If you are a regular Brew Deck reader, you already know that Oakland, CA is an extraordinary beer destination.

It is home to two of the top 12 small breweries in the country, according to Craft Beer & Brewing—Ghost Town and Cellarmaker—plus Brix Factory, Original Pattern, Temescal Brewing, and a whole lot more. And that's to say nothing of the world-class breweries just across the water in Alameda, or in nearby Emeryville and Berkeley.

But what makes the East Bay's beer scene particularly exciting isn't simply the quality of the beer.

It's the way beer has become part of the way our communities tell their own stories.

And this week offers some great examples.

Oaktoberfest Kickoff Night With The Oakland Ballers

Tomorrow night, Thursday, August 13, the town-grown Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer Baseball League are throwing an Oaktoberfest celebration at historic Raimondi Park.

The Ballers are an extraordinary Oakland story themselves, so it's fitting that the city's supremely scrappy, locally devoted ball club is celebrating the city's extraordinary independent beer culture.

The evening will feature tastings from Almanac, Trumer, Fieldwork, East Brother, Altamont, Headlands, Cellarmaker, and Temescal.

And the Ballers have been kind enough to extend Brew Deck readers a discount!

You can get 15% off your tickets with code 15OFFBALLERS.

[CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS → Tickets.OaklandBallers.com]

Lúpulo Fest Saturday In Martinez

If Oakland is the place to be Thursday night, Saturday gives you a pretty compelling reason to head east.

The weather in Martinez is supposed to be warm and clear on Saturday afternoon, as Del Cielo Brewing once again hosts their Lúpulo Fest: IPA Block Party.

The event brings 16 of the Bay Area's top breweries to take over the block in front of Del Cielo for a celebration of hoppiness and live music, benefiting the nonprofit Bay Area Bike Project.

But I think there's something worth noticing about an event like this beyond the obvious appeal of drinking a bunch of good beer on a warm Saturday afternoon.

Del Cielo isn't simply inviting people to its taproom.

It's turning its neighborhood into a beer destination.

That's one of the great things small breweries can do. A brewery can become a gathering place, a landmark, a reason to visit a town or neighborhood you might not otherwise.

In this case, the local brewery is filling its block with breweries, bands, and beer people from all across the Bay.

The party runs from 1–5 PM at Del Cielo Brewing, 701 Escobar Street in Martinez.

[CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF BREWERIES AND BANDS & TO GET YOUR TICKETS]

Taste of Jack London

Also on Saturday, Oakland's Beer People will gather in Jack London Square for the Taste of Jack London Beer & Food Festival.

The festival will feature unlimited tastings from ten breweries, including its four hosts: Cellarmaker, Original Pattern, Oakland United, and Shapeshifters, who are all members of the Jack London Brewing District.

And this isn't just a beer festival.

The food lineup is made up exclusively of Jack London Square's restaurants, with small plates from Angel Cakes Cupcakes, Everett & Jones BBQ, Good Vybes & Brews, ODIN Mezcalería, Reem's California, Sláinte Irish Pub, Souley Vegan, and Xingones. There will also be live music, local DJs, a local artist market and craft vendors.

In other words, where Del Cielo is throwing a party for its neighborhood, this is a neighborhood throwing a party about itself. 

That's the part we love.

What makes a neighborhood is the collection of places, people, rituals, and recipes that give that place its flavor.

The restaurants matter.

The bars matter.

The landmarks matter.

And as you all already know, the breweries matter.

Taste of Jack London runs 1–5 PM at BLOC15, with a VIP hour beginning at noon. Beer tasting tickets include unlimited pours and a commemorative 5 oz tasting glass, while combination tickets let you pair the beer with samples from the participating Jack London restaurants.

**Tickets & Full Event Info: **https://tasteofjacklondon.eventbrite.com

What We Drink Around Here

Events like these, or Suds Francisco next weekend, are hardly unique to the Bay Area. In fact, the world's largest and longest-running folk festival, Oktoberfest in Munich, is a beer-focused celebration. (More on that soon!)

