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Back when rent was still relatively cheap, artists flocked to Oakland, giving rise to a cultural scene—visual arts, indie music, spoken word, film—that’s still buzzing, especially in Uptown. Trendy new spaces pop up regularly, and the beer-garden renaissance is well established. Whether you’re a self-proclaimed beer snob or just someone who enjoys a cold drink on a sunny day, there's something for everyone. (The Oakland Ale Trail is one way to start exploring craft beer offerings.) Nightlife in Oakland is less crowded and more intimate than what you'll find in San Francisco. Music is just about everywhere, though the most popular venues are downtown.
This beloved Santa Cruz-based brewery has a charming taproom in Old Oakland with plenty of barrel-aged saisons in tulip glasses and pints of intricate hazy IPAs. The intimate refined saloon space also has a great dog-friendly back patio. Even though the brews come from an hour away, no visit to Oakland for beer lovers is complete without a stop here.
This chic taproom is California's first 100%-gluten-free brewery, specializing in craft beers made without rye, wheat, or barley. The brewery also has tempting gluten-free fare such as quesadillas and fish tacos.
Part of Oakland's Ale Trail, the brewery has a convivial tasting room in the Jack London District with plenty of games for extended sipping of their pilsners, saisons, sours, and hoppy IPAs. Their outdoor seating area includes booth areas made of repurposed shipping containers. The taproom hosts live music and events a few nights a month, so make sure to check their calendar.
This bright, airy, 7,500-square-foot brewery and taproom is a tribute to its early history, when the brewers hauled their kegs on public transit line 51 to their warehouse. Now, Oakland Ale Trail explorers can enjoy freshly tapped beer from a vintage 1971 AC transit bus that serves as a refrigeration unit for their brews. Fermentation tanks are on full display: the owners are passionate about their Red Death ale, IPAs, Short Dog ale, and porters.
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