Brew travel Archives - Deano Writes

Hoppin’ Around

August 17, 2025 Dean BrightmanLeave a comment

Yes, I know, it’s been quite a while. But I have managed to get out every now and then, so I thought I’d catch y’all up on some of my recent beer travels.

BUT FIRST, MALT

“Beer is agriculture!”

So shouts Admiral Maltings’ Ron Silberstein during a tour of the malt house during the 2^nd Annual “It’s the Malt!” festival, held recently at Admiral’s Alameda facility.

Malt aerating on malting floor at Admiral Maltings, Alameda — Booth with a view at The Rake Pub, Admiral Maltings, Alameda

He is passionate about the grain, something I found out years ago while interviewing him for the chapter I contributed to this book about the geography of beer.

Admiral Maltings was founded in 2017 due at least partially to the fact that hops were hogging the spotlight. As I mentioned in the book, the IPA explosion turned tap lists into virtual hop-varietal marquis. While malt, the backbone of beer (Admiral’s tagline is “No Malt, No Beer”) was relegated to a supporting role, at best. You didn’t see malt varieties on beer labels, or malt farmers glorified as much as their hop-growing counterparts.

Malt was under appreciated, and Admiral Maltings set out to help change that.

Fast-forward seven or eight years, and Silberstein’s passion continues. Enough to where, as an alternative to festivals highlighting hoppy beer styles (IPAs!) or beer-drinking occasions (Oktoberfest!), it was time for a festival celebrating malt.

The “It’s the Malt!” festival, like the facility that that hosts it, is utterly unique and not to be missed.

Let’s start with the fact that Admiral’s pub, The Rake, is truly an astounding place to enjoy a beer. Not just because you can see the actual malting floors from your table, but because it consistently features one of the most amazing tap lists you will ever find.

People standing in line for beer at "It's The Malt!" festivval — I bet that fancy concert in The City didn’t have this!

The common thread, of course, is that everything poured is made with Admiral malts. This ensures not only out-of-this-world quality, but an amazing cross-section of breweries and styles. Are you a hophead? Check. Dig a saison, or maybe a porter? Check-check. Love an impeccably brewed lager? Check-mate.

Having a place like this host a festival? Forget it. If you only have room in your budget for one festival a year, make it this one.

For starters, they turned their tap list up to 11 by featuring tents with additional taps outside. The Lager Land tent (I doubt that big music party on the other side of the Bay had this) was pouring beers where these standout malts can really shine.

The Bay Area Mashers tent celebrated the famed homebrewing club’s 35^th anniversary by featuring collabs with several local breweries. The Bluegrass Common with Moraga’s Canyon Club, and Fool’s Gold English Golden Ale with Richmond’s East Brother were standouts.

(An aside — I was fortunate enough to later enjoy Fool’s Gold ON CASK at East Brother. Holy cow. Smooth, tangy, just slightly bitter, and absolutely amazing.)

So yes, the beers (and Whiskeys (!)) on offer were amazing enough. But this wasn’t just about tasting the finished products, it was also learning about malt and interacting with it.

Display inside Admiral Maltings facility — How ’bout a little knowledge to go with that beer?

If you weren’t able to catch one of the guided tours, the malthouse was opened up for self-guided tours that included several informational displays detailing the entire malting process.

Educational seminars were also offered, right on one of the germination floors, which included talks on the optimal situations to grow malt, as well as guided sensory tastings.

So — world class beers and spirits, AND the chance to learn a thing or two about what makes beer beer? Get to this next year, you will not regret it.

The Rake Pub at Admiral Maltings
651A W Tower Ave, Alameda
Open 7 days, check site for hours

PUB HOPPIN’

I’ve managed to squeeze in a few brewery stops while I’ve been our seeing our fine (still, I think) country.

Bar area, Back Unturned Brewing, San Antonio — By your own bootstraps

Back Unturned Brewing, San Antonio, TX — Just off the Riverwalk north of the Downtown tourist spots sits Back Unturned Brewing. A scrappy, feisty, DIY type of place, with concrete floors, a stainless steel bar, and tanks in full display in the dining room. The beers are as solid as the space, with some nice IPAs and a delightful hoppy Belgian-style ale. Full kitchen featuring pizzas, full bar, friendly space. Worth the trek out of downtown.

516 Brooklyn Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215
Open daily at 11am

Roadmap Brewing, San Antonio, TX — Roadmap is just a few blocks from Back Unturned, although I had already built up quite a thirst in the stifling heat. A bit more polished, the expansive building features several separate but still very open spaces to hang-out, including a serious dartboard area around the corner from the bar.

And the beers are spot on. These folks have won their share of awards, locally and from GABF in Denver and the World Beer Cup. Great selection of merch, and a food truck on site featuring burgers. If you only time for one beer stop in SA, make it this one.

Interior, showing tanks, of Roadmap Brewing, San Antonio — An inviting respite from the unusual Spring heat.

723 North Alamo Street, San Antonio, TX, 78215
Open M-F 2-10pm, S-S Noon-2pm

Barhop Brewing, Sequim, WA — headed to the Pacific Northwest for a family reunion, and wouldn’t you know this place just happened to be right across the street from our hotel. Of all the luck…

Beer taster flight at Barhop Brewing, Sequim, WA — The beers were nice, but… Worst. Logo. Ever.

This is actually the second outpost for Barhop, their main facility is in Port Angeles, just down the highway. Not an ounce of pretension here, just good beer in an assuming, open space, with some outside seating, as well.

Pizza’s the name of the game here, as well. We had a nice spicy Pep, with just enough pop to work well with the crispy sourdough crust. The beers were solid as well, I particularly enjoyed a lively tart Key-Lime Chili Lager. Just enough of everything to make it interesting and not overwhelm.