All over the world, we see examples of beer becoming one of the ways people recognize place.

That is worth paying attention to.

When we say that people care about local beer, it is not because we think anyone's mood changes when the national craft beer production number goes up or down in a given month.

We're saying something much simpler.

Your beer means something to you.

Nobody wears a hoodie celebrating their favorite breakfast cereal or toothpaste brand.

But we wear brewery apparel. We put brewery stickers on our cars, bikes, water bottles, and laptops. We make sure to bring out-of-town friends to our favorite local taprooms. We have beers we associate with a particular town, or even a particular neighborhood, a particular period of our lives, or a particular version of the city we love.

That's what happens when a product becomes part of the region's vernacular.

And it doesn't happen because someone in a marketing department decides that “local” is a good brand position.

It happens because people actually use these places, these beers, and these rituals to make a place feel like home.

At the risk of sounding very sappy, beer is one of the things we use to tell the story of where we are.

So wherever you find yourself this weekend, don't just go have a beer.

Go find out what they drink around here.

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🍻 Upcoming Events Featuring Our Member Breweries

🎉 Public Events This Week!

Friday, 8/14—Brit Pub Night at Steel Bonnet!
(Scotts Valley, CA | 5PM - 8PM)
British Pub Night returns to Steel Bonnet with authentic British cuisine from The Cheeky Villain, and live Brit Soul/Rock by Redwood Groove.
More Info –> Brit Pub Takeover in Scotts Valley!

Saturday, 8/15—Lúpulo Brew Fest: IPA Block Party at Del Cielo!
(Martinez, CA | 1PM - 5PM)
DC's 3rd Annual Lúpulo Brew Fest is back featuring an incredible lineup of IPAs from 15+ breweries, live music by Inner State 80's. Proceeds from the festival benefit Bay Area Bike Project.
Tickets & More Info –> IPA Block Party In Martinez!

Saturday, 8/15—Pitch-A-Friend at Headlands Brewing!
(Walnut Creek, CA | 8PM)
Think "Shark Tank" only your friends are pitching you!
Sign Ups & More Info –> Pitch-A-Friend In Walnut Creek!

Saturday, 8/15—Virtuoso IPA Release Party and Concert at HenHouse Brewing!
(Santa Rosa, CA | 6PM - 9:30PM)
To coincide with each new release from their Conservatory West Coast IPA Series, HenHouse is hosting a monthly musical showcase featuring 4 local bands.
More Info –> Virtuoso Showcase In Santa Rosa!

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📅 Save the Dates

Sunday, 8/23—SUDS FRANCISCO - A Funk & Fermentation Festival hosted by Barebottle Brewing at Salesforce Park!
(San Francisco, CA | 2PM-7PM)
A summertime celebration of funk and fermentation held beneath the SoMa skyline!
Tickets and More Info –> Suds Francisco 2026!

Thursday, 8/23—Handmade Jewelry Pop-Up at Discretion Brewing
(Soquel, CA | 3PM-7:30PM)
Browse handmade jewelry by Discretion beertender & local artisan Rochelle Ferro of RoCreate! Plus, live music from 5:00-7:30 by The Mike Scott Trio.
More Info –> Handmade Jewelry Show in Soquel!

Saturday, 9/12—9th Annual Oktoberfest at Original Pattern!
(Oakland, CA | Noon-7PM)
Every year, OP becomes a Bavarian playground with steins of German-style beer, epic food, polka music, and festive vibes. Early bird bundles are available until August 30th and will include a collectible enamel Original Pattern Oktoberfest Pin!
Packages and More Info –> Oktoberfest in Oakland!

Saturday, 9/19—It's The Malt - Craft Malt Festival at Admiral Maltings!
(Alameda, CA | 1PM-5PM)
Admiral Maltings' third annual celebration of artisan beer, American Single Malt whiskey, floor-malting, and California grown grains.
Tickets and More Info –> It's The Malt 2026!