For this month’s Bay Area brewery tour, I headed for the North Bay. In just a three-mile stretch between Fairfax and San Rafael, there are three excellent breweries worth visiting. Catch a diverse selection of beers from one of the state’s newest breweries at Fairfax Brewing, easy-drinking brews at an upscale downtown brewpub at State Room, and a mix of classics and avant-garde creations in cozy environs at Pond Farm Brewing.
Fairfax Brewing
Open since Sept. 10, Fairfax Brewing is one of California’s newest breweries. It’s located in the same space as the old Ross Valley Brewing, which later became Iron Springs. One of the partners in the new venture is Larry Berlin, a veteran brewer who helped build the original Ross Valley brewery in 1998. An American Brewers Guild graduate, Berlin also brewed for Lagunitas and Butte Creek Brewing, along with beer-making stints in North Carolina and Mexico during his long career.
The brewery space is modern chic with ample space inside for booths and tables, a semi-private back room and a bar by the entrance. Behind the bar, a glass wall allows you to see a portion of the brewery, and outside, there’s a parklet with outdoor seating.
A full menu of customizable appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches and more is a cut above the usual brewpub fare with inventive takes on classic dishes. Berlin has a nice, old-school selection of diverse styles including a Maple Brown Ale, a slightly sweeter brown ale made with maple syrup and a touch of vanilla; Repack Red Amber Ale, a re-creation of the first beer brewed onsite in 1998; and Tamalpais Tripel, a strong and complex Belgian tripel-style ale.
In addition to Berlin, the brewery’s other founders include Fairfax resident Dan McGarry and entrepreneurs Alex and Lisa Stricker, who also own State Room Brewing.
Details: Opens at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday-Sunday at 765 Center Blvd. in Fairfax; faxbrewco.com.
State Room Brewing
Just three miles down the road is San Rafael’s State Room Brewing. The Strickers opened it in 2016, hiring Berlin to design the recipes and brew the beer.
Boasting both inside and outdoor seating, there’s a surprising amount of space in this small brewpub which offers small plates and salads, sandwiches, wood-fired pizza and larger entrees like Shaking Beef and King Salmon.
State Room keeps around 10 beers on tap, with options including Patriot Pilsner, a bready pils with citrus notes, and State Room Especial, a refreshing Mexican-style lager. Compared to Fairfax Brewing’s clientele, State Room seems to draw more mainstream regulars who prefer more balanced, malt forward beers that are easier-drinking, according to Berlin. They also offer liquor, wine and cocktails.
Details: Open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday at 1132 Fourth St.,San Rafael with happy hour specials offered 3-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; stateroombrewery.com.
Pond Farm Brewing
It was high time for a return to Pond Farm Brewing, which Trevor and Stephanie Martens opened in 2019 on the edge of San Rafael. It’s a very comfortable spot to spend an afternoon or evening, especially now. The brewery added a full kitchen last year to serve up snacks, salads, bratwurst, burgers and more. When I was there, the place was decorated with Bavarian banners for Oktoberfest, with live music every Saturday year round.
The brewery typically pours 16 beers, and while they made their name with hazy IPAs, saisons and other newer styles of beer, they’ve rounded out nicely with some classics. Think Kickwheel Kölsch and Fully Formed Adult, a German-style pilsner. You’ll also find a few more avant-garde beers, such as Esme, a saison; The Duke of Staves, a blend of Belgian amber and farmhouse ales; and Sour Adversity – Key Lime Pie, a kettle sour brewed with key limes, vanilla and lactose.
Details: Opens at 3 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and noon Friday-Sunday at 1848 Fourth St., San Rafael; pondfarmbrewing.com.
Contact Jay R. Brooks at [email protected].