845 W Washington St, Sequim, WA 98382
Open M-Thur Noon-7pm, Fri-Sun Noon-8pm

Headlands Brewing, several East Bay locations — closer to home, Headlands is bucking the trend and gone into major expand mode as of late, and they’ve carved a pretty good niche for themselves with each of their very unique spaces.

They’re all about making the absolute most with fairly small-ish footprints, with an emphasis on family-friendliness. Unique seating arrangements, dedicated kids’ play areas, and just enough greenery to feel like you’re hanging out in your friend’s backyard.

Beer garden seating, Headlands Brewing, Walnut Creek — The forest for the … buildings.

Walnut Creek, especially, pulls this off. They’ve managed to create a wooded oasis in the middle of a business park right across from a BART station! You wouldn’t think it would work, but it does. And, bonus, this location features a full bar.

The tap list is conveniently divided by flavor profile, so you’re sure to find what you need. Food menu features burgers, sandwiches, salads, and apps, as well as choices for the kiddos.

Hours vary by location, check their site for deets.

Lafayette — 3420 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Berkeley — 1280 Gilman St.
Walnut Creek — 2999 Oak Rd., Suite A

SFBW ’19 — A Week in 3 Acts

February 18, 2019 Dean BrightmanLeave a comment

The monstrous production that is San Francisco Beer Week has concluded, with more than 900 events staged throughout the far reaches of the greater Bay Area. My week this year wound up resembling a three-act play — a massive opening, an entertaining and educational middle, and a gratifying end.

Every big production needs an opening to match. And so, the curtain rises…

ACT I — THE BIG OPENING

San Francisco Beer Week Opening Gala, Pier 35, San Francisco

San Francisco’s cavernous Pier 35 was the setting for more than 120 breweries from the Bay and beyond, pouring their finest creations, many made just for this week, and even just this event.

This was my first Opening Gala, a bucket-list event for me. I figured I’d know what to expect — I attended Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp festival at the same venue a couple of years earlier. Surely I wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the sheer scope of this thing, right?

Um, wrong.

As I made my way through each region’s cluster of breweries, I found myself not even knowing where to start. The taps seemed to go on for miles, as did the lines at the usual suspects (Russian River, Cellarmaker, Rare Barrel, Humble Sea, Alvarado Street).

Although I did enjoy reconnecting with some of my fellow beer peeps, after a while any kind of strategy went out the window, and I wound up just darting here and there, swooping in where I saw little or no lines.

Don’t get me wrong, with the quality and sheer quantity being poured, there was really no wrong answer. But I should have done a bit more (or even some) advanced planning. I knew I left a bunch of “must-try’s” unsampled.

I can say, even with a palate-twisting array of styles on display, the clear frontrunner of the night was Novel Brewing’s Beer Hoarder, a barrel-aged imperial stout w/cocoa nibs, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, and Habanero. Mind-bendingly complex, with all flavors being distinct and harmonious simultaneously. Incredible stuff.

You know you’re beer event is successful when there’s a line TO TAKE A PHOTO!

Although the beer was beyond great, my ability to network wasn’t. Almost anyone you could ever hope to talk to in the beer industry was there. But a billion others also wanted to say hi, and even if you managed to wade through the entourage, the decibel level made conversation nearly impossible. This simply isn’t the venue to make connections.

If this sounds like a lot of complaining, I apologize. Believe me, I was beyond thrilled to go and had an amazing time. If I get the chance again, I’ll use this experience to make the following adjustments:

Use SF Beer Week’s resources. I didn’t realize until it was too late, but you can create an account at sfbeerweek.org and set up a wish-list of beers to try at the Gala. Having a list to consult and check-off would have been invaluable.
Keep my jacket. I stupidly checked it, and even the vast sea of humanity couldn’t warm up what’s basically an airplane hanger. In the City. At night. In February. During a storm.
Go VIP. Yes, this is pricey. But if your goal is to cover the industry, make connections, and get story ideas, that extra hour of face time before the masses enter is gold.

One thing I did get right, though, was staying in town that night. The Stanford Court Hotel in Nob Hill had a stupid-good Beer Week promotion going, and a short Lyft ride back to my room was much preferable to navigating mass transit on a blustery Friday night.

Yes, again this will cost some bucks, but to stay in Nob Hill, get $25 to dine with, and a free Seven Stills four-pack in the room, all for about a couple of C-notes, is a deal in itself. Even if you weren’t attending any events. Nice room, friendly staff, great amenities. Highly, highly recommended.

ACT II — THE PLAYERS

After hob-nobbing with the brightest stars in beer at the Gala, it was time to get to know some of the smaller players — the little neighborhood spaces where locals come to share good company and great super-local beer. I found two new cozy spots that fit the bill.

“I’ve Got 5 Hops On It” Tapping — Tiger’s Taproom, Oakland

Two beer-loving friends, Daniel Gutierrez and Brian Chen, made their dream of opening a local taproom a reality with the October opening of Tiger’s Taproom (named after Brian’s dog) in a quickly developing area of the Jack London Square district. This bright corner space sports 16 hyper-local taps, almost all from Oakland, the East Bay, or the City.

I’ve Got 5 Hops on It Pale Ale is a unique collaboration between Barebottle Brewing and several of their favorite East Bay accounts, specifically for Beer Week. Made with, naturally, five hops (Chinook, Simcoe, Azacca, Motueka, and Citra), this clean, zippy pale ale was only released at the brewery and the collaborating establishments.

I also tried Barebottle’s famed collaboration with Humphry Slocomb — the intriguing Secret Breakfast Nitro White Stout. It’s coffee, it’s vanilla, it’s maple, it’s … pale! Tweaks everything you might know about flavors and styles.

If you want to get away from the bustle of JLS and savor a few pints, walk the few blocks to Tiger’s and settle in. You won’t be sorry.

