the brewing tanks are being installed. Patience is a virtue… www.facebook.com/MadEraBrewing

UPDATE 9/9/19: Lots of progress has been made in construction and they are anticipating opening in the next few months.

UPDATE 1/8/19: Owners noted yesterday that they have submitted building plans to the City of Simi Valley for the 3rd iteration yesterday.. Timing of opening date TBA.

Original post 8/11/18:

The former Marie Callender's location at 20 W. Cochran Street in Simi Valley will soon be opening (as of mid-July they anticipated Fall 2018) as Mad Era Brewing Co.  Mad Era* is a production brewery and tap room that will also serve food.

* Perhaps you may note the cross street it is located at is Madera Road.

For updates, visit www.facebook.com/MadEraBrewing.

Stout Burgers and Beers Looks to Open Ventura Location

There’s a notice on the window at “The Hamilton Building” in Downtown Ventura at 328 E. Main Street indicated Stout Burgers and Beers intends to occupy this location at some point. More on Stout at www.stoutburgersandbeers.com.

Tarantula Hill Brewing Company Anticipated to Open in Early 2019 in Thousand Oaks

Tarantula Hill Brewing Company will be coming to 244 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks sometime in the early 2019 time frame (anticipated at this point).

This 21,440 sq ft freestanding building is the former home of Plummers Furniture.

Mike Richmond has been named "Brewmaster" of Tarantula Hill Brewing Company, having spent 10 years at Stone Brewing in San Diego. Mike was born in raised in Newbury Park and graduated from Newbury Park High School. 

For updates, visit tarantulahillbrewco.com or business.facebook.com/tarantulahillbrewco.

Namesake of Tarantula Hill Brewing Company. TARANTULA HILL

Cask Alehouse to Open in the Near Future in Ventura

Cask Alehouse is anticipating an October/November grand opening date at 5952 Telegraph Road in Ventura. Their beer and wine license has been approved and they will be serving 20 rotating California craft beers and a selection of wines. Updates at www.facebook.com/caskalehouse.

The Dudes' Brewing Company Tasting Room Opened at Janss Marketplace on July 15th

Heard today that The Dudes' Brewing Company Tasting Room opened yesterday at Janss Marketplace, adjacent to Karma Indian Cuisine on the southeast side of the mall. So of course I stopped by today to try it out.

There are 24 beers on tap of all types. I bought a four beer taster for $7 and enjoyed three of the four. The woman next to me suggested the Grandma's Pecan English Brown Ale and it wasn't my taste, but the others I enjoyed. The word at the bar today that was that the Orange Julius IPA was a crowd favorite. I didn't try it.

No food service here, though they do have snacks, like the goldfish crackers I munched on. You are welcome to bring your own food.

More information and hours of operation at www.thedudesbrew.com/the-tasting-room-thousand-oaks.