Drink

“Come rally friends and raise your cups, at Temescal Brewing where it’s pilsners up.” — The Summertime Drinking Society chant At Temescal Brewing, Monday night is “Society Night,” dedicated to the “distinguished members” (their words) of its new...

Since 2002, when winemaker Chris Brockway established Berkeley’s Broc Cellars, the focus has been on using organically grown grapes, fermented with the yeast that occurs naturally on them, resulting in a true natural wine. Brockway’s partner in...

The Factory Bar Richmond’s The Factory Bar is an urban oasis, a dog-friendly lounge with human-friendly drinks, frequent food popups and one of the best garden patios in the East Bay. Their spring menu includes nine new cocktails. ‘P7’ 2...

Berkeley’s Gilman District is celebrated for its punk music venue, breweries that have become popular gathering places, a Whole Foods Market, and, more recently, the new Boichik Bagels’ factory and cafe. But winemaker Nori Nakamura decided to...

If it wasn’t a ridiculous, horrible idea, Bex Pezzullo might have named her company and the fine hard cider she crafts, “Tenacious Focus.” Instead, the hospitality and beverage industry veteran applied greater wisdom, selecting Sincere Cider and...

Not only do East Bay distilleries produce world-class spirits, but the stories behind their inceptions are beguiling. East Bay checked in with four of them. Absinthia and the Green Fairy Absinthe was illegal and banished from the world of...

The owners of The Punchdown named their natural wine bar and bottle shop after a harvest term. During the process of fermentation, winery workers push the grapes down as they’re producing carbon dioxide. “Those are the little bubbles that push the grapes to the top,” explained DC Looney, one of the co-owners. Throughout the winemaking process, you need to push down on the mixture, ‘for a healthier fermentation.’”