Admiral Maltings Showcase, Libation Taproom & Bottle Shop, San Rafael

I was eager to attend this event for several reasons. Not the least being it’s just a few minutes from where I work!

These are people I need to get to know. Libation has only been open for a few months, and they’ve already lined up some killer accounts — Alvarado Street, Berryessa, HenHouse, Cellarmaker, Almanac, Sante Adairius, etc.

Just minutes from my office, you say? Oh HELL yes!

This event, of course, featured several beers made with Admiral Malting malts, and Mr. Dave McLean himself was in the house. I got there right as the event started, and was fortunate to find a seat at the bar, as the smallish space filled quickly.

As this place does one of my favorite things — offer 5-ounce pours, most for an affordable $3-4 each, I was able to try a few offerings, including HenHouse’s wonderful Oyster Stout.

And file this under the “because it was there” department — also finally had this year’s Big Chicken (outstanding, again) and … Heady Topper?

I figured, when else would I ever see it, and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. So, I tried it, and…

A touch of nuttiness, a dash of orange. Clean, hardly a trace of alcoholic heat. Was I blown away? No, but it was very good and put a nice little cap on the event. Which, in hindsight, made have muted my experience of it. The palate may have been a little bruised by then.

This place has only been open how long?? Are you serious???

BTW, Libation is also a bottle shop, with selections available to consume on-site or take to go. This being such a convenient stop on my evening commute, I’ll be coming by often. Like I said, I gotta get to know these guys.

ACT III — THE SHOW GOES ON

The Celebration of Craft, Trumer Brewery, Berkeley

Though Beer Week has never had an official closing event, the Celebrator Beer News annual Anniversary Party (which actually predates Beer Week by a couple of decades) was usually held on the last day and considered the unofficial wrap party.

This year’s final act was somewhat bittersweet. The Celebrator did not escape the shifting winds of the media landscape and ceased print publication last year (although it’s still alive on the interwebs). With it, their annual party was seemingly gone, as well.

Enter the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA), the benefitting organization for Celebrator’s party for many years. With their successful execution of the California Beer Summit over the last several years, it was a natural fit for the CCBA to take over.

This was the first “Celebrator party” I’d been to in many years, since back when they were still held at the old Pyramid Brewing space not far away. But from what I understand, it pretty much went off without a hitch, with weather being the only real issue. The cold and rainy conditions kept many more people indoors, as the biting wind rendered the many outdoor heat lamps barely effective.

Despite the somewhat crowded conditions, I appreciated the smaller scope of this event as compared to the Gala. Lines (except for Younger, natch) were pretty much non-existent. I took full advantage of the early-forming Younger line to walk right up to places like Sante Adairius, Rare Barrel, Alvarado Street, Beachwood, and New Glory.

I used the unlimited-tasting opportunity to venture out into sours, a category I’ve admittedly had trouble appreciating.

Sante Adairius almost immediately cured me of that. Their Beauty Sleep barrel-aged saison with raspberries blended fruit, tart, and wood notes beautifully. One of my favorites of the night.

Rare Barrel featured a brand new release — a canned (!) IPA (!!). Dubbed New New, it’s 80% hazy IPA blended with 20% of their Golden Sour. While quite tasty, I think they could have upped the sour quotient a little bit. A touch of tartness was evident, but it could’ve used a smidge more.

A new (for me) brewery was Moksa, out of Rocklin. Their Moksa One, a monster of a 15% Imperial Stout, certainly didn’t drink like one. The vanilla beans and 1 lb/gallon of coconut smoothed over any trace of heat. While still a substantial presence, the velvety mouthfeel helps it slide across the palate way too easily. Dazzling, and dangerous. Keep on eye on these guys. At only a year out of the gate, they’re off to a running start.

Another desert-in-a-glass was New Glory’s Peanut Butter Lovers Imperial Porter. Liquid Reese’s, only richer. 12.5 ridiculously easy percent.

A treat for me, which is apparently a tradition since Trumer began hosting, are the many Trumer one-offs produced for the event. A great idea — you really can’t ask for a better base beer to play with than Trumer Pils.

The Pils received dry-hopped, barrel-aged, unfiltered, and tropical (citra, pineapple, coconut) treatments.

But my favorite was the citrus-inflected Trumer Zitrone. Made with lemons grown and harvested by Master Brewer Lars Larson, it was bright and zippy, and would be great in a beer cocktail.

With that, the curtain falls on another Beer Week. I laughed, I cried (well, maybe stumbled a bit, perhaps), I cheered. Kudos all around, looking forward to next year’s performance.

SF Beer Week ’19 — My Dream Itinerary

January 21, 2019 Dean BrightmanLeave a comment

As much as I love Beer Week, I only wind up attending maybe a few of the 900 or so events each year.

Cuz, you know, I have a job. Believe it or not, this blog doesn’t pay any bills. Or provide benefits.

But let’s just assume for the sake of argument (and this post) I have all 10 days free, and room on my credit card for all the Lyft rides. Which events would I hit?

My dream Beer Week itinerary follows. But first, for those not used to such a vigorous drinking schedule, a few tips:

The cliché is true — this is a marathon, not a sprint. PACE YOURSELF! With about 100 events on an average day, ain’t nobody making it to all of them. Me, I can do maybe three in a day, tops, depending on how they’re structured.
If you’re worried too much about overdoing it, you might consider pay-as-you-go events, as opposed to ticketed ones which usually include unlimited pours.
Also, HYDRATE! Most places offer water stations, take advantage of them. True, you’ll need to make more trips to the bathroom. But trust me, as the day wears on, you’ll be steadier on your feet. Besides, you can use the extra steps anyway, amirite?
Along with water, keep some food in your stomach. Doesn’t have to be a ton, but you want enough to help absorb the booze and not get too woozy.
And always, always, always, have a driver or use mass transit or Lyft. Don’t be dumb.

