![\"StrandTheFactory\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/StrandTheFactory.jpg\")
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Natalie Gutenkauf and husband Eric Gutenkauf (right) with Rich Marcello (center) at a May 2014 Meet the Brewer event at The Factory. <\/em><\/p>\n Natalie Gutenkauf and Rich Marcello met nearly five years ago to the day. Marcello, the co-owner of Strand Brewing Co.<\/a> in Torrance was delivering the first shipment of beer to Gutenkauf\u2019s new gastropub The Factory<\/a>. The two new businesses got off to a slightly bumpy start as Marcello forgot to bring the tap handles and had to retrace his wet and rainy route back to the South Bay. But five years have passed, and tonight, The Factory and Strand celebrate a joint anniversary, offering up five beers for five years with each beer representing a year of friendship.<\/p>\n Marcello said he starts off most speaking engagements by acknowledging that his business \u201cshould have failed.\u201d Citing a lack of funding and business experience, he said most start-up businesses don\u2019t make it past the first year. But the fit was perfect between Strand and The Factory. He had the product, and Gutenkauf had the thirsty customers.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we were just happy to have each other,\u201d Marcello said. \u201cThey sell craft beer, I make craft beer. That\u2019s a good fit. Let\u2019s see if we can make this work a little longer. And here we are five years later having a good conversation about the whole industry and how it\u2019s grown up and how we got to grow up with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Gutenkauf echoed that sentiment, stating that through the years she\u2019s used Marcello\u2019s company as a sort of a measuring stick and Marcello himself as a sounding board as the two small businesses established themselves and started to grow. Despite not experiencing the type momentum that the craft beer industry as a whole has seen, she said she\u2019s grateful to have established a relationship with a company like Strand. That\u2019s why Gutenkauf said the anniversary is less a celebration of the businesses and more of the good people running them.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the time, the popularity of craft beer was just starting to surface so Rich was trying to penetrate a market that was controlled by Bud, Miller and Coors. Similarly, The Factory was the first Gastrobar in Long Beach and the whole farm-to-table concept was also a brand new concept,\u201d Gutenkauf said. \u201cWe were both overcoming huge hurdles in a depressed economy. Basically, we were crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n The idea to celebrate jointly was first proposed to Gutenkauf at a wine and beer festival this summer when Marcello brought up the idea of commemorating their friendship with a co-anniversary celebration. He\u2019d supply some rare beers, but also a classic\u2014the very first beer Strand brewed, and the first it delivered to The Factory; 24th Street Pale Ale.<\/p>\n Although The Factory\u2019s anniversary is in December, the restaurant has planned a much larger celebration in January that will include live music, a throwback menu and an estimated 20 craft beers. The decision was made to host the larger party after the holidays to allow everything to be enjoyed separately.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Factory\u2019s anniversary is officially in December but with Christmas, all the holiday bookings and New Year\u2019s Eve\u2026 scheduling an all day event in December just does not make sense,” Gutenkauf said. “I want to be able to enjoy our anniversary, versus jamming it in between a bunch of holiday events. And five years is special!”<\/p>\n![\"5beers-02-2\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/5beers-02-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"24th-street](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/24th-street_med_hr-2.jpg\")
In addition to the pale ale, Strand will be tapping a few more exotic brews that rarely make it into kegs, and if they are on draught, are usually confined to the brewery\u2019s tasting room in Torrance. According to Marcello, attendees of tonight\u2019s celebration will be able to choose from their Expression Session IPA, Batch 100 Stout and a cask version of Strand\u2019s Black Sand IPA which has been infused with ginger and lime peel. The Factory has been saving kegs for the occasion and plans to have the original eight beers they opened the restaurant with in addition to past favorites at the January event. Gutenkauf said that the focus will be on the beer tonight, so patrons can expect a normal menu for tonight.<\/p>\n