What is WE LOVE LA?

WE LOVE LA is an international fundraising collaboration that brings breweries and beer lovers together to raise funds and coordinate support for those impacted by the LA wildfires. Participating breweries are invited to brew their own version of WE LOVE LA and make a donation that supports the recovery effort. 

Can you share more details about the beer?

All participating breweries are encouraged to create their own unique beer, but it must meet the following criteria:

• It must be called WE LOVE LA. 

• If it is canned or bottled, it must (1) utilize the WE LOVE LA logo, designed by Priscilla Witte, and (2) feature the QR code directing customers to the donation website.
  

WE LOVE LA beer may be sold in packaged or draft format, and we ask participating breweries to donate 100% of profits. By allowing breweries to choose their preferred style and develop their own recipe, we hope this will make it as simple as possible for any interested brewery to participate.

When are the WE LOVE LA beers going to be released?

We want as many participating breweries as possible to target a release date of on or around Friday, March 7th. We recognize some breweries may need to package the beer before or after March 7th, they can still fully participate in the collaboration. Please let us know your anticipated release date when you fill out the participation form.

We are still planning ways to maximize the release weekend, March 7th - 9th. We hope to coordinate with retailers across LA, and are also actively exploring a beer festival that would benefit United Way’s Wildfire Response Fund.

Is this legal? Are there any ABC rules we should know about?

Yes, this is legal. Per the ABC, manufacturers ARE permitted to say—for both packaged and draft beer—that they are brewing a beer where a portion of proceeds will be donated to a certain charity. 

However, they advised us to ensure (1) that we’re NOT donating to charities that benefit retailers, and (2) that we REFRAIN from any language that could be viewed as an inducement: e.g., “we’ll donate $1 per pint sold,” etc.

Based on ABC rules we advise using the language “A portion of proceeds will be donated to United Way of Greater LA’s Wildfire Relief fund.” 

Do not, say “100% of profits…” on labels or customer facing marketing.

Will you provide label, marketing, design, and social media assets?

We will provide a digital can label template for you to use, leaving space to add your own logo or wordmark, beer style, as well as any vendors you’ve used who are sponsoring this campaign (see below). 

We’ll provide a template for 12 oz. cans, 16 oz. cans, labels, shrink sleeves, and digital print, and marketing and social media assets.

Additionally, we’re providing a variety of designs and colorways you can utilize to make your own unique design. 

We are providing social media and marketing assets.

Hoptown Handles will generously provide one tap handle to all participating breweries.

Who is participating?

We have a large, growing number of participating breweries and vendors sponsoring the effort. Follow this link to review those who have already joined WE LOVE LA.

Please help us get the word out to your fellow breweries!

Where are the donations going?

WE LOVE LA is partnering with the United Way of Greater Los Angeles—specifically its robust and nimble Wildfire Response Fund. The WRF is coordinating resources across a network of LA County organizations who are providing both short-term relief and long-term recovery to affected areas. 

That said, we understand some LA County-based breweries may have alternative organizations they would prefer to support, and we welcome that. All we ask is (1) that any WE LOVE LA donations be directed toward wildfire recovery programs, and (2) that all participating breweries send documentation of their donation(s)—containing the 501(c)(3)’s EIN and your tax receipt—so we can produce a final campaign fundraising tally.

Can I make a direct digital donation?

Yes. To donate directly into the Wildfire Response Fund, click here. In the field labeled “Dedicate this donation,” please write in “WE LOVE LA” so that we can track our collective impact.

How do I donate by check?

Make your donation check out to “United Way of Greater Los Angeles” and write “Wildfire Response Fund” in the memo line.

Checks should be mailed to:

United Way of Greater Los Angeles

Attn: Andy Mike Emata, WE LOVE LA

1150 S. Olive Street, Suite T500

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Why aren’t you donating to another charity or campaign?

The number of agencies and GoFundMe pages that are addressing wildfire recovery is so encouraging! We know there are many fantastic charities who are working tirelessly to help, and we wish we could support every single one of them. However, in the wake of a natural disaster, coordinating the groundswell of incoming resources with emerging needs is a high priority, but a considerable challenge. Therefore, per the guidance of several social services professionals, our strategy is to focus our efforts: choosing deep investment rather than wide distribution.

When should breweries donate?

As soon as possible! If you are able to make an upfront donation that estimates your WE LOVE LA profits—or even a portion of your projected profits—please do so at your earliest opportunity! 

We understand that this will not be possible for all participating breweries, but the sooner we can mobilize resources into LA County, the better. Common Space, for instance, will be kicking off the fundraising with a $10,000 donation!

What should participating breweries donate? And how will you track the donations?

We are requesting that all participating breweries donate 100% of profits from the sale of WE LOVE LA. 

After signing up for WE LOVE LA, you’ll receive an email requesting details about your forthcoming beer release: beer style, projected production volume, and the dollar amount you are committed to contribute. 

Once participating breweries have provided WE LOVE LA with a tax receipt confirming they have met their donation commitment, they will be notated as having fulfilled their commitment on the website.

Will there be discounted materials?

Yes, the following vendors have committed to supporting WE LOVE LA:

• Berkeley Yeast

• Blue Label Packaging

• Brewery Branding

• RahrBSG

• Can Source

• Canworks Printing

• Country Malt Group

• Custom Label

• HAAS

• Hopsteiner

• Hoptown Handles

• Malteurop Malting Co.

• Omega Yeast 

• Prairie Malt

• WHC Labs

• White Labs

• Yakima Chief Hops
  

We’ll send details of what each vendor is offering, as well as discount codes. These offers will range from percentage discounts, materials being offered at cost, and those being donated for free.

We ask that breweries receiving discounted or donated materials please add vendor logos to their label. Our label template will leave space for this on the back.

What if our brewery is doing another wildfire beer or fundraiser?

Wonderful! Common Space, for instance, is planning a separate beer release to support local firefighters. Please let us know about any related fundraisers and we’ll be happy to highlight them on this website here. 

If you are asking WE LOVE LA partner vendors for donations, please specify whether or not the project is a WE LOVE LA beer.

What is Common Space’s role in all of this?

Inspired by the remarkable efforts in recent years from Russian River, Sierra Nevada, and Maui Brewing—each of whom lead the response to the natural disasters that devastated their communities—Common Space launched the WE LOVE LA campaign following the start of the LA Wildfires in January 2025.

Within days of their announcement, Creature Comforts and Firestone Walker approached Common Space with an offer to help manage and expand the campaign. Since then, more than 150 breweries have committed to amplify these efforts.

Who’s organizing WE LOVE LA?

The following committee quickly emerged after Common Space announced the WE LOVE LA campaign:

• Ryan Aherns, Malibu Brewing Co. : Palisades & Malibu Representative

• Hannah Barnett, Firestone Walker : Public Relations

• Kushal Hall, Common Space Brewery : Brewery & Vendor Relations

• Teo Hunter, Crowns & Hops : Altadena-Area Representative

• Brent Knapp, Common Space Brewery : Accounting, Admin, Legal

• Carissa Knapp, Common Space Brewery : Branding & Marketing

• Andy Link, Common Space Brewery : Brewery Relations

• Matt Stevens, Creature Comforts Brewing Co. : Philanthropy Relations

For additional questions, email WeLoveLA@commonspace.la.