All events listed below are pay-as-you-go unless otherwise noted.

Friday, 2/1

North, South, East, West,
we know that our beer’s the best!
(photo: Gamma Nine)

This being the first day of Beer Week, there’s of course only one event on the agenda — the Opening Gala ($80, $125 VIP), maybe the most highly anticipated event of them all. More than 120 breweries are set to pour some very special Beer-Week-only elixirs. And if you need a bite, food is available to buy. Be there, or wish you had.

And if you don’t feel like hitting transit late on a Friday night to get home, consider the Stanford Court Hotel on Nob Hill. Their Beer Week special includes a special rate, $25 dining credit, and a 4-pack of Seven Stills beer.

And, bonus, Seven Stills has an outpost IN the hotel. So if you’re about to wind down the evening and want a last beer or maybe some hard stuff (Seven Stills is also a distillery), it’s all stumbling distance from your room.

Saturday, 2/2

After sleeping the previous night off in my comfortable room, it’s time to start the remaining 9-day gauntlet.

There’s always the Double IPA fest at The Bistro in Hayward ($55). But, it’ll probably be pretty packed, and after the night before, I’ll probably want something a little lighter-octane.

Of course there’s the Younger release (now at two locations!). But, see above.

I’ll venture back to my native East Bay and get some exercise with the Jack London Square Beer Walk ($59). Stops at Original Pattern Brewing and Heinold’s (AND a pretzel necklace!) are included. It’s gonna be a good day when you can check the scene at Last Chance.

Depending on timing, I’ll either stay in Oaktown and head to The Good Hop for their Tahoe Mountain takeover. Or I’ll venture up to Berkeley’s The Rare Barrel for a NorCal vs. SoCal throw down. Tasters order flights of 2, not knowing which is which, and vote on their favorite. With breweries like Almanac, Armistice, Alvarado Street, and Cellarmaker representing the Bay, we should have this thing pretty much covered.

Sunday 2/3

Boatloads of watch parties are on hand for this Super Sunday. But I think I’ll head to where the game isn’t the featured attraction. (Who needs to watch the Patriots again, anyway?)

I think it’s time to get my Brunch on.

The Big Beer Brunch at 21^st Amendment’s SF pub with Drake’s, Cleophus Quealy, and Three Weavers sounds amazing. Don’t see Three Weavers up around these parts very often, so that alone would be worth it.

I’ll need to work off all that food, so it’s back across the Bay to Alameda for some pinball action. (Pinball’s good for cardio, isn’t it?) The Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda hosts Pinball & Pints. $45 gets you unlimited tastings of 20+ beers and all the pinball you can handle. Tournaments! Prizes! Fun!

Monday 2/4

One of the (many) benefits of Beer Week is the chance to try beers from breweries not usually found here. To that end, first stop will be City Beer Store for Finback Brewery, direct from Queens, NY! They’ll have beer on tap, and to go!

To support my local West Contra Costa peeps, next stop will be Elevation 66 Brewing in El Cerrito for a beer-pairing dinner (details and pricing TBD).

Tuesday 2/5

Beer Week’s also a great time for some beer learnin’. (photo: Suni Sudhi)

Time for some education. Malt education, specifically. Admiral Maltings’ “Meet the Malt” series today features beers made with Gallagher’s Best, a pale ale malt. Order full pints or create a custom flight. Plus, since this also falls on T-shirt Tuesday, you can get a limited-edition shirt and a pint for $20!

Then back to Oakland and Collaboration Happy Hour with the good people at Novel Brewing, featuring their collaborations with Triple Rock, Hoi Polloi, and Cleophus Quealy.

Wednesday 2/6

I typically don’t like to start my drinking days too early, but I’ll make an exception for the Henhouse Big Chicken release at Concord’s Hop Grenade. Yes, it’s an all-day event, but I plan on getting there sooner rather than later because, you know, Big Chicken.

I’ve never been to Speakeasy, so it’s good day to scratch that off the list. They’re releasing Blind Tiger Imperial IPA for the first time in cans. Great time to check out the refreshed operation and take home the good stuff.

One brewery that’s a bit hard to find in the Bay Area is Winter’s Berryessa Brewing. I’m definitely swinging by Rockridge’s Golden Squirrel for four unique Berryessa ales, all on cask. Hell’s yes!

Thursday 2/7

Keeping the love in the East Bay, I’ll wander over to Paulista Brazilian Kitchen & Taproom in Oakland’s Glenview neighborhood, where all 24 taps will be all Oakland, all day. Think you can name all of Oakland’s breweries? You might be surprised…

Another new spot I want to check out is Redding’s Wildcard Brewing taproom in Albany. Tonight they’ll feature street tacos from 310 Eatery, paired with their beers.

Friday 2/8

Tour time! Let someone else plan the itinerary for once.

Rich Higgins, one of only 18 Master Cicerones on the planet, is bringing his famous European Beer Immersion tours to the City. For $175 (might seem pricey, but look at what you get), you’ll visit Magnolia Dogpatch (with lunch), 21^st Amendment, Harmonic, Triple Voodoo, Public House (with snacks), and even a tour of AT&T (soon to be Oracle) Park!

Now THAT’S a day.

(BTW, Mr. Higgins is running a different Beer Immersion tour the previous day, of Alameda, via ferry from the City!)

Saturday 2/9

Obligatory photo of many beers. (photo: Suni Sudhi)

For me, this day’s all about the Celebration of Craft fest, at Trumer Brewery in Berkeley. Continuing the tradition of Celebrator Beer News’ anniversary parties, more than 30 breweries will be on hand pouring special Beer Week releases ($60, $15 for DDs). Kudos to the California Craft Beer Association for filling the void and keeping the unofficial closing party alive.

