A Berkeley brewery and restaurant that was integral to the genesis of the craft brewing movement announced it will be closing after 40 years in operation. Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse, located at 1920 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley, will shutter at the end of the year, as SF Gate first reported.
First established in 1985 by brothers John and Reid Martin, the brewpub opened to the public in March of 1986. At the time, there were only a few other brewpubs in California, John Martin told Nosh. Reid became the brewery’s first brewer, while John managed the pub and restaurant.
Brewpubs (a brewery and restaurant) were only allowed to open in California starting in 1983. This type of business has a strong Berkeley connection, as then-Assemblymember Tom Bates sponsored a bill that allowed brewpubs like Triple Rock to open. Bates later became mayor of Berkeley. Like many other progressive pieces of legislation, California was the first state to enact such a law, and other states followed suit in ensuing years.
In essence, Triple Rock “[has] been a huge part of our lives,” co-founder John Martin said. “We’re not getting any younger.” He said they are inching toward retirement, with both being in their mid-to-late 60s. Both were born in Oakland and partly raised in Berkeley. Their parents are Berkeley High and Cal alumni, and Reid is a graduate of Cal’s business school.
Martin said he still has several other businesses to focus on: he owns Jupiter in downtown Berkeley, and co-owns Drake’s Brewing Co., founded by one of Triple Rock’s original brewers, Roger Lind. Drake’s has locations in Oakland and San Leandro. He’s also hoping to have more time to travel with one less business on his plate.
As for the reasons behind the closure, Martin cites, in part, what many restaurants and bars are facing — the economic downturn combined with the increasing costs of running a business. Martin said that’s not the primary reason, since they’ve seen many ups and downs over the 40 years in business. They survived recessions and other downturns and trends and were able to bounce back each time.
“At this point, we said, ‘We could probably outlast this downturn, but do we really have to?’ So we decided that we’d close up,” he said.
Triple Rock is known for its solid deals on beers and food. The smashburger is around $10. They have a “Chow and Brau” lunch special that’s $13.99 that includes a 20-ounce beer, a main dish, and a side dish. “Maintaining those prices is tougher and tougher, and we just don’t want to price out our neighborhood and longtime clientele,” Martin said.
Martin is hoping that the final few months will be celebratory. When they first opened, people made pilgrimages to the brewpub from all over the Bay Area and California, since the concept was still novel. Now that brewpubs are more commonplace – there are more than 900 in California registered with the Brewers Association – it’s become more of a local joint.
He hasn’t decided yet on the day they’ll pour their last pint, but it will likely be some time between the last day of the semester at Cal (Dec. 18) and the end of the year. Martin added that his current employees will have other places to land, including Drake’s and Jupiter.
As part of the festive final months, Triple Rock plans to bring back some 80s specials, including pints of beer for $1.75, the price in 1986.
Martin says he also hopes to bring back alumni brewers, many of whom have gone on to open their own establishments, to brew at Triple Rock once again. This includes Shaun O’Sullivan, co-founder of 21st Amendment Brewery, Rodger Davis, co-founder of Faction Brewing, and Christian Kazakoff, brewmaster of Canyon Club, among others.
In addition, he’s hoping to see former clients come back to drink a few rounds or have a few bites. He plans to bring back some one-off beers and some of other beers that were popular.
He’s not sure what will happen to the building, which he and his brother co-own, and may lease or sell it. They are hoping a brewery, pub, or restaurant will want to serve the local community. For now, he’s concentrating on the last few months.
“We really appreciate the support we’ve had these last 40 years from our neighbors, the citizens of Berkeley, and the whole region,” Martin said.
