Club Meeting Thursday May 21st
I just wanted to send a quick reminder that we have our monthly meeting this Thurs at Tortugo at 7:30.
THIS SATURDAY IS THE SMOG CITY MONSTER BREW (7 AM!)
We currently have < 20 batches sold, and < 10 of those are to club members. If you are on the fence, now is the time!! This is a very easy and fun way to get a batch of beer or two to ferment and enjoy! Spending the the morning in Brewer’s Fantasy Camp with Porter and his legendary hospitality and taking home a batch of wort to modify and ferment for $40? It’s a no-brainer! We will mash in around 7am and be pouring wort around noon.
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/UNXX326XGCNK4
Firestone/PG Anniversary beer St Amburanas now on tap at Father’s Office Culver City – event Monday 6/8 7pm
Tomm Carroll has worked with both Firestone and FO to get this on tap, and organize an event open to the public where we can talk about the beer, brewing and hopefully drum up some more interest in this twisted hobby of ours We will have the side room that we used for our First Friday a little bit ago.
Though it is a Monday, it will take the place of our First Friday for June.
Duuuues 
You have likely received and email from our illustrious Treasurer, Craig, and can quickly pay your dues with a tap of a link. Please help us keep PG solvent for another year!
Recent News
Temecula Homebrew Festival was another epic event. Cruise Director Terry did an excellent job of giving us the “island” theme shooting for the spirit award. Decorations were spectacular and his mead jello shots were a force to be reckoned with. We partnered with Strand who provided some zesty tropical-themed homebrews. Alas, many clubs worked hard as well and the judges faced a difficult decision which did not go our way. As we say, “Just wait till next year!” Chef Ian created is customary quantity of culinary coups. Great friends, great beer, great food… like I said, epic.
Our Bonus Friday event at Farmer’s Market Bar 326 @ the Grove for the Smog City collab release last Friday was a whole lot of fun as well. The new “Clock Tower IPA” was quite tasty and Porter’s sales rep Steve was there and took good care of us while chatting about beer.
We definitely should keep Bar 326 in our list of good first Friday locations (though a Saturday would probably be better for the future due to distance).
Parker Waechter – President, Pacific Gravity Homebrewers
May Monthly Meeting Thursday 5/21/2026 at 7:30 PM
Tortugo Brewing Co.
916 W. Hyde Park Blvd.
Inglewood, CA 90302
(424) 227-9963
Upcoming Events
May 21 : Club Meeting at Tortugo Brewing Company 7:30 pm (Style Pale)
May 23 : Monster Brew at Smog City 7am-noon
June 8 : Father’s office St Amburanas event (Monday) 7 pm
Pacific Gravity Bonus Friday May 15 at Farmer’s Market Bar 326
We are invited to a Bonus Friday special event!
Our friends at Smog City have created a collaboration with the Farmer’s Market Bar 326 @ the Grove, and they will be having a release party at Bar 326 this Friday, May 15.
Let’s all all go and support Porter and the crew!
May Bonus Friday – Friday 5/15/2026 at 6-9 PM
326 Bar in the Farmers Market at the Grove
6333 W 3rd St
LA, CA 90036
(323) 272-4503
And don’t forget the Smog City Monster Brew is a comin’ on May 23! Make your plans and order your batches ASAP!!
Here is the PayPal link for the Monster Brew:
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/UNXX326XGCNK4
Parker Waechter – President, Pacific Gravity Homebrewers
Upcoming Events
- May 15 : 326 Farmer’s Market Bar 326 w/ Smog City 6:00
- May 21 : Club Meeting at Tortugo Brewing Company 7:30
- May 23 : Monster Brew at Smog City
Smog City Brewery Monster Brew May 23rd
Once again, we are spooling up for our annual Monster Brew at Smog City Brewing Company, 1901 Del Amo Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
This will be our 15th Monster Brew with Brewmaster, Jon Porter, going all the way back to his days at Tustin Brewing and our tenth at Smog. Everybody has a blast at these events, so please come out and join us!
If you have never participated in a Monster Brew, here is how it works:
1) Order wort ahead of time.
2) Bring a clean Fermenter, which we will fill with UNFREMENTED wort.
3) Take it home and add whatever yeast and other ingredients you like to customize the batch.
4) Ferment until ready for bottling or kegging.
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Time: Mash-In: Approx. 7:00 AM
Fermenter Filling: Around Noon
Location: Smog City Brewery 1901 Del Amo Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
For this year’s batch, Porter will be using a base wort based on Smog Czech one of his new rising popularity styles that will allow for maximum creativity. Consider this your blank slate. For the hop heads, boost up the bitterness with your favorite English or American hop tea to make an
awesome IPA, or darken it up with roasted malts to make a porter or stout. Use your imagination to make the most awesome beer ever. Each person will need to pitch a yeast of their choice, add adjuncts to the wort, dry hop in secondary, or do nothing special to it at all. To see the full recipe and for modification ideas, see “How Do I Modify My Monster Brew?”
COST and RESERVATIONS
We need a headcount BEFORE the brew session, so we can plan the batch size. You must make a reservation if you want wort. The cost will be $40 for each 5 gallons of wort. You can order several batches if you like. If possible, please pay in advance.
You can sign up one of two ways:
1) Pay now with Paypal. If you do this your reservation is good to go.
2) Drop a line to treasurer@pacificgravity.com saying how many batches you want. Payment will be due on brew day. We will accept payment at the Monster Brew; cash, check and credit card will be accepted.
FERMENTERS
Bring a sanitized PLASTIC or STAINLESS STEEL fermenters for each 5-gallon batch you purchase. Absolutely NO GLASS fermenters will be allowed in the brewery due to the risk of breakage. You may bring small glass vessels with yeast or other additions, however. Fermenters must have a wide opening for the filling nozzle. Plastic buckets are ideal, but Cornelius kegs are acceptable. Again, please do not bring any skinny-neck containers; we may not be able to fill it.
If there is wort left over at the end, we will hold a lottery to determine who may get an additional 5 gallon allotment. Bring an extra fermenter if you are interested.
What Is Not Included
Yeast and any additional ingredients you wish to add to your wort are not included. You can bring your yeast to the brewery, or pitch it at home. We recommend getting your supplies in advance. South Bay Brewing Supply is nearby if you need last-minute supplies the day of the brew.
PARKING
Please park on the WEST side of the building to keep the tap room lot open.
The tap room will be opening to the public at noon.
FOOD
We will have coffee and some light breakfast snacks in the morning. In addition, Porter will be supplying tasting samples of some of his fine brews mid-morning. Around noon a food truck will be setting up in the parking lot. Cut off time for free pours will be shortly before the tap room opens for business. At the end of the day, I also recommend buying some brews from the take-out coolers. Smog has a number of new selections that were not available last time. And finally, REMEMBER TO TIP YOUR BEERTENDER!!!
WORT MODIFICATIONS
For more ideas, see “How Do I Modify My Monster Brew?”
Club meeting April 16th
Skol Pacific Gravity! I just wanted to send a quick reminder that we have our monthly meeting Thursday, April 16th at Tortugo Brewery at 7:30. Info of note: – CA Homebrewfest Temecula is in just 2 weeks. Please coordinate with Terry if you haven’t already done so. Tent campers are requested to pay $40 to […]
First (Good) Friday April 3 at Fathers Office
Sorry for the last-minute notice. Think of it as an Easter (or Passover) surprise – but NOT a belated April Fools joke. This is for real. Our First Friday this month is a good one. Not only is it a Good Friday, but it’s even better because it’s at the renowned craft beer bar and […]
2026 Homebrewers Festival News
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March 2026 Club Meeting Thurs March 19 7:30 at Tortugo Brewery
What’s the craic PG! Happy March! It is leprechaun season with a lot of fun to be had! This Thursday 3/19 will be our monthly club meeting at the usual time and place. Being it is only a 2 days after St Pat’s, there will also be some St Patrick’s Day type goodies provided by Club […]

