Skyduster Beer opens first taproom in downtown Los Angeles

Skyduster Beer finally gave Los Angeles drinkers a place to walk in and order a pint, shifting from a wholesale-only brewery to a permanent taproom at City Market South in downtown Los Angeles. The move matters because it gives the 2021-founded brand, started by Jonny Marler and Nick Smith, control over the full customer experience instead of relying only on bars, restaurants, and retail accounts to tell its story.

The new space opened at 1124 San Julian St. with a grand-opening window that ran from June 11 through June 14, and the brewery said the DTLA venue would go fully online June 20. What Now Los Angeles described the buildout as 16,000 square feet, a size that lets Skyduster operate as more than a basic taproom. The company’s own site calls it a brewery, sports bar, and beer garden, and says it is open for every World Cup game, starting one hour before kickoff.

That timing was not accidental. Skyduster tied the opening to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, turning the taproom into a tournament viewing hub as much as a beer destination. LAist reported the venue was set to open every day one hour before the first kickoff for all 104 matches, while City Market South promoted the launch with a promise that guests could catch every match and grab food from Estrano Verano, Diego Argoti, and friends all summer long.

The beer side is being handled in DTLA by Jasper Gallardo, whom Skyduster identifies as the brewer behind the brand’s lineup of light, true-to-style, easy-drinking beers. The brewery has already put its beer into marquee Los Angeles venues including the Greek Theatre and Dodger Stadium, but the taproom gives it a much more visible home base in a city where distribution alone can make even successful brands feel distant.

Food is part of the draw too. Estrano Verano, the culinary pop-up led by Chef Diego Argoti with support from Alan Rudoy and Sebastian Salazar, runs from June 11 through July 19, the final day of the tournament, and matches the beer hall energy with live-fire cooking. The Infatuation described the venue as equal parts beer garden and sports bar, which fits a site inside City Market South, the century-old former produce market near the Fashion District that What Now Los Angeles noted sits on the grounds of Los Angeles’s oldest produce market, founded in 1909.

For Skyduster, the opening marked more than a new address. It gave the brewery a front door in the middle of downtown and a reason for beer fans, soccer crowds, and neighborhood regulars to keep coming back after the first matchday rush fades.