Drink: Peek inside Richmond’s East Brother Beer Company, where the taps pour hoppy delights.
In my never-ending quest for great craft beer (we all have crosses to bear), the journey led me to Richmond’s year-old brewery, the East Brother Beer Company.
The brewery itself is not easy to find. The entrance is on the back side of a large warehouse in Point Richmond, half a mile south of Highway 580. If it weren’t for a bread-crumb trail of small signs posted on Canal Boulevard, I’m not sure I would have found it all. But I’m glad I did.
Co-founder Rob Lightner says the brewery is expanding and he hopes to be able to offer more brews on tap soon. For now, there are six house-brewed beers available, including a red Vienna lager, a Bohemian Pilsner, a red IPA, a wheat IPA, an oatmeal stout and an English warmer, an ESB or extra special bitter with a bit of a saison character — a happy accident.
Tasters are $2 each and a pint is $6 to $7. The brewery strives to make classic styles, focusing on clean flavors and consistency, and it largely hits the mark. This philosophy is even evident in the branding on its canned products: simple, yet distinctive.
The tasting room is a cavernous industrial space, separated from the brewery by pallets of cans. There are a few bar stools and many long tables indoors, and outdoor seating as well. Light snacks — chips, jerky, nuts — are available and a food truck is parked outside whenever the tasting room is open. On the day we visited, it was the Cosa Nostra food truck — its slogan is “I’m gonna make him pasta he can’t refuse” — offering tasty Italian dishes that complemented the beer well.
DON’T MISS» The red IPA is an interesting beer. While it possesses the normal hop kick of an IPA, it has a stronger malt sweetness and a hint of peach. At 6.8 percent alcohol by volume, it’s less extreme than many IPAs and definitely more balanced.
DETAILS » Open from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 8 p.m. or later on weekends. 1001 Canal Blvd., Richmond, www.eastbrotherbeer.com.