We’re all looking for ways to help the environment, and to be honest, it’s usually pretty tough work- it took many of years of neglect to get the planet to the state it is in today, and it will no doubt take even longer to restore it. During Earth Day weekend this year, Golden Road Brewing made it a bit more enjoyable to give back, with their Heal The Bay pop-up event on Saturday, April 20 at The Rose Room in Venice.

Golden Road Brewing is well known for its fantastic beer, which ranges from the refreshingly fruity Cart series (Mango, Melon, Pineapple, and more) inspired by the iconic L.A. street fruit vendors, to the aggressively hoppy Wolf Among the Weeds IPA. But it’s also always seemed to be a socially conscious company- its original location near Atwater Village was one of the first places I visited on the L.A. River, and has always felt like one of the launching points for the waterfront revitalization. With this in mind, it came as no surprise to me that they had chosen to partner with Heal The Bay, an environmental nonprofit dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds of Greater Los Angeles safe, healthy and clean.

This event was Golden Road’s second annual pop-up supporting Heal The Bay, located at the gorgeous Rose Room, which features huge wooden vaulted ceilings holding skylights that let in the So Cal sunshine. Attendees were, naturally, able to enjoy the brewery’s Heal the Bay IPA, which uses a lighter malt complex to highlight citrusy and tropical hops while maintaining a crisp finish. It can be found around L.A., and is a collaboration with the Heal the Bay organization to promote aluminum cans as a safe environmental alternative to glass bottles, donating proceeds from every case sold to Heal the Bay’s mission. New to the taps was a hazy version of this ale, which adds even juicier notes to the already stellar brew. Also featured was the always satisfying Mango Cart, and the K-38 Clara Mexican-style lager, a light, crisp and refreshing beer that is sure to be a summer favorite.

As tasty as the beers were, the real attraction at the event was the gallery featuring art made with sustainable materials from local artists. There were beautiful black and white photographs of Venice from decades ago, as well inventive pieces that used recycled Golden Road cans and other materials that at times can be found washed up on our shores to portray gorgeous ocean scenes, such as a boardwalk, waves, palm trees, and even a cuttlefish! Everything was available for purchase to support Heal the Bay, and attendees could also purchase screen printed tote bags with fun phrases like “Haze Your Beer, Not Your Bay”.

We are all responsible for helping to clean up the environment we live in- what better way to do that then by tossing back a few cold beers to support the beautiful ocean that is part of what makes our city so incredible!