We met at Simmzy’s, a new Manhattan Beach pub with 24 taps from brothers Mike and Chris Simms. The open-air pub with the sleek wood finish was packed. The moral: never underestimate a Manhattan Beacher’s commitment to daydrinking, especially on weekends.

Chris, who goes by Big Simmzy, ensures that the pub’s 24 taps are “off the handle.” The brothers are both home brewers and decided to devote their taps to craft beers like Dogfish Head Midas Touch and North Coast Brother Thelonious.

Houblon Chouffe is a Belgian take on IPA with balanced bitterness.

Simmzy’s chef Anne Conness has a pedigree that includes a stint at Westwood’s Napa Valley Grille. Simmzy’s Burger ($9.75) was pretty solid, featuring smoky caramelized onions, melted cheddar and garlic aioli. The meat to bun ratio was a little out of whack, but it was a good match for Houblon Chouffe and Pizza Port Shark Attack double red ale.

Simmzy’s Pulled Pork Panino ($11.50) was the clear winner, featuring Niman Ranch pork that was braised overnight with sherry vinegar and pickling spices, then sandwiched between two slices of grilled BREADBAR Millstone with Fontina. The sandwich came with a dish of and pork jus, but for once, less was more.

Simmzy’s Gouda haystack stood out thanks to their seductive matchstick French fry preparation.

For dessert, Simmzy’s offers rich Chocolate S’mores Pudding ($7.50), made with semi-sweet chocolate, homemade, fresh-crushed Graham cracker and bruleed marshmallow. In keeping with the theme, the pudding arrives in a Chimay glass.

We drove south to Naja’s Place, a twentysomething dive bar on Redondo’s International Boardwalk with one of the strongest beer lists in L.A.

Naja’s Place’s 88-beer tap list encourages drinkers to “fear no beer.”

We stayed far away from the live music so we could actually talk. Our nook was also closer to the taps, which is always a good thing.

Avery’s Adam Avery and Russian River’s Vinnie Cilurzo teamed to produce Collaboration Not Litigation after discovering they were producing different beers with the same name: Salvation. They combined the two recipes and the result was a dark but highly drinkable Belgian-style ale.