Smog City Brewing Co.

Name

Smog City Brewing Co.

Legal name

Smog City Brewing Co.

Website

https://smogcitybrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Taproom operations
• Beer subscription boxes
• Craft brewery merchandise
• Barrel-aged imperial stouts

Headquarters

HQ city

Torrance

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Taproom Sales: On-site draft and packaged beer sales across four taproom locations. Food service available at select locations. Merchandise sold on-site.
2. Direct E-commerce: Online beer sales shipped within California, merchandise shipped nationwide. Subscription beer boxes available with recurring monthly orders and 12-15% discount for subscribers.
3. Private Events: Event space rentals at taprooms for birthdays, office parties, and gatherings. Venues available in Torrance, Glendora, and Long Beach, with Culver City opening 2027.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smog City Brewing Co. produces and distributes a portfolio of craft beers including year-round core styles, limited release and barrel-aged specialty beers, hard seltzers, and slushies, complemented by branded merchandise and monthly subscription beer boxes. The company sells primarily through four company-owned taprooms in Los Angeles County (Torrance, West Torrance, Long Beach, Glendora), an owned e-commerce storefront for beer (California only) and merchandise (nationwide), and wholesale distribution to retail accounts.

Product overview

Smog City Brewing Co. is a family-owned craft brewery founded in 2011 by Laurie and Jonathan Porter, operating as a single unified brewery with multiple taproom locations across Los Angeles County. The company offers a portfolio of beer products centered on its Core Collection of year-round beers (Smog Czech Lager, Smog City IPA, Amarilla Gorilla IPA, Sabre-Toothed Squirrel, Citrus Blonde Ale, Little Bo Pils, and Coffee Porter), complemented by Limited Release seasonal and specialty beers (Infinite Wishes barrel-aged stouts, Phoenix Rise DIPA, Watt Strike Hazy IPA, Stratus Song IPA, and Tiki Time Hard Seltzer). The product line extends to subscription beer boxes (Hop Head, Brewer's Choice, and Core Beers), merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, hats, beanies), and four taproom destinations (Torrance main brewery, West Torrance, Long Beach Heights, and Glendora) with food service and event hosting. A fifth taproom in Culver City is announced for 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smog Czech Lager A golden, brilliantly clear Czech-style lager at 4.8% ABV, finely tuned for maximum drinkability with a crisp, balanced profile and refreshingly clean finish. Available to craft beer consumers 21+ through taprooms, e-commerce, and wholesale.
• Smog City IPA A West Coast-style India Pale Ale at 7.2% ABV featuring bold hop aroma with notes of orange, tropical fruit, and floral honey, balanced by caramel malt.
• Amarilla Gorilla IPA A tropical West Coast IPA at 7.4% ABV dominated by bold notes of papaya, mango, citrus, and pine, aggressively dosed with Amarillo hops.
• Sabre-Toothed Squirrel Amber Ale A hoppy American Amber Ale at 7% ABV balancing sweet citrus hoppiness with toasty caramel malt, featuring Chinook and Falconer's Flight hops.
• Citrus Blonde Ale A bright, easy-drinking Blonde Ale at 5% ABV blended with orange and lemon zest, featuring Mandarina Bavaria hops.
• Little Bo Pils A Bohemian Pilsner at 4.4% ABV with soft spice, honey notes, and rustic white bread, finished with classic Czech Saaz hops. Award-winning with three medals at California State Fair and LA International Beer Competition.
• Coffee Porter A robust porter at 6% ABV brewed with locally roasted, fair-trade organic coffee, featuring rich chocolate-covered espresso bean flavors with roasted dark and chocolate malts.
• Infinite Wishes Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout A bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout at 12.1% ABV aged for one year in freshly-emptied bourbon barrels, featuring notes of char, vanilla, dark fruit, caramelized sugars, and decadent chocolate.
• Infinite Wishes Molé Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout A mole-inspired bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout at 12.1% ABV aged one year in bourbon barrels, layered with toasted nuts, sesame seed, Mexican chilies, warm spices, and deep cocoa.
• Phoenix Rise Double IPA A double India Pale Ale at 9.0% ABV featuring punchy yuzu, jackfruit, and lime zest wrapped in floral notes with bold fruit and slight alcohol sweetness.
• Watt Strike Hazy IPA A hazy India Pale Ale at 6.3% ABV featuring an intricate weave of grapefruit, mango, lychee, and pineapple with light snappy bitterness and pine structure.
• Stratus Song West Coast IPA A West Coast IPA at 6.8% ABV featuring lofty tropical tones of passion fruit and sweet tropical fruit tethered to earth with bright citrus and balanced bitterness.
• Tiki Time Hard Seltzer A collaboration hard seltzer at 8% ABV inspired by the Zombie cocktail, featuring big notes of pineapple, passionfruit, citrus, and nuanced spice.
• Smog Box - Hop Head Subscription A monthly subscription box featuring a mixed case of the brewery's best IPAs and hazies, with 6 four-packs. Available with 12% subscription discount ($80 single / $70.40 subscription).
• Smog Box - Brewer's Choice Subscription A monthly subscription box featuring a mystery case of specialty, limited release and seasonal beers with 6 four-packs curated each month ($84 single / $73.92 subscription).
• Smog Box - Core Beers Subscription A monthly subscription box featuring year-round flagship beers including Lil Bo Pils, Citrus Blonde, Smog City IPA, Sabre-Toothed Squirrel, Amarilla Gorilla, and Coffee Porter. Available with 15% subscription discount ($78 single / $68.64 subscription).
• Torrance Brewery & Taproom The original brewery and taproom location at 1901 Del Amo Blvd, Torrance, CA, featuring 20 beers on tap plus seltzers, slushies, and hop water, with food service, live outdoor music, tabletop game nights, and major sporting event viewing.
• Smog City West (West Torrance Taproom) A neighborhood taproom at 22755 Hawthorne Blvd, West Torrance, featuring 17 taps with regular events including live music Fridays, karaoke Saturdays, vinyl Sundays, industry nights, and Switch game nights.
• Smog City Heights (Long Beach Taproom) A Long Beach taproom and kitchen at 1106 E Wardlow Rd featuring 16 Smog City beers on tap plus cider and wine, with an innovative comfort food menu (Chef Jeff Lustre) and indoor/outdoor seating.
• Smog City Glendora (Glendora Public Market) A taproom inside Glendora Public Market at 905 E Arrow Hwy featuring 26 taps with a wide variety of Smog City beers plus slushies and seltzers, with trivia nights, live music, and Lotería Nights events.
• Private Event Space Rentals Event space rentals at Smog City taprooms (Torrance, Glendora, and Long Beach) for birthdays, office parties, and gatherings. Culver City venue slated for 2027.

