Category Archives: Beer history

Booze labels from the Wayback Machine

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Jen Muehlbauer

I know I’m not the only beer person who also digs local history. Thus, I can’t be the only one who’d enjoy the California Historical Society‘s Vintage Beer, Wine, & Spirits Labels exhibition. The exhibition opened in December, but I live … Continue reading →

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“Beer Curmudgeons” kicks podcast ass

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

Twitter can be a gargantuan waste of time, but there are a few beer people who make it less of a giant sucking sound. Two locals raising the bar are Collin McDonnell, a brewery owner asking all the right questions … Continue reading →

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Imagine a brewery here. Part 4: Temescal

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the adventures/frustrations of tracking down old East Bay breweries is trying to nail down the exact locations. Phone books and other documents of the pre-Prohibition era often gave only intersections (or less). Sometimes we … Continue reading →

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Oakland beer ads, 1890s

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

First off, if you’ve been enjoying my beer history tidbits, you’ve got to check out what my friend Brian is doing over at BygoneBeer.com. Those old beer labels and drinking postcards are a trip! Today’s local beer history comes to … Continue reading →

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Imagine a brewery here. Part 3: Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

In today’s tour of the lost breweries of Oakland, we discover a new-to-us bit of green space and a reminder to not abuse our kidneys any more than we already do. Co-Operative/Independent Brewing Company: 487 Clifton Ave New breweries weren’t … Continue reading →

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In praise of Stuffed Sandwich Sam

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

I guess I should have written this when Sam was alive, so I could let him know he had a big impact on yet another beer dork. But it probably would have embarrassed/annoyed him,or maybe he just wouldn’t have given … Continue reading →

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Imagine a brewery here. Part 2: West Oakland

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

Part 1: East Oakland West Oakland is a charged topic right now, and this is not the place for debating it. I simply don’t know enough to have an opinion worth hearing. It’s complicated, and all I know for sure … Continue reading →

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Imagine a brewery here. Part 1: East Oakland

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Jen Muehlbauer

At one point I tried to research where the East Bay’s breweries were located before prohibition. It turns out historical research is real work. It also turns out it’s hard to trace 100-year-old businesses, even with all the rad old … Continue reading →

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How to get free drinks for life (in 1936)

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Jen Muehlbauer

We’ve talked about the goofy rule that prevented alcohol from being served within a mile of UC Berkeley both before and after federal Prohibition. It’s also pretty undeniable that women represented a disproportionate number of Prohibitionist do-gooders. However, at least … Continue reading →

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Beer history: Beer Revolution’s first week

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Jen Muehlbauer

I realize this isn’t particularly ancient beer history compared to the pre-Prohibition stuff I’m grooving on lately, but in some ways it does seem very long ago. I remember hearing the murmurs in my homebrew club: there was a place … Continue reading →

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