Most likely that’ll be my only event of the day. But, if I did venture out for a little pre-gaming beforehand, I’d probably stop by Tigers Taproom in Oakland. Since I’m sure there will be no shortage of IPAs at the festival later that day, Tigers’ Non-IPA Tap Takeover might be just the ticket.

Sunday 2/10

A couple of possibilities to close out Beer Week, depending on my mood (and health).

I might venture to Albany’s Ocean View Brew Works for their 1^st Anniversary party. Beer, music, food, games, etc. Another I can scratch off the list.

Or, if I’m completely beered out after nine days, I might travel to Monk’s Kettle for Cider Sunday. I gotta admit, as much as I love beer I’m pretty ignorant of the world of cider. This might be the perfect way to start my education.

So that’s it. 10 days of more beer than most humans can handle. As always, I’ll leave you with one final tip.

If you hate crowds but love beer, check out a venue a day or two AFTER an event. Odds are, there’s still gonna be some special stuff on tap.

The same goes for the week after Beer Week. Most participants (and revelers) will be partaking in what’s unofficially called Salad and Water Week. Which means, in addition to the possibility of drinking some unique, limited-edition beers, you’ll probably have a lot more elbow-room in which to do it.

Happy 2019 Beer Week! Cheers, y’all!!

Richmond — City of Pride & Purpose. And Beer.

November 25, 2018 Dean BrightmanLeave a comment

Once upon a time, not very long ago, West Contra Costa County was a vast beer desert.

Aside from BevMo and maybe a restaurant here and there with a couple of interesting taps, it seemed the craft-beer boom was destined to pass us by.

Thankfully, those dark days are gone and many great beer destinations are now a reasonable Lyft ride away from Beerverse HQ.

I’ll detail my recent visit to Martinez soon. But first…

Richmond is now home to three breweries, each with its own distinct personality — playful and quirky, laid back and cozy, spacious and bustling.

What they all share in common, of course, is great beer.

They are summarized below, including food and to-go options.

THE HANGOUT

Benoit Casper Brewing Company was the first of the new wave of breweries to call Richmond home, in 2014.

Red letters on the door are the only things distinguishing it from its neighbors in a small industrial park in the northern end of the Iron Triangle.

A DIY aesthetic abounds once the large roll-up door is opened to the long, narrow space. Built-in tables fold down from one wall, opposite the tiny bar, where you can sit on stools made from old yardsticks.

Like I said, DIY.

The 3.5-barrel brewery is tucked in the back, and most every other square-inch of space, including rafters, is occupied by barrels.

Fittingly, the “this is what my brewery would be like if I built one in my garage” vibe is completed by the smell of buttered popcorn wafting from the machine next to the bar. You can help yourself.

It’s kind of way in the back, there. Behind the barrels.

They offer up to eight beers on tap, and it’s all good. They’ve racked up all sorts of local awards, including a Gold Medal at the State Fair, 1^st place at the Fairfax Brewfest with their Catahoula Coffee Stout, and very recently, a 1^st place at the Triple Rock Firkin Fest with Trending Pumpkin, a pumpkin-spiced vanilla latte stout.

FOOD: none on-site, but you can bring your own, and they occasionally have food trucks. They do offer some snacks and, of course, the popcorn’s always free.

TO-GO: Cans/bottles — yes, but selection is often limited. Crowlers — yes. Growlers — yes, clean ones.

HOURS: Thu-Sat 3-8pm, Sun 3-7pm. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave.

THE TAPROOM

If there is a brewery positioned to be a regional player, East Brother Beer Company is it.

The cavernous space, in back of an industrial park just north of the Port of Richmond, has loads of room for expansion. The seating area is polished, if unadorned. Plenty of dark-wood, picnic-style tables are spaciously arranged for families and large groups.

There’s even plenty of room for ping-pong, pool, and corn-hole. In fact, they have their own Rec League.

Marketing is on-point here. A giant “RICHMOND” is spelled out in block letters above the hanging sign at the entrance. Branding is carried through to the merchandise, tap handles, cans, and signage. All top-notch.

They’ve also been deliberate in terms of beer. While they’ve recently expanded into specialties like the Seasonal Lager Series and the 100-Pint Series, they’ve placed a major emphasis on their core styles — Red Lager, Bo Pils, Gold IPA, Red IPA, and Oatmeal Stout. All of which are solid, excellent examples of style. ESPECIALLY the Bo Pils. Outstanding.

East Brother is also the most aggressive of the Richmond breweries in terms of distribution. They can be found in cans and on drought throughout the Bay Area.

FOOD: bar snacks, food trucks out front daily (check their schedule), or bring your own.

TO-GO: Crowlers — no. Growlers — yes, and they do fill others.

HOURS: Wed-Thu 4-8pm, Fri 4-9pm, Sat Noon-9pm, Sun Noon-8pm. 1001 Canal Blvd.

THE CLUB(S)

I’ve waxed eloquently here before about Armistice Brewing Company. This sister-brother team has used ingenuity and creativity to create distinctive “clubs”, each with its own vibe, in a pretty small space.

If you want to be where the action is, there’s the bar. A TV usually has a game on, and giant overhead speakers crank out the tunes.

If you want spread out a bit and get some rays (when there are some), there’s the beer garden. A “living wall” frames a gravel-floored area filled with benches, a long wooden communal table, and a giant fire pit. There’s even a window to the bar.

Or, if you want to get above it all and chill out, there’s the Framily (Friends + Family) Room, a bright space upstairs with a long communal table, cushy benches, and views. Great for families.

The beers are as adventurous as the spaces. No core brands here. The Zoebels do very small batches of a lot of different stuff, which means the tap list changes frequently. Yes, your hazy IPAs are here, but so are your saisons, browns, pilsners, stouts, milds, and the occasional sour. And all of it good.

FOOD: Snacks, food trucks daily, or bring your own.