Quantifiable outcome

• Little Bo Pils won medals at California State Fair and LA International Beer Competition

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Marine Mammal Care CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 Community Impact Series partner. Marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation organization based in San Pedro, CA.
• South Coast Botanic GardencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 Community Impact Series partner. Palos Verdes Estates botanical garden and SOAR Tropical Butterflies initiative.
• The Bay FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 Community Impact Series partner. Santa Monica Bay environmental restoration organization.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Environmental pledge commitment since 2017. Smog City donates 1% of gross sales to environmental nonprofits, supporting organizations that educate, protect, and restore Southern California environments.
• FartBarfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Tiki Time Hard Seltzer. Local band/collective that inspired the tropical, tiki-inspired hard seltzer collaboration.
• Culver CommonsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst signed tenant for new taproom space at 1.6-acre mixed-use development at Washington Blvd & Centinela Ave, Culver City. Opening early 2027.
• Buddha Boy TacosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily-owned food vendor serving handmade tortillas, in-house marinades, tacos, bowls, wraps, and shawarma. On-site at Torrance taproom Wednesdays and Thursdays 12-3pm.
• Claremont Craft AlesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClaremont brewery doing a taproom residency at Smog City Heights in Long Beach, offering their beers on tap with the brewmaster meeting customers.
• Chef Jeff LustrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive chef for Smog City Heights food program. Former James Beard and Michelin-level restaurant experience, previously at Space X, Pacifique, Michaels, and Demitasse.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Monkish Brewing Company: Torrance, CA-based craft brewery operating from a brewpub/taproom with a focus on hazy IPAs and specialty releases. Directly comparable as a hyper-local SoCal craft brewery-taproom operator competing in the same South Bay geography and product categories (hazy IPAs, limited releases).
• Three Weavers Brewing Company: Inglewood, CA-based independent craft brewery with taproom operations and broad distribution into LA-area wholesale. Directly comparable as a Southern California craft brewery-taproom with year-round and limited-release SKU strategies and a presence in the same LA craft beer retail and on-premise channels.
• Angel City Brewery: LA-based craft brewery with a downtown LA Arts District taproom and distribution across SoCal. Directly comparable as an LA craft brewery-taproom operator targeting similar craft enthusiast and lifestyle customer segments in the same regional market.
• Beachwood Brewing: Long Beach-based craft brewery operating multiple taproom/brewpub locations across LA and Orange County. Directly comparable as a multi-taproom SoCal craft brewery with food service, community events programming, and a similar mix of core and limited-release beers.
• HopSaint Brewing Company: Torrance, CA-based small craft brewery and tasting room. Directly comparable as a Torrance/South Bay craft brewery with on-site taproom service competing for the same local customer base, with similar size and family-style ownership profile.
• Claremont Craft Ales: Claremont, CA craft brewery already partnering with Smog City through taproom residencies at Smog City Heights. Comparable as an Inland Empire craft brewery-taproom operator with overlapping distribution and product strategy; the existing partnership underscores operational and channel similarity.
• Karl Strauss Brewing Company: San Diego-based craft brewery operating multiple brewpub/taproom locations across Southern California with broad SoCal wholesale. Comparable as a multi-location Southern California craft brewery-taproom operator with a similar core/seasonal/limited release mix and SoCal retail and on-premise distribution footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Golden Road Brewing: LA-based craft brewery acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev, with a large Anaheim taproom and broad distribution. Comparable as a craft brewery with taproom operations in the same SoCal market, but operates at much larger scale and under macro-brewer ownership that changes the competitive dynamic.
• Stone Brewing Co. Escondido, CA craft brewery now owned by Sapporo, with taproom/brewpub operations and broad California and national distribution. Comparable as a California craft brewery-taproom operator with a substantial limited-release barrel-aged program, but operates at significantly larger scale under macro-brewer ownership.
• Firestone Walker Brewing Company: California craft brewery with multiple taproom locations (Paso Robles, Buellton, Venice) now owned by Duvel Moortgat. Comparable as a multi-location California craft brewery-taproom operator with a strong barrel-aged and limited-release program targeting similar craft enthusiasts, though at meaningfully larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/smogcitybeer
• Xx.com/smogcitybeer
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smog-city-brewing-co.-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smog City Brewing Co.