Right in the heart of downtown Berkeley on Shattuck Street, just blocks from the UC Campus, is Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse. But, owners and brothers John and Reid Martin had an uphill battle convincing city officials that a small brewery would fit into the downtown commercial district.
Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse
By Joel Williams
Published: August, 2006
Right in the heart of downtown Berkeley on Shattuck Street, just blocks from the UC Campus, is Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse. But, owners and brothers John and Reid Martin had an uphill battle convincing city officials that a small brewery would fit into the downtown commercial district. Since no one had heard of a brewpub at the time, the thought of a beer factory being located next to the shops and restaurants in the area had raised some concerns. It took several meetings and city hearings before the Martins were granted the seven zoning variances needed to construct what they now proudly call the Oldest Original Brewpub in America.
Although Triple Rock was the fifth brewpub to open in the U.S. in March of 1986, it is the only one of those five that still uses the original brewing equipment and is owned and operated by the original founders.
The décor can probably be best described as classic American dive bar, which is just fine for a brewpub. There are hard wood floors, wood paneling and an antique wood bar. Get the picture? Well now, throw in hundreds of pieces of antique beer related memorabilia and you have an unpretentious place where you can kick back and enjoy some great craft-brewed suds.
I sat down with head brewer Christian Kazakoff and a few of the regulars at the bar on a Friday afternoon and we tasted the 10 beers that were on tap. All of them were true to style, as can be expected from a brewpub that has been around for over 20 years, but the two seasonal summer specialties impressed me the most— Punchy’s Left Coast Pilsner and Millstone Hefeweizen. Both are traditional German styles that require special yeasts to produce.
Punchy’s Left Coast Pilsner is made with German Lager yeast and fermented twice as long as beers made with their house Ale yeast. They use all German malt and Czech Saaz hops which results in an authentic German Pilsner that is light, crisp and clean, perfect for the summer.
Since most of the students are gone in the summer, it gives us a chance to play with a lager yeast which ties up a tank, said Kazakoff. It’s a traditional Pilsner, but we Californiaize it a bit and go a little on the hoppy side.
Millstone Hefeweizen is an excellent example of an authentic unfiltered Bavarian wheat beer that is quite unique due to the clove and fruity flavors that Bavarian yeast strains impart. German wheat beer is one of my favorite beer styles, and Kazakaoff uses 70% wheat malt that produces a light and refreshing beer. Millstone is also made with a traditional Bavarian yeast strain but Kazakoff ferments it at lower temperatures to keep the clove and fruity flavors from becoming too overpowering.
Triple Rock’s summer seasonal beers are refreshing, authentic examples of their respective styles. They won’t last long though, so be sure to stop by and enjoy them on the popular outdoor patio on the roof.
