about
We don’t mess around when it comes to a proper pint of British ale.
Yorkshire Square looks to redress the balance of British beer through brewing excellent old-school and modern British beer with a sense of place, and spreading awareness and education about British beer and culture.
Yorkshire Square was founded in 2015 by a Yorkshireman with a dream of British beer, this moved forward in 2016 with his connection with an American brewer trained in Yorkshire. We opened our doors in 2017 to the thriving craft brewing scene of Torrance, CA with the simple goals of British beer done right and cask at the highest level. We believe that British beer, cask ale, and pub culture have been maligned in America despite the incomparable contribution of British brewing to what is now the globally significant American craft beer renaissance. As such, we look to redress the balance of appreciation for British beer through brewing excellent old-school and modern British beer with a sense of place, spreading awareness and education about British beer and culture, innovating cask methods and passing on this knowledge, offering year-round cask and keg beers that reflect a British identity (real malt flavor, considered hopping, yeast presence, and superior drinkability), and utilize savvy education and marketing to properly re-introduce a wider public to honest and delicious British beer.
Gary Croft
President
Yorkshire Square Brewery has always been a dream for Gary and his family. After he moved to the United States from England in 1988, he initially wanted to build a craft brewery in Portland, but other things in life (like kids) were the priority. Thus, the dream was put on hold until May 2017 when Yorkshire Square Brewery finally became a reality in Torrance, CA.
Born and raised in Yorkshire, England, Gary is the true inspiration behind YSB and the glue that holds it together. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the business including growth strategy, financial management, distribution planning and beyond. He has over 30 years experience in all areas of business management and development and is a successful sales and marketing professional. Additionally, he has worked in several startup environments along with other small- to medium sized businesses.
Andy Black
Head Brewer
An American educated in brewing in the United Kingdom seems an obvious fit for Yorkshire Square, and our Andy goes one step further having trained in Yorkshire as well! Their beer story starts in Vermont with the making of illicit cider in a university dormitory and supping their first cask ale at the late Greg Noonan’s Vermont Pub & Brewery. Some time later, a chance connection with a fellow British beer zealot led to an internship at Rooster Brewing in North Yorkshire and the training program at BrewLab Ltd. in the Tyne & Wear. After a brief stint working in distribution with Wine Bros. in Rhode Island, Andy became the founding head brewer at MacLeod Ale Brewing Co. in Los Angeles, then the first cask-focused brewery in Southern California. After a brief respite involving huge quantities of West Coast IPA as a shift brewer at El Segundo Brewing in El Sedundo and some consulting, Andy hitched a wagon down to Torrance to join Gary in opening Yorkshire Square.
Andy is in charge of all production and product QA/QC, the taproom drinks program, and throws their hat in ring for marketing, staff training, special events planning, distribution, et cetera at Yorkshire Square Brewery. When Andy isn’t at the brewery (rare it seems) he can be found playing with his toddler and partner, reading the latest from the MBAA/IBD/CAMRA, or lounging about in his overalls watching cricket or rooting for the one true LA soccer team - the mighty LA Galaxy.
