The Rare Barrel

Rare Barrel, one of the greatest beer treasures known to man, lies tucked away in an unassuming warehouse in Berkeley. Upon entering the building, you will notice a small bar area with some seating and hundreds of barrels behind it. This is where Rare Barrel’s sour beers age, while brewmasters and beer lovers wait patiