R6 DISTILLERY — Local services in El Segundo

Arrived 45 mins prior to closing on Saturday night. I was excited to check this place out since it's closer to my house than the other brewery in town and I was hoping it would be a better ambiance and nicer experience than the noisy, crowded, hot and sometimes sweaty atmosphere of the other taprooms in the area.

Upon finding the place I was a bit shocked that the brewery and warehouse wasn't temperature controlled. It was after 10 pm and the room was well over 80 degrees, I can't imagine how hot it gets in the day time. While I don't have experience as a brewer of this size, I do know that high temperatures like this have done terrible things to the beers I've made at home.

Anyhow, after making our way through the "sauna", we found the taproom to be a pleasantly elegant and cozy space. To my surprise there were only 3 customers at the bar on a Saturday night and although it was in my opinion "dead", the taproom attendant while acknowledging us with a stare and a nod, didn't make any attempt to welcome us, say "hi", smile, or offer help. Undeterred we found a menu looked it over and made our selections. The employee didn't offer any explanations about what they offered but did point out that they offered tasters. So we sampled about five in total and found the beer to be pretty darn good. Not remarkable but well crafted and enjoyable. If not for the weak service that made us feel unwanted and uncomfortable, we might have considered making this a regular hangout, but unfortunately for this place there are plenty of other places we can go in town that have a way better selection and better customer service.

The place is clean and serves what they say they serve at the times that they say they do which gets them a star for each. But with their warehouse so hot I not only get a bad first impression but I also wonder how much they really care for their product. Lastly the attitude of the attendant made me feel like he could care less if I did business there or not, so I'll likely not return to this place. I'm disappointed, this place could be so...

This place is cool! The entrance in on the side-street and go through the brewing and distilling area between the distilling equipment and stacks of oak whiskey barrels. Then through a door with one of those peep-hole windows, like in the movies. That leads you into the beer and liquor tasting room, which has a cozy lounge vibe. It's chill, low lit lighting, and old school with an upright wooden piano and old-style lamps, couches and chairs. It looks like a speakeasy hidden in the back of a warehouse or under a storefront or something from the prohibition era.

They have all kinds of craft beer on tap (2 or 3 different IPAs when I went). There were some strawberry, coffee, peanut butter, and even grapefruit flavored beer. I think there are different experimental craft brews each week. All of which can be sampled in little 4oz glasses sort of like a make-your-own flight of craft beer.

I didn't make it over to the liquor bar this time, but they have a selection of whiskey, gin, vodka drinks.

Over all, it's a cool place for a happy hour or date night. I think they do brewery and distillery tours as well, if you...

To get there by car while driving west on El Segundo Blvd you have to go past the building and into an alley that wraps around the back. The parking spots are angled, forcing you to enter this way. Once you park you can walk to the entrance on Bungalow drive. The tasting room feels more like a lounge or bar and is was very comfortable on the Sunday afternoon when we stopped by. As of 6/19 they are offering 4oz tastings and full pours; growlers, according to the bartender, will be coming soon. It sounds like they are already on tap in some local places, which is nice. Additional beer varieties and spirits are in work too, which is really what's exciting to me. You can see a wall of oak casks ready for barrel aging as you walk in. I tried four of their current offerings and personally really liked the Dark Altbier (malty, rich), and the Grapefruit Cream Ale...