TO-GO: Cans and bottles — yes, on specific release days, which typically sell out quickly. Crowlers — yes. Growlers — yes, others, too, if clean and labels are covered.

HOURS: Sun-Thu Noon-10pm, Fri-Sat Noon-Midnight. 845 Marina Bay Pkwy., Ste. 1.

Alameda — The Island I’d Love to be Stranded On

October 16, 2018 Dean Brightman2 Comments

You get asked that all the time, right?

“If you’re ever stranded on an island, what (fill in the blank) would you want with you?”

But no one ever asks WHAT island you’d like to be stranded on.

Probably someplace tropical, right? Like Maui or Guam or Jamaica?

Nah. Alameda.

Why?

Because, quite simply, Alameda has everything the drink connoisseur would ever need to survive.

If you like wine, there’s Rock Wall Wine Company. If spirits are your thing, you’ve got St. George Spirits and Hangar 1.

But, as usual, I was here for the beer.

FACTION BREWING

There are a few places I would call “destination” breweries — places you would take your beer-minded, out-of-town guests because of their fantastic brews and/or facilities.

Drake’s Dealership would be one. Stone’s beautiful new Napa outpost is another. And I’m counting the days until I can visit Russian River’s brand-spanking-new Windsor facility.

Faction Brewing is also on that list.

There are very few spots of any kind in the Bay Area, let alone beer places, that have the stunning, panoramic, postcard views Faction can boast.

Situated on the north-west end of the former Naval Air Station (NAS) Alameda, nothing but old abandoned runways stand between Faction’s back patio and knockout views of San Francisco and the bay.

I’m a native and even I was taken aback.

Roger Davis, a Bay Area brewing veteran of more than two decades (mostly at Drake’s Brewing in San Leandro and Berkeley’s Triple Rock), offers more than 20 beers. You can build your own sampler or, if going through the entire list seems a bit daunting, order a pre-selected flight of the day.

IPAs are well represented, of course. But with that many taps there were choices aplenty — a pilsner, amber, wit, several Belgian styles (including a grisette), a porter, a couple of stouts, and happily, many pale ales, which aren’t so easy to find these days.

A rare, unretouched photo of a white stout in the wild.

One of the stouts was their mind-bending Anomaly Milk Stout.

I know white stouts are a thing, but I had never come face-to-face with one.

My advice — don’t think, just drink.

Your eyes and your mouth may not be able to sync it up, but it is delicious. Just close your eyes and taste. Body might be a touch lighter than a typical stout, but the roasted coffee and bittersweet cocoa are there.

Again, delicious.

Acreage abounds at Faction. The massive back patio features several decks, space for food trucks, an additional bar, corn hole, etc.

And as you might expect from a former helicopter hangar, there’s oodles of room indoors, as well. Plenty of space to expand the current 20-barrel brewery as needed, plus an adjacent additional seating area adorned with festive, in-progress murals.

In case you get tired of all that scenery.

With too many beers to try and mind-slapping views (have I mentioned those already?), I easily could have called it a day right here.

But my itinerary beckoned.

THE RAKE AT ADMIRAL MALTINGS

My next stop was about a 20-minute walk from Faction, through the still-mostly-deserted NAS.

It felt like a movie set. Or maybe armageddon.

Block after wide-open block of concrete, empty office buildings, and abandoned hangars. I almost expected to see Wall-E foraging around for plant-life, although he would have found plenty in the weeds popping up through the cracked pavement.

After wandering through this surrealistic time-scape, I heard the sound of civilization again as I neared Admiral Maltings.

Until recently, most of the “craft” in the craft-beer movement focused around the ever-expanding variety, and growing locations, of hops.

Malt, conversely, was mostly either imported or sourced from the few malting facilities scattered around the U.S.

The founders of Admiral Maltings (Dave McLean, most recently of Magnolia Brewing, Ron Silberstein of ThirstyBear Brewing, and malt specialist Curtis Davenport) wanted to change that.

They wanted to bring the concept of “terroir”, so crucial to the story of wine, to beer. Why couldn’t locally-grown and malted barley make beers that could “taste” of California?

They were also smart enough to include a tasting room pouring beers made from their malt — The Rake.

The Rake is a taproom unlike any other. I’ve been to many a brewery where you can sip the end result while looking at the tanks and equipment that made it possible.

But I’ve never sat at a booth looking into a room that looks like a giant sandbox.

The malting floor.

From their website:

“Floor malting is a disappearing art, revered by brewers around the globe. We gently turn our malt on the germination floor by hand. It creates flavor components no other method can replicate. Fresh malt from our kiln tastes unlike malt produced by larger, industrial malting facilities.”

And the common thread of beers having at least some of the malt come from that giant sandbox makes for a fascinating tap list, a curious cross-section of styles from breweries all over the state.

How about an Golden Lager from Moorpark (Enegren Brewing), a Hazy Session IPA from Santa Cruz (Discretion Brewing), or an Altbier from Oakland (Federation Brewing)?

For the sheer uniqueness of the experience (and the beers), The Rake is a must-stop.

Fortunately, since by now I had done a bit of sampling, my last destination was just a short stumble away.

Right next door, in fact.

ALMANAC BEER CO.

Almanac began its life embracing the “craft” of craft brewing. Their slogan, prominently featured on their labels, is “Farm to Barrel.” They made their reputation on very small batches of labor-intensive, usually fruited, almost exclusively barrel-aged, sour beers.

They also did not have their own facilities, not even a taproom, choosing instead to contract brew at other locations.

Their very own space! With taps and tanks and everything!

After opening a proper taproom/restaurant in The City in late 2016, they finally opened their own brewery with adjoining taproom in Alameda in early 2018.

They’ve managed to create a warm, convivial, family-friendly atmosphere in a 30,000-sq.ft. former hangar. Wood-planked walls around the bar and long, richly-stained communal tables offer a warm contrast to the shiny tanks in back.

