Long Beach has no shortage of breweries, but few embody the spirit of the city quite like ISM Brewing. And its second anniversary is shaping up to be a full-throttle showcase of why it has become such a fixture along in the beer scene. From Dec. 12 through Dec. 14, ISM will host a three-day celebration that fuses its award-winning beer with food, music, art, and the kind of community partnerships that have defined its meteoric rise.
And meteoric might be underselling it. 2025 saw ISM step firmly onto the global stage. It snagged two silver medals at the World Beer Cup—for its crisp Italian pilsner Hamburghini and its classic saison Plough & Harrow—while Chepedelic, its New Zealand-style IPA, earned GABF gold. At the same time, ISM kept its hometown roots front and center. It has teamed up with Hamburgers Nice. Dilly’s Sandwiches. Loquat Oysters. Battambong BBQ. Got Your Back LB. Terrible Burger. And a slew of others to continue building a brewery that lives and breathes Long Beach collaboration.
To celebrate the milestone, ISM is rolling out a “greatest hits” menu alongside new creations from Chef Bobby Gill’s culinary team—and opening its doors for a weekend stacked with beer releases, music, art, vendors, family activities, and the return of The Promenade’s most communal energy: people gathering with a drink in hand and nowhere better to be.
I’m a bit under the rock on this—what’s ISM Brewing? And why are they important to Long Beach and the wider region?
When ISM Brewing took over the former Beachwood Brewing space on The Promenade, it wasn’t simply inheriting a prime corner of Downtown Long Beach—it was stepping into a legacy of world-class beer and proving it could not only uphold that standard, but push it forward.
Helmed by owner and master brewer Ian McCall, ISM opened with a clear intention: To build a brewery that reflected Long Beach’s collaborative spirit while delivering beer on par with the industry’s best. Ian’s technical precision, paired with an almost mischievous creativity, quickly set the tone. Within its first years, ISM began collecting hardware on both the national and international stage, signaling that Long Beach’s newest brewery was already operating at a tier far beyond its age.
Those accolades—multiple medals at both the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival—cemented ISM’s status as a rising powerhouse. Beers like Hamburghini, Plough & Harrow, Western Standard Time, and Chepedelic showed Ian’s range, from crisp continental styles to expressive hop showcases. But the awards only tell part of the story.
What truly defines ISM is Ian’s ability to translate technique into community: Building partnerships with local chefs, artists, and makers; elevating The Promenade’s identity; and turning the space into a hub that feels unmistakably Long Beach. In just a short time, ISM Brewing didn’t just replace a beloved institution; it became one in its own right.
Friday, Dec. 12 — Fresh Beer Friday
The weekend kicks off with what ISM does best: fresh, inventive beer served with a hefty side of Long Beach culture. New releases, returning favorites, and cellar-level rarities will pour throughout the day.
Beer highlights include:
- 2SM, the Second Anniversary Double IPA
- Cask Sensory Overlord, the brewery’s barleywine making a special appearance
- Fresh batches of Western Standard Time (WBC Gold, 2024) and Chepedelic (GABF Gold, 2025)
- Jungle Green, a collab with Burgeon Beer
- The long-awaited return of Leviathan Breath, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout
- A smattering of special, one-off releases dropping throughout the day
At 6PM, Cello Azul brings his electrified take on Long Beach Cumbia—melding classical chops with neighborhood swagger—turning the taproom into a dance floor.
On the art front, the brewery’s aesthetic architects, Conor Hunter and ISM’s own Angie Ngo, will showcase both familiar and brand-new works. Limited-edition merch, including “ISM: The Sequel” shirts and new “ISM: Long Beach” hats, rounds out the day.
Saturday, Dec. 13 — Friends Fest
Saturday shifts into full block-party mode with Friends Fest, ISM’s EZ Sip celebration that spills out onto The Promenade. From 3 to 9 p.m., guests can roam the street with a beer, browse local vendors, catch live performances, and jump into games hosted by the brewery.
Entertainment lineup includes:
- DJ Quatre Cinq, setting the afternoon tempo with soulful grooves
- The Familiar Faces, bringing a 70s rock revival to the street
- Local makers selling handcrafted goods
- Games, prizes, and the kind of communal chaos that makes EZ Sip events beloved
It’s the type of day that shows exactly why ISM’s footprint extends far beyond its taproom walls.
Sunday, Dec. 14 — Family Carnival
The finale turns toward families and the young-at-heart with a playful afternoon of carnival-style activities. Shaina Turian will be onsite doing whimsical doodle caricatures, with additional activations rolling out as the date approaches. It’s the soft landing after two days of revelry—still lively, still creative, still fully Long Beach.
