Drakes Brewing

Drake's Brewing Company is a California craft brewery headquartered in San Leandro. The business began in 1989 under the name Lind Brewing, founded by Roger Lind, initially operating as a wholesale-only producer focused on kegged beer. Its early model placed the brewery within California's developing craft-beer distribution network rather than centering the business on a public-facing brewpub or taproom. The brewery operates from a former Caterpillar Inc. production facility in San Leandro. Over time, Drake's expanded beyond production into direct hospitality, beer-focused dining, events, and specialty releases. This venue strategy has helped the company present its beers in multiple settings while maintaining the brewery as the core of the business. The company is associated with the East Bay craft-beer scene and has developed a portfolio that includes standard brewery production as well as barrel-aged and specialty beers. A significant ownership transition took place in 2008, when Drake's was sold to the owners of Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse, a Berkeley brewpub. The available reference material does not identify those owners by name or specify the resulting corporate structure, but the transaction connected Drake's with an established Bay Area brewpub operation. Drake's subsequently developed a broader hospitality footprint. In 2015, it opened Drake's Dealership in a former automobile dealership building in Oakland. The venue combined a taproom and restaurant concept with the brewery's beer offering. In 2018, the company opened The Barn in West Sacramento, described as a taproom, restaurant, and events center. Drake's also operates Drake's Barrel House inside its barrel-aging warehouse in San Leandro. The venue is particularly associated with beers aged in barrels, many of which are made in limited quantities and are primarily available at the taproom rather than through ordinary growler or keg fills. The brewery's first bottling of a barrel-aged beer was Reunion Barley Wine Ale in 2013, marking a notable step in packaging and presenting one of its specialty aging projects. In 2023, Drake's acquired the formulas, recipes, and intellectual property of Bear Republic Brewing. The available material does not state whether the acquisition included facilities, employees, or the Bear Republic trademark as a broader operating business. The transaction nevertheless expanded Drake's access to brewing formulas and brand-related brewing assets from another California craft brewery. Drake's therefore combines regional craft brewing with destination taprooms, restaurants, events, and experimental or barrel-aged production. Its documented history reflects the evolution of a wholesale keg producer into a multi-venue California beer company. Detailed information about current executives, production volumes, distribution geography, ownership after the 2008 sale, and current product availability is not established by the supplied reference material.

Drake's Brewing Company began in 1989 as Lind Brewing, a wholesale-only kegged beer business founded by Roger Lind. The company's initial focus was production and wholesale supply rather than a consumer-facing taproom. It later became known as Drake's Brewing Company and operated from a former Caterpillar Inc. production facility in San Leandro, California. In 2008, the business was sold to the owners of Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse, a Berkeley brewpub. The supplied reference does not identify the purchasers individually or provide details about the transaction's financial terms. Following the sale, Drake's continued developing as a regional craft brewery while increasing its emphasis on taprooms and hospitality venues. The brewery's barrel-aging program became an identifiable part of its specialty production. Drake's operates Drake's Barrel House within its San Leandro barrel-aging warehouse. Many beers associated with the facility are limited or venue-specific releases and are not generally offered through standard growler or keg fills. In 2013, Drake's bottled Reunion Barley Wine Ale, described as its first bottled barrel-aged beer. In 2015, Drake's opened Drake's Dealership in Oakland in a former car dealership building. The site added a taproom and restaurant setting to the company's operating model. In 2018, Drake's expanded into West Sacramento with The Barn, a venue comprising a taproom, restaurant, and events center. In 2023, Drake's acquired Bear Republic Brewing's formulas, recipes, and intellectual property. The available source does not establish the full legal scope of the transaction, whether Bear Republic's facilities or workforce were included, or how the acquired assets were subsequently used. The documented history presents Drake's as a California craft brewery that evolved from a wholesale keg producer into a multi-location beer and hospitality company. Its business includes brewery production, taprooms, restaurants, events, and barrel-aged specialty beer. Current executive leadership, precise ownership arrangements, distribution markets, production scale, and a current official website are not identified in the supplied material.

• 2023

  Bear Republic brewing assets acquired

  [1]Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Drake's acquires Bear Republic Brewing's formulas, recipes, and intellectual property.

• 2018

  The Barn opens in West Sacramento

  [1]Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Drake's opens The Barn, a West Sacramento taproom, restaurant, and events center.

• 2015

  Drake's Dealership opens in Oakland

  [1]Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The company opens a taproom in a former automobile dealership building in Oakland.

• 2013

  First bottled barrel-aged beer

  [1]Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Drake's bottles Reunion Barley Wine Ale, identified as the brewery's first bottled barrel-aged beer.

• 2008

  Ownership changes

  [1]Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Drake's is sold to the owners of Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse in Berkeley.

• 1989

  Lind Brewing begins operations

  [1]Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Roger Lind starts the business as a wholesale-only producer of kegged beer under the name Lind Brewing.

A California craft brewery combining wholesale beer production with taproom-led hospitality, restaurant, events, and specialty barrel-aged releases.

• Barrel-aged beer · 2013

  Reunion Barley Wine Ale

  A barley wine ale associated with Drake's barrel-aging program. It was the brewery's first barrel-aged beer to be bottled, in 2013, and represents the company's specialty-release work beyond its regular kegged beer production.

• Specialty craft beer

  Barrel-aged beers

  Drake's produces beers aged in barrels at its San Leandro barrel-aging warehouse. Many of these releases are distinctive to the program and primarily available through Drake's Barrel House rather than ordinary growler or keg fills.

• Craft beer · 1989

  Kegged craft beer

  The company's original business centered on wholesale-only kegged beer. The supplied material does not provide a complete list of current beer styles, labels, or seasonal products.

• 2023

  Acquisition of Bear Republic brewing intellectual propertyM&A

  Background

  Bear Republic Brewing had developed its own brewing formulas and recipes within California's craft-beer sector.

  Action taken

  Drake's acquired Bear Republic Brewing's formulas, recipes, and intellectual property.

  Aftermath

  The supplied source does not specify the later commercialization, branding, or operational treatment of the acquired assets.

  Source

• 2018

  Opening of The Barn in West SacramentoStrategy

  Background

  The company continued developing destination venues alongside its brewery and taproom operations.

  Action taken

  Drake's opened The Barn as a taproom, restaurant, and events center.

  Aftermath

  The move extended Drake's hospitality model into West Sacramento.

  Source

• 2015

  Expansion into an Oakland taproom and restaurantStrategy

  Background

  Drake's broadened beyond brewery production and wholesale beer through consumer-facing venues.

  Action taken

  The company opened Drake's Dealership in a former car dealership building in Oakland.

  Aftermath

  The opening added a direct hospitality and restaurant location to Drake's operating footprint.

  Source

• 2008

  Sale to the owners of Triple Rock Brewery and AlehouseM&A

  Background

  Drake's had operated as a California craft brewery after beginning as Lind Brewing, a wholesale keg business.

  Action taken

  The company was sold to the owners of Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse in Berkeley.

  Aftermath

  Drake's subsequently expanded its taproom and hospitality presence, although the supplied source does not explicitly attribute those later developments to the transaction.

  Source

1. 1Drake's Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org