Alameda Brewing Hits the Refresh Button

The 2010s were a pretty good decade for the Alameda beer scene. Faction , Alameda Island, and Almanac opened their current facilities in 2013, 2015, and 2018, respectively. Now, in 2024, the industry faces some challenges. Beer consumption overall is down. Millennials and Gen Z drink less than their Gen X and Boomer counterparts. There’s a growing preference for low- and no-alcohol choices. Hard seltzers have carved out their piece of the market. And barely a week goes by without another brewery announcing a closing.

Yet here in Alameda, if you visit any of our breweries or taprooms, like Humble Sea or Admiral Maltings , you’ll find crowds of all ages enjoying the latest brew, or a tried and true favorite. What is it that makes Alameda such a great beer town? I asked Vince Phua, former tech worker, son of founder Bill Phua, and Managing Member of Alameda Brewing.

“Beer is a working class drink,” he said. “I think that ties into the roots of Alameda. It’s ingrained in the culture. And the East Bay in general is a great beer area.”

This past weekend, Alameda Brewing spent a couple of days reintroducing itself with its Launch Weekend. Yes, the brewery you’ve known as Alameda Island Brewing has changed its name, and more. The funny thing is that the name change is really a case of back to the future.

“When we first started, the intention all along was to call it ‘Alameda Brewing,’” Vince said. “But, there was already a brewer in Portland, Oregon, in the Alameda neighborhood called Alameda Brewing. So, we added Island to the name. In 2018, Alameda in Portland went out of business. And in 2023, their LLC expired. So we contacted the former owners, and they gave us their blessing to take the name.”

So the name change was part of the rebranding effort. Dropping the word “Island” has had some interesting results. Vince related to me how folks would seem a little upset about the change, but all along they were calling it “Alameda Brewing” anyway. The logo has changed, but still retains an island feel. Instead of the previous sailboat, now there’s a stylized nautical rope “A” above the words Alameda Brewing.

“We had a rebrand a little while ago, but it was inconsistent,” he said. “This time, we’ve got new merchandise, new labels, and a new look to the taproom.”

Another recent addition: a new head brewer. Justin Green came aboard in the spring, bringing with him 10 years of brewing experience at places like Santa Rosa’s Steele and Hops, and Jupiter Brewing in Berkeley. He already has a couple of favorites in the lineup.

“I have two favorite beers I like to brew,” he said. “They are Coastal Classic (West Coast IPA) and Let It Lager (German Lager). They’re both well-made traditional styles, which invokes a sense of familiarity in people and makes people want to try more craft beer. It is like a gateway beer, where they open the door to craft beer, making our customers want to stay and try more beers.”

I can definitely see why Let It Lager is high on Justin’s list. It’s a classic brew, executed to near perfection, with malt sourced from Alameda’s own Admiral Maltings. Lager is an unforgiving style. Unlike hoppy or malty or high-alcohol beers, there’s essentially nowhere to hide a mistake. And the six-week lagering process really pays off.

As Vince told me, “Most brewers don’t want to take up that much time lagering. …In the past, we tried to be all things to all people. Now, we’re getting back in touch with the artisanal part of brewing.”

There is a renewed focus on their core lineup. Island Haze (hazy IPA), Coastal Classic (West Coast IPA), Big Paddle (Czech Pilsner) and Hef-D (Hefeweizen). As an East Coast transplant, I was thrilled to learn that Hef-D would continue. Wheat beers are one of my go-to brews, but for whatever reason, hefeweizens are relatively uncommon on the West Coast. And if you’re looking for something different, try the Ube Ale.

Alameda Brewing is also trying to keep pace with the changing times. They’ve introduced a hard seltzer that can be flavored similar to an Italian soda. It’s also become popular as part of a mimosa.

Community commitment is a big part of Alameda Brewing’s mission. They’ve lent their support to Alameda schools, the Coast Guard, and this October they will be the main beer sponsor of Alameda Pride .

As we chatted at one of their new outside tables, I asked Vince what he looks forward to each day.

“Talking to people who love the product,” he replied. “Working with people who live, breathe, and die beer.”

Alameda Brewing is located at 1716 Park Street, and is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.

Scott Piehler hosts and produces Alameda’s only weekly news digest podcast, the Alameda PostCast . Reach him at scott@alamedapost.com .

The post Alameda Brewing Hits the Refresh Button appeared first on Alameda Post .