An arcade area, complete with Pac-Man and pinball, adds a playful, family-friendly touch.

As Almanac has moved from contract-brewing to their own facility, the product line has also evolved.

While the barrel program is still, of course, front and center, they’ve adapted to the market with their Fresh Beer line — IPA heavy, with a lager and a couple of stouts on my visit.

They also now offer cans, which I took advantage of to take home my only souvenirs from my island excursion — one each of Side Hustle, a hazy, dry-hopped IPA, and Vibes, a decidedly non-hazy, dry-hopped pilsner.

With that, since I wasn’t fortunate enough to actually be stranded, it was time to head home.

But I will be back. I haven’t even gotten to Alameda Island Brewing, or what’s supposed to be one of the best tiki bars on the planet, Forbidden Island.

Aloha, Alameda. ’Til the next “threeee-hour-touuuuur…”

Beer, There, Everywhere: K.C. & Lake of The Ozarks, MO

October 1, 2017 Dean BrightmanLeave a comment

It’s easy for those of us who live in the beer Mecca that is the Bay Area to take for granted the bounty that surrounds us every day, at most a short train or Lyft ride away.

But what happens when your travels take you to visit relatives somewhere in, say, the Midwest?

Not so long ago, your choices would have been quite limited.

But on a recent trip to Missouri, I must say I was very pleasantly, happily surprised.

KANSAS CITY

First stop on our itinerary was a quick two days in Downtown Kansas City, which from a beer standpoint I wasn’t worried about. I didn’t get to an actual brewery, but each restaurant and/or bar had at least a decent selection of local brews available.

As did Kaufmann Stadium, where we caught a Royals game. I was very happy to see that Boulevard Brewing, part of the Duvel family (Brewery Ommegang, Firestone Walker) and a big regional player, has a major sponsorship with the Royals. It was heartening to hear the beer vendors hawking Boulevard Radlers as well as BigBeer Light. And the Radlers were selling well.

Boulevard also sponsors Craft & Draft, a very cool stadium bar. And I mean literally cool. My wife and I abandoned our seats after three innings of mid-90s, 60% humidity heat, and sought refuge there. It was quite the popular hangout.

If there’s a better way to beat the heat, I’ve not found it.

Yes, the vast majority of tap offerings were Boulevard, but they also allotted some space to other local brews.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS

After Kansas City was a three-hour drive to the Lake of the Ozarks. My hopes weren’t high that my run of good beers would continue.

The Lake of the Ozarks (who’s marketing slogan seems to be “more miles of shoreline than the entire California coast,” which I heard on several occasions — even on the premiere episode of Ozark) is a collection of wealthy people’s vacation homes and about a jillion tourists. The primary activities seem to be boating and drinking (hopefully not by the same person). The place is littered with boatable bars and restaurants, nearly all of them with their own swim-up pool bars.

I pretty much reduced myself to finding Corona, Lima-a-Ritas, or maybe the occasional Blue Moon at the fancier places.

Again, I can happily report that I was wrong.

One the first places I went to not only had a very decent selection of local beer, but sold them in flights! Great way to sample the local fare.

In fact, every bar or restaurant we visited had at least a few local selections. I was able to sample at least one beer from the following:

Torn Label Brewing Co., Kansas City — founded in 2014 in Downtown KC’s Crossroads district, home of a thriving local arts scene. Their 15-barrel brewhouse and taproom is located in a section of an artists’ collective building.

Core beers include Monk & Honey, a Belgian ale made with honey; House Brew, a coffee-wheat stout; and Alpha Pale, an 80 IBU pale ale. In keeping with their local community, they also feature limited Artist Series collaborations with local artists.

Martin City Brewing Co., Kansas City — although technically in Kansas City, the brewpub was founded in 2011 in unincorporated Martin City, in the southern KC metro area on the Kansas border. Beers were brewed off-site until 2014, when a brewery and additional taproom was built in a space across the street.

Core beers include a Belgian-style Abbey Ale, a Belgian-style Blond, and Hardway IPA. Specialty brews include an imperial porter and stout, a barrel-aged saison, and quad aged in Scotch barrels. Beers are available in bottles and cans as well as draft, and are distributed throughout Missouri and Kansas.

Mothers Brewing Co., Springfield, MO — established in 2011 in a former Hostess bakery building downtown. Their 30-barrel capacity brewery/taproom distributes bottles and kegs throughout Missouri, Arkansas, and eastern Kansas.

Core beers include Towhead American Blonde, Lil’ Helper IPA, Three Blind Mice Brown, and Loopty Loop Helles. They also feature seasonals and special brews, and a series of sessionable cans called Backyard Beers.

Piney River Brewing Co., Bucyrus, MO — established in 2011 in a small community of about 1100, approximately 90 miles east of Springfield. A 10-gallon brewhouse soon expanded to a 7-barrel facility at the “BARn”. Today they brew on a 15-barrel system in a larger facility.

This multiple-medal-winning brewery (including a 2013 GABF Gold for their Old Tom Porter) features a blonde, pale, IPA, amber, and Mexican-style lager as their core beers. Limited-production brews include an imperial IPA, an “Ozarks Lager,” and an imperial stout.

Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia, MO — its name a derivate of the Missouria (or “people of the wooden canoe”) Native American tribe, Logboat was founded in 2014 and currently brews on a 30-barrel system.

Core beers include Shiphead Ginger Wheat, Mamoot Mild, Snapper IPA, and Lookout Pale. They also offer a wide array of seasonals as well as a Delta Series and Fretboard Coffee Series, made in collaboration with a local coffee roaster.

Overall, it was very gratifying to see just how much the good beer movement has permeated the drinking culture in this country. If it can make inroads in a Midwest resort community, it has indeed arrived.

