The California Craft Beer Summit week runs on two clocks this November: a Saturday consumer festival beside historic aircraft in Torrance, then a Monday-through-Wednesday trade conference at a Hyatt in Irvine. Same California Craft Brewers Association umbrella. Different badges, different cities, different jobs.
If you only remember one distinction, make it this: Torrance is built for drinkers and brewery fans; Irvine is built for people who work in California craft beer. Mixing them up will put you on the wrong freeway with the wrong wristband.
Torrance beer festival — Saturday, Nov. 7
The public half of California Craft Beer Summit week is the CCBA Summit Beer Festival on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Western Museum of Flight on Torrance Airport / Zamperini Field, 3315 Airport Drive. Discover Torrance lists general admission from 1 to 5 p.m., VIP entry at noon, tastings from 80-plus California craft breweries, live music, local food and museum access for the full afternoon.
The official festival tickets page matches those times: VIP noon–5 p.m. with a VIP tasting cup and specialty pours from select breweries; GA 1–5 p.m. with a festival tasting cup. Onsite parking is $15 when you check in. Everyone must be 21 or older with a valid government photo ID — CCBA says no exceptions, including designated drivers. Dollar totals load inside the checkout widget rather than as static text, so confirm the live cart the day you buy.
- When: Sat., Nov. 7, 2026 — GA 1–5 p.m.; VIP from noon
- Where: Western Museum of Flight, Zamperini Field, 3315 Airport Dr., Torrance, CA 90505
- What: Unlimited tastings from 80+ California craft breweries, aircraft backdrop, music, food, museum access
- Age / parking: 21+; $15 onsite parking per CCBA
If you are flying into the California Craft Beer Summit festival day only, Discover Torrance also lists partner hotels with CCBA rates if you want a South Bay overnight instead of a same-day drive. Mention CCBA or use the booking links on that page.
Irvine trade sessions — Nov. 9–11
The industry half of the California Craft Beer Summit stays at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA 92614, Nov. 9–11. CCBA’s summit page bills three days of networking, 20-plus sessions, more than 1,250 minutes of programmed content and 70-plus exhibitor booths — off-flavor tastings and education included. That is a trade floor and classroom, not a public tasting festival.
Summit registration includes breakfast and lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday, coffee and snacks, plus the welcome reception, exhibit hall and educational sessions. Member pricing requires a login. Read the cancellation language on that page carefully before you pay; the posted policy text still mixes date references.
Two events, not one — and not San Diego Beer Week
Think of Torrance as the Saturday flight under the wings and Irvine as the weekday sessions. The California Craft Beer Summit name covers the trade conference; the festival is the consumer pour that bookends the same association week. If you only want beer and museum time, stop at Torrance. If you need booths and panels, book Irvine.
Neither stop is a San Diego Beer Week listing. SD Beer Week runs Nov. 6–15 in San Diego County; our San Diego Beer Week 2026 guide covers that calendar. The California Craft Beer Summit week sits on the LA / Orange County side of the map.
Before you go
- Buy festival tickets on the CCBA tickets page; third-party mirrors can show different fee-inclusive totals.
- Torrance hotel partners are on the Discover Torrance festival page.
- Bring a government ID. The 21+ rule applies even if checkout offers a designated-driver tier.
Quick FAQ
For California Craft Beer Summit travelers, keep Torrance Saturday and Irvine’s midweek on separate lines of the plan — and leave room after five if the airfield pour runs long.
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Terry Bunch