Nearly a dozen years after being founded and five years after signing a lease in Oceanside, Long Beach Brewing Company has received approval to fully open its taproom on Lawson Boulevard. The finishing touches are being completed and the brewery is planning to hold its grand opening in early summer.
“It’s been a long journey,” said co-owner Dan Scandiffio, “and we are so excited to finally be able to have our taproom up and running for our loyal customers to enjoy.”
LBBC was founded in 2010 and co-owners Scandiffio and Brett Blau have been brewing beers at the 5,000-square-foot space on Lawson Boulevard since installing their 10-barrel brewhouse in 2018. They raised more than $29,000 on Kickstarter to help launch the brewery and always planned on having a taproom on site, but the permitting process and then the pandemic led to longer-than-expected delays.
“The support we received from the craft beer community was tremendous,” said Blau, “including an overwhelming response on our behalf at public hearings. We could not have done it without them and we look forward to welcoming everyone to enjoy great beer and fun times.”
The fanatic following loves LBBC’s diverse mix of hoppy IPAs and inventive takes on German and Belgian beer styles. The New York State-licensed farm brewery uses local ingredients and its flagship beer, Ghost Wave IPA, is made mostly from New York State-grown ingredients.
Other IPAs include Oceansized, a New England-style hazy IPA with super fruity hoppiness from El Dorado and Idaho #7 hops, and Make A Left At Mars Imperial Hazy NEIPA, brewed with Galaxy, Aurora, and Comet hops for a tropical fruit aroma.
One of the brewery’s best sellers is 3350 A Pilsner, a classic German-style pils brewed with Perle and Crystal hops for a refreshing crisp taste. “We have trouble keeping that in stock in the summer months,” said Scandiffio. Another warm-weather favorite is A Hui Hou (which means “until we meet again” in Hawaiian), a wheat ale fermented with papaya, tangerine, and guava, similar to the Hawaiian drink POG.
German and Belgian styles make up most of the seasonal lineup, including Pleasant Anxiety, a German-style Maibock, and West Penn Wheat, a refreshing hefeweizen. Fall seasonals include Feuilles Mortes, a powerfully smooth Belgian-style dubbel ale (8% ABV) brewed with New York State-grown winter butternut squash and muscovado sugar and hopped with New York State Tahoma hops. One of the most popular cold weather seasonals is Al Blau Stout, a rich oatmeal stout named after Blau’s stout-loving dad.
In addition to its own brews, LBBC’s taproom will feature beers from its two tenant brewers, 18th Ward Brewing and Stay Green Brewing. Scandiffio and Blau have brewed collaboration beers with Brooklyn-based 18th Ward, including Sink or Swim Double IPA brewed with Barbe Rouge, Comet, and Amarillo hops.
While waiting for the approval of its taproom, LBBC built its following by self-distributing to local beer stores, bars and restaurants. While still self-distributing, the brewery is now also distributing its beers across New York State through Uptown Beverage.
In addition to beer, LBBC’s taproom will feature wines from Insieme Wines, located across the street on Lawson Boulevard, and kombucha from neighboring Coastal Craft Kombucha. Rotating food trucks and pop-up chefs include local favorites like The Smokin Sandy Pineapple, No Good Burger Truck, and Taco Tuesdays Truck.
Blau says LBBC looks forward to hosting events at the taproom and on June 24 will have a Stand Up Comedy Night hosted by Chris Griggs with performances by local comedians including Matt Vita. “We have been an active member of the Long Beach and Oceanside communities, supporting fundraisers and local artists,” said Blau, “and we look forward to welcoming the community for years to come.”
Long Beach Brewing Company is located at 3350A Lawson Blvd. in Oceanside. For more info visit longbeachbrew.com.
Bernie Kilkelly is the editor and publisher of LIBeerGuide.com.
For more food and drink coverage, visit longislandpress.com/category/food-drink.
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