ISM Beer is nearing its first full year of operation and with it, is trying to dial in just what the community wants. For owner and brewer Ian McCall, ISM is intended for the community as its pub; the place patrons perpetually return to on the regular, be it to shoot the shit or celebrate or clear their head. And surely, under his tenure, that’s been reflected in the food. After all, he’s had some solid menus. There’s been some great sandwiches (and still are). Some solid tacos. And all between multiple awards for their beer, from the World Beer Cup to San Francisco Beer Week.
But now, it’s time for the eggs to take their yolky bow.
ISM Brewing has always been about being the place you regularly go to—and that is a balance between preserving itself and evolving.
Ian has always emphasized his dream for ISM: “I don’t plan on leaving because there is something inherently different when you own your entire business,” Ian told me when he was first opening. “This is mine and my family’s alone—and this is what I want my life to be. Y’know, when I was first brewing here at Beachwood, everything was so elevated and I just don’t think that’s the way to approach the space right now. This is a pub and should be treated like a pub: A community space, a place where you shoot the shit and connect.”
In this sense, Ian has been an essential part of the conversation about what Downtown needs to return to. That is, returning as the social and cultural hub of Long Beach. We need places like The Ordinarie, where live music is continually offered. We need places like Sonoratown, which brings new people to Long Beach. Also, we need places like Ammatolî, which garners national attention for DTLB. And we need places like ISM, who are in it for the long haul.
Adapting isn’t always easy but it’s a must. And something as approachable as a slew of egg offerings? Super smart, definitively delicious.
The eggy menu? It was birthed out of Oktoberfest.
The pickled egg was launched as an Oktoberfest special, served over a bed of chicharrón and slices of pepperoncini. The plate was an immediate crowd favorite, especially when paired with the brewery’s stellar Festbier. So naturally, it made sense for Chef Holly Ann Sharp to expand it. (And especially with Ian beginning to dive into the not-so-fun world of balancing food and kitchen costs while having something quality to offer patrons, the move makes even more sense.)
Pickled. Scotch. Deviled. And the final masterpiece, Chef Holly’s Deviled Scotch egg. The yolk is replaced with sausage, fried, and then topped with her perfectly whipped egg yolk stuffing.
ISM Brewings full array of egg offerings rock—and are perfect with a beer.
Here they are in all their eggy glory.
Pickled eggs: Yes, just as good as Joe Jost’s—if I dare to go full on heresy and say better?—and with a much more hearty set of chicharrón versus pretzels. Served with a house mustard and slices of pepperoncini, it is a wonderful thing to hear the crackle of the chicharrón as it meets the liquid of the pepperoncini.
Pickled deviled eggs: These badboys are toothsomely tart, with a pickled edge and a bright, creamy filling. We’re talking bits of mayonnaise and mustard blende with pepperoncini, parsley, dill, chives, paprika, and the slightest hint of garlic. A damn near perfect deviled egg.
Scotch egg: This masterful take on the Scotch egg is a perfectly boiled egg—where the yolk is creamy, not crumbly—and is surrounded by house sausage before being breaded and deep-fried.
Deviled Scotch egg: This decadent savory bomb is possibly one of the best shareables out there right now. Period.
ISM Brewing is located at 210 E. 3rd St. Unit A.