So take heart, weary traveler. Odds are, no matter your destination, if it is good beer you seek, you shall find it. Drink well.

Beer Preserves: This Place Will Give You the Vapors

November 27, 2013 Dean Brightman4 Comments

Superior Bathhouse Brewery & Distillery, Hot Springs, Arkansas

How about a beer and a bath? Or a beer FROM a bath? I'll explain. Courtesy Superior Bathhouse — How about a beer and a bath? Or a beer FROM a bath? I’ll explain.
Photo courtesy Superior Bathhouse

The mineral-rich, naturally heated waters in Hot Springs, Arkansas reportedly provide a great many benefits — relaxation, detoxification, enhanced immune and digestive systems, healthier skin…

and beer?

Rose Schweikhart Cranson thinks so. She and her husband Todd have opened Superior Bathhouse Brewery & Distillery in Downtown’s Bathhouse Row, continuing the district’s recent revitalization.

During its heyday at around the turn of the 20th century, driven by the belief of the healing powers of the springs (and the desire to cash in on those powers), Bathhouse Row boasted at least eight bathhouses. However, once modern medicine began discovering more convenient remedies to cure most ills, the district declined. By the 1980s, many were long shuttered and in disrepair.

While only two bathhouses remain in business (Buckstaff Baths and Quapaw Baths & Spa), many others have been rehabbed into restaurants, a museum, visitor center, and a performing arts center.

And now, a brewery.

According to the National Park Service, the Superior Bathhouse opened in 1916, and was the smallest on Bathhouse Row. It was also the most budget-friendly, catering to those who wanted (or could only afford) the most basic hydrotherapy and spa services. It closed in 1983.

Of course, building a business from scratch presents a myriad of challenges. Doing so in an historic building (in a National Park, no less) only multiplies them. The tasting bar, located in the bathhouse’s former lobby, features a 97-year-old marble counter that, due to regulations, cannot be altered in any way.

So how do you install the taps? The Cransons enlisted a local welder to fashion a unique draft tower, mounted from the ceiling. The draft system makes a dramatic statement in the tasting area, and can even be seen from the street.

Behind the bar is a wall of safe-deposit-like lock-boxes where patrons’ valuables were kept while they bathed. These will house mugs for the new patrons who enlist in Superior’s mug club.

Meanwhile, the brewery, built in the former males-only bathing room with direct access to the springs, isn’t yet online (they hope to be brewing by the end of the year). Once it is, it will be truly unique, taking full advantage of its location to become not just the only brewery in the National Park system, but the world’s only brewery to use naturally heated spring water in the brewing process.

“It’s normally not potable—just think about Yellowstone—but ours is fantastic,” said Cranson in a recent interview with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The water’s mineral content will provide a unique twist to each beer’s flavor profile, and they’ll save time and money by using only minimal energy to heat it.

Once available, the Superior’s house beers will be sold under the brand name Vapor Valley. Naturally.

In the meantime, for those wanting to retoxify after a thorough cleansing, patrons can enjoy regional brews from several nearby states.

Thinking of stopping by? The Hot Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau is packed with all the info you need to plan a trip.

Know of an historic brewery, or a brewery in an historic place? Drop me a line at thebeerverse[at]gmail[dot]com and I’ll check it out!

Hop High by the 4th of July

July 19, 2013 Dean BrightmanLeave a comment

Memorial Stadium, University of Nebraska, as viewed from Barry’s rooftop deck. Probably as close as I’ll ever get to a game.

Just spent several lovely days in the Cornhusker State. The weather was great (humid, but not stifling), the scenery beautiful (green, seemingly endless rolling hills of corn), and the company terrific (even at my wife’s high school reunion).

Yes, yes, yes, I hear you say. But what about the BEER?

Well, I’m glad you asked. I had occasion to try several local brews, listed here in no particular order.

Lazlo’s Brewery& Grill, in the Haymarket District, Downtown Lincoln. The Haymarket was hoppin’ on a Thursday night, and the students weren’t even in town! — Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill, Lincoln, NE. The Haymarket was hoppin’ on a Thursday night, and the students weren’t even in town!

If there’s anything close to a ubiquitous craft brewer in the Midwest, it’s got to be Boulevard Brewing out of Kansas City. They began in 1989, and currently brew in a 600,000 barrel-per-year facility. You can find it pretty much everywhere, especially the Unfiltered Wheat, which I enjoyed on the rooftop deck of Barry’s Husker Bar, in the Haymarket District in downtown Lincoln, just south of the University of Nebraska campus (Go Big Red!). It went down easy on a warm afternoon, with just enough bread and citrus to make it interesting.

Also in the Haymarket is Lazlo’s, the brewpub home of Empyran Brewing. I had the sampler, along with a Lahvosh the size of a large pizza. Geez! Anyway, the sampler was generous, and overall the brews were good, if not spectacular. I particularly enjoyed the Luna Sea ESB, which had a more fulfilling bite at the end than the Watch Man IPA, which was pleasant but not much more than a slightly amped-up pale ale. The Collapsar Oatmeal Stout was smooth and rich, with just enough bitterness. They also had a Mild on tap, which had a bit of a hefe thing going on, and at 4% would be a terrific session beer for those humid Midwest days.

Since I would be spending most of my time in a tiny town in the Northeast corner of the state, I picked up some rations to see me through — Cropduster IPA (in cans) from Thunderhead Brewing in Kearney, NE, and an IPA from Lucky Bucket in La Vista. The Cropduster leaned more on the citrusy, bitter side, while Lucky Bucket had a bit more of a malt base, a little bigger and nuttier on the palate. Both were outstanding examples of the style, and if they are any indication of the state of the craft brew industry here in Nebraska, I can’t wait to get back to sample more.

Sampler of Empyrean brews at Lazlo’s. Really, is there any more beautiful sight than this?