USA, CA: Two new craft breweries coming to the San Fernando Valley

The craft brewing trend in Los Angeles County has all but ignored a significant metropolitan area: The San Fernando Valley. Never mind that more than 1.75 million people call the Valley home.

Two sets of entrepreneurs are setting out to build new breweries: the MacLeod Ale Brewing Company in Van Nuys and the San Fernando Brewing Company in the city of the same name, LA Weekly reported on December 12.

Ryan Rogers and Vic Chouchanian, San Fernando Brewing Company co-founders grew up in various Valley locales, and the long-time beer enthusiasts initially wanted to open in Northridge, but couldn't find a suitable location. After scoping out 21 different buildings, the partners finally settled on a spot in the City of San Fernando. Rogers say that the city has been receptive to their plans.

Chouchanian and Rogers plan to produce West Coast style craft beers such as IPAs and Irish Reds, and bring back the classic American lager.

Jennifer Boase and her husband Alastair were looking for a new business opportunity. They hired a brewer and set out to open a brewery.

Boase was born in Pasadena and grew up in Britain, but she and her Scottish husband Alastair have settled in the Valley. "We just kind of thought, 'This could be good for a lot of reasons,'" says Jennifer. "We're really excited to be in Van Nuys." MacLeod Ale will focus on British style cask ales, which Boase sees as a draw for beer lovers.

MacLeod Ale has run into some problems on the way. Boase says that craft breweries are not something that the city's planning department sees very day, and there’s a labyrinth of LA bureaucracy. She says there's been disputes about zoning variances and parking. "You kind of discover as you go along," she says.

While both MacLeod Ale and San Fernando brewing companies have made progress in their quest to bring craft beer to the Valley, opening is not quite imminent. Boase hopes MacLeod launches in the first quarter of next year. Rogers initially planned San Fernando coming online in six to eight months, but maybe even sooner if things with the City of San Fernando continue to go smoothly.

13 December, 2013