After 23 years in business, Newport Beach Brewing Company, known among locals as simply Brew Co., poured its final beer on Nov. 4, 2018. (Also, apologies for the bad pun in this headline but our brains aren’t working right after hearing the unfortunate update.)
Brew Co. was a longtime Balboa Peninsula go-to for football games, friendly service and of course, beer. It was also hailed as the first and only brewery to open in Newport Beach, and the second brewery to open its doors to the Orange County, brew-loving public. The brewery will reopen, with new brews and a fresh look, though the date is TBD. Sources tell us ownership has brought in an expert brewmaster to consult and guide the direction of the beers going forward.
Beers made in-house were crafted using the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, known in German as “Reinheitsgebot.” The law states beer can only contain three ingredients: barley, hops and water. This method notably deviates from the brew-making philosophies of many major breweries, which use rice and preservatives in their beers.
Brew Co. won several awards for its creations, including two bronze medals, two silver medals a gold medal competing in the world’s largest beer celebration, “The Great American Beer Festival.” The small, upstart brewery scored big against 2,500 other breweries and more than 10,000 beers in a blind taste test conducted by world-class judges.
In May, news broke that Lounge Group had purchased Brew Co., announcing extended hours of operation—opening earlier and closing later— and an updated menu that included on-trend items like avocado toast and Newport Blonde-battered chicken and waffles slathered in maple-bacon rosemary butter. (Um, anyone else hungry just reading that description?) The Lounge Group is a big player in the bar and restaurant scene around Newport Beach, and owns hotspots like Malarky’s Irish Pub, Stag Bar + Kitchen, Dory Deli as well as off-Peninsula weekend favorites like Country Club and Wild Goose Tavern, among others.
“LAST CALL,” Brew Co. announced in an Instagram post published earlier this evening. “Thank you for 23 awesome years on the Newport Beach Peninsula with great memories and even better beer! Visit us before we close, for one last cheers! We love you all.”
We love you, too, Brew Co. We love you, too.
