Oakland's beer renaissance

I can't think of anything better on a hot day than a cold beer. It's become a tradition around our house...whether we've worked all day, enjoyed a long hike in the sun or have spent hours working on tedious projects at home. The nice thing is that Oaklanders seem to share this value...and they've got some local breweries and pubs to prove it.

About a year ago, on a sunny weekend afternoon, we rambled over to Linden Street Brewery which had just opened and we happened upon ultra-friendly owner and local beer-maker, Adam Lamareaux. The place is located in an old red brick building on the old Oakland Army Base along the inner harbor just south of the Port of Oakland and next to the Lonely Planet offices. Beer and travel guides? What a match made in heaven! But I digress...  

We enjoyed a wonderful hour or so talking with him about the community and other small business owners in the area who were working together to find ways to facilitate trade, build community and reduce waste (ie, the water that is used in his processing, along with the hops, are collected and given to local food justice organizations for irrigation and fertilizer). 

Inspired and impressed by his energy and enthusiasm (not to mention his beer), we've followed his progress and supported his craft...hoping that some day a taproom might open in the space next to his brewery.

Apparently no longer just a dream, the taproom idea has now made it onto paper in this article about Oakland's Beer Revolution. If you're a beer fan, you might just enjoy reading about what's going on in the beer scene here in Oakland...and maybe, just maybe, we can talk you into coming by to join us for a local brew sometime soon!