Brouwerij West took three years to build and opened in February of 2016. It marked a new era in independent beer throughout SoCal. Some of the space’s inaugural beers included creations like a Sour Orange Wit and a spelt saison. And those were beers that were widely non-existent in the then-IPA-saturated L.A. beer market.
Now, Brouwerij West, the San Pedro brewery that brought mixed-fermentation brews to SoCal, is shuttering after nearly nine years of serving the community. Unless “a holiday miracle” happens, the plan is to close within “a month or two.”
The story behind Brouwerij West
Opening inside a 70-year-old-plus Port of Los Angeles receiving warehouse on the San Pedro waterfront, Brouwerij West took years in the making. It examined water sustainability from a brewery-standpoint. They relied mainly on solar polar to operate. It was green. It was very Belgian in its brewing. And it was unlike the vast majority of the brewing scene.
That was largely thanks to Brian Mercer and, eventually, partner David Holop.
A beer nerd at heart, Brian traveled around Belgium for nearly a decade. The reason? To start a company that imported a very specific type of sugar for American brewers all in the name of mimicking the sweetness of old European beers. In doing this, he wanted to use that same sugar to brew his own Belgian beer recipes—but ultimately lacked the resources to actually construct a brewery and instead hired a contract brewer out of the Bay Area.
Then, Brouwerij West was born.
The full message from the Brouwerij West team
Almost 9 years ago, we opened our doors and launched this ambitious project that is Brouwerij West in San Pedro. This brewery has been more than a business—it’s been our heart and soul, a gathering place, and a home away from home for so many… You have always embraced our unique style, celebrated our creativity, and stood by us through thick and thin. For that, we will be forever grateful.
That said, it looks like the time has come to say goodbye. We’re doing everything we can to see if we can figure out a way to continue to be a part of the San Pedro community, but short of a holiday miracle, we only have a short time left here – maybe a month or two, we’ll post more info as we know it. Craft brewers like us have faced a very challenging market post-Covid – changing social habits, shifting consumer preferences, rising costs. These obstacles have made it difficult for us to execute and fulfill our vision for what we hoped we could do and ultimately become.
We put so much love, passion and effort into Brouwerij West, and we are sad that our time in this community will be coming to end. We want to make the most of what look to be our last days here. If you are here weekly, or you haven’t visited in a while, come down and have another beer with us – we have a lot of kegs you need to help us finish! Or join us for Trivia Night or karaoke, buy tickets to our December 27th La Bota, come party with us on New Year’s Eve… Or simply leave a kind comment on social media. Any and all support is appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read this message, and we appreciate all the love that has defined the last 9 years of Brouwerij West in San Pedro.
Cheers to you all,
Brian, Dave, and the entire Brouwerij West team
For more info…
Brouwerij West is located at 110 E. 22nd St. in San Pedro. For tickets to their Dec. 27 La Bota event, click here.
Is the Brouwerij West building still owned by the Port of L.A.? As I had read previously, that building had been vacant for quite a few years before the agreement with the brewery. It’s hard to understand why the Port wouldn’t make concessions now, based on the rising cost of doing business. Still hoping for a miracle…