Drinking for a cause: Five local breweries that support charities while you sip

There’s no shortage of variety when it comes to different styles and makers of beer; so much so that the simple act of ordering a pint or grabbing a six-pack can be a little overwhelming. How do you know what to buy when presented with a dozen different IPAs? Next time you’re fighting indecision in the beer aisle, take a shortcut and grab a brew that gives back. Here are five local beers that benefit charities and nonprofits.

Eagle Rock Brewery

The next brew from Eagle Rock Brewery’s Day Trip series of canned beers is 2 North, and it hits this month. It’s an American brown ale that balances pine and citrus hop flavors on a rich and toasty malt foundation. A nod to the scenic Angeles Crest Highway — just a quick drive up the 2 North near the brewery — into the heart of the San Gabriel Mountains, the beer is designed to accompany hikes exploring L.A.’s wilderness. Sales of the beer help support the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. On May 13, the Eagle Rock Brewery crew — along with local hiking authority, author and founder of ModernHiker.com Casey Schreiner — plans a short day hike and guided tasting of the ale. (Coming in August is another Day Trip beer, called Salvation Mountain gose, will support the non-profit group that maintains the folk-art monument Salvation Mountain). Cans of the Day Trip beers are available at the Eagle Rock Brewery taproom and at local craft beer retailers. 3056 Roswell St., Los Angeles, (323) 257-7866, www.eaglerockbrewery.com.

Three Weavers Brewing Co.

Brewed on International Women’s Day, this tart wheat beer, Magnificent Voices, is a collaboration with several local members of the Pink Boots Society, and it’s a refreshing choice as the L.A. weather warms up. The Pink Boots Society aims to “assist, inspire and encourage women beer industry professionals to advance their careers through education,” and proceeds from the brew will benefit the Pink Boots scholarship fund, which provides education and training for women in the craft beer industry. Magnificent Voices tweaks the traditional gose formula with additions of lemon and lemongrass to bolster the tartness along with kombu and pink Himalayan salt. You can find 22-ounce bottles of the collaborative gose at the Three Weavers tasting room, Whole Foods markets, and craft beer retailers.1031 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, (310) 400-5830, www.threeweavers.la.

Smog City Brewery

Back for another year, the Kumquat Saison collaboration with Food Forward features hundreds of pounds of kumquats harvested from backyard trees across the Southland. Food Forward gleans leftover produce from local farmers markets and organizes volunteer harvesters who “rescue” backyard fruit that would otherwise go to waste. In its third year, the partnership with Smog City produces a spritzy golden farmhouse ale, called Kumquat Saison, that’s big on the bittersweet flavor of the diminutive citrus. A superlative brunch beer that will win the hearts of mimosa lovers, Kumquat Saison is now available on tap at the Smog City Brewery tasting room, and bottles are coming to local beer retailers later this spring. 901 Del Amo Blvd. B, Torrance, (310) 320-7664, www.smogcitybrewing.com.

The Bruery

It can be tough to keep up with all the releases from Orange County’s the Bruery, and some unique brews can slip through the cracks as the brewery’s marquee releases grab the spotlight. The Share This series of collaborative brews features bold ingredients, and each release supports a charitable cause. Last year, the Free Wheelchair Mission, which donates wheelchairs to those in need, received $1 from every bottle, and $5 from each keg sold of Share This: Coffee and Share This: Mole. The latter brew, a collaboration with local beer-loving chef Anne Conness (Sausal), is a melange of rich spices and chiles, and it’s worth hunting down a bottle (check your local Whole Foods). The newest entry in the series, Share This: OC, also benefits the Food Forward organization. The weighty imperial stout mixes in TCHO cocoa nibs and orange zest, and 750-milliliter bottles are available at the Bruery tasting room, via the Bruery’s online store and at craft beer retailers. 717 Dunn Way, Placentia, www.thebruery.com.

Golden Road Brewing

Long the best IPA in the Golden Road portfolio, Heal the Bay IPA supports the Heal the Bay nonprofit that works to restore Santa Monica Bay. Since 2013, Golden Road has raised more than $100,000 for Heal the Bay through auctions, partner contributions and sales of the beer. (Golden Road’s co-founder, Meg Gill, also sits on the Heal the Bay board.) Light in body and bright in flavor with restrained bitterness, the IPA shows off the tropical bouquet of modern hop varieties, and it is now available on draft and in 16-ounce cans all year long. Find it at any Golden Road location or in four-packs of cans pretty much everywhere. 5410 W. San Fernando Rd., Los Angeles, (213) 373-4644, goldenroad.la.

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