Liberation Brewing Company is ready to join the burgeoning brewery scene in Long Beach and is set to open late this year in the Bixby Knolls and the Cal Heights area, according to an announcement released Monday.

Dan Regan, former trombone player for local ska band Reel Big Fish, recently signed the lease to open what started as a simple solution to a problem: having to buy his own beer after he’d left the group in 2013 to spend more time with his family.

“I had been getting free beer for a couple decades backstage at the Reel Big Fish concerts,” said Regan in a statement. “For the first time in my life, I had to buy it at the store. This would not do. I dusted off the business plan and rallied the comrades to spread the gospel of our unbound libations. LIBERATION!”

After two decades spent touring with the band, the idea for Liberation Brewing Company was also inspired by Regan’s visits to breweries around the world. Three years ago, when he left Reel Big Fish, he decided to start what was then a new project.

Eric McLaughlin, a home brewer who went on to win various awards for his craft, including a 2014 World Beer Cup silver medal for Saison Noir, made while he worked for Alhambra-based Ohana Brewing Company, will also be joining Liberation Brewing Company, according to the release.

The new location will be used as a production brewery, where its “homegrown beer zealotry” will be produced to be sold on-site via the tasting room, to be taken home in growlers and to be sold through local bars and restaurants.

For more information about Liberation Brewing Company, visit the Facebook page here. 

Images courtesy of Liberation Brewing Company.

Liberation Brewing Company will be located at 3630 Atlantic Avenue.

{FG_GEOMAP [33.823182,-118.184595] FG_GEOMAP}