I’ve spent the last couple of years exploring the Bay Area’s vibrant brewery scene, dropping in on taprooms from Santa Cruz to Walnut Creek. A few weeks ago, I headed south to Fremont and Hayward, where I found several breweries well worth a visit.
Jack’s Brewing, Fremont
This Fremont Hub brewery originally opened in 2000, and soon ran headlong into the lockdowns that shuttered the taproom. But regulars Brian and Tricia Sparling were so sad to see the brewpub close, they bought and reopened it the following year, hiring brewer Patrick Wolpert to oversee the beer end.
Jack’s had closed in such a hurry, there was still beer in the fermenters, so it took some time to get everything cleaned up and restored. The next challenge was recreating the original recipes, a daunting task given the brewery’s recipe book was so water damaged, it was nearly impossible to decipher. Wolpert resurrected the beers with help from Jack’s regulars and their taste memories, and then began making a few brews of his own.
The beers are all clean and well-made, with a nice range. Both the Gridiron Amber Ale and the 25th Anniversary Golden Ale are light and delicate with nice flavor. Check out the Boys of Summer, a refreshing wheat ale, and the Apricot Mango, which is flavored with those fruits.
Jack’s is essentially a sports bar with big TVs and space for watch parties, Open Mic Tuesdays and music. The kitchen serves up beer-battered fish and chips alongside salads, sandwiches and more.
Details: Opens at 11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday at 39176 Argonaut Way in Fremont; jacksbrewing.com.
More in Fremont
Redwood City’s Freewheel Brewing recently bought the former Das Brew in Fremont and reopened it as a taproom offering all of Freewheel’s beers. Drop in between 4 and 9 p.m. weekdays and noon to 9 p.m. on weekends at 44356 S. Grimmer Blvd., Fremont; freewheelbrewing.com.
Jack’s Wolpert also runs Unreal Brewing. The endeavor he launched in 2015 currently brews by contract at Jack’s Brewery. Unreal’s beers are sold at Jack’s brewpub and other locations in the East and South Bays, but plans are afoot to open a physical brewery in Santa Clara this summer.
Buffalo Bill’s Cerveceria, Hayward
Buffalo Bill’s was one of the first brewpubs in the U.S. when it first opened in 1983. Its owner was Bill Owens, who wrote one of the first commercial brewing manuals, “How to Build a Small Brewery,” two years before. In a full-circle moment, that was the book that inspired Geoff Harries to start home brewing; Harries later became Buffalo Bill’s brewer and bought the place in 1994.
Like so many breweries, Buffalo Bill’s was hit hard by the pandemic. Harries closed the brewpub in June of 2022 to the consternation of beer lovers across the Bay Area, including Hayward restaurateur Alejandro Gamarra.
Gamarra’s restaurant empire began with a taco truck, but soon grew to include six locations of his brick-and-mortar Metro Taquero and other restaurants. His Casa Del Toro is practically next door to Buffalo Bill’s, and Gamarra couldn’t bear to see the place close. Anxious to preserve Hayward’s historic legacy, Gamarra stepped up to acquire Buffalo Bill’s, bringing in brewery consultant Phil Cutti and brewmaster Miles Atkinson and rebranding it as a cerveceria to better reflect the neighborhood.
They tweaked the recipes, keeping old favorites like Tasmanian Devil and Hayward Hefe and added some newer styles including Chela Mexican Lager, Haystack Hazy IPA, B Street IPA and rotating seasonals, such as Blueberry Stout and Orange Blossom, which will be coming this spring.
Details: Open daily at 11:30 a.m. at 1082 B St. in Hayward; buffalobillscerveceria.com.
The Bistro, Hayward
Nearby, you’ll find The Bistro, one of the best beer bars in the Bay Area. It’s not a brewery, but you’ll want to head over to check out their carefully curated tap list. Owners Vic and Cynthia Kralj’s bar hosts music every night and puts on several niche beer festivals, including the upcoming Double IPA Festival on Feb. 8. This year is the 25th anniversary of the festival.
Details: Open from 3:30 to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon to 11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at 1001 B St. in Hayward; the-bistro.com.
If you have a local brewery or brewpub you think is knocking it out of the park, drop me a line at BrooksOnBeer@gmail.com and tell me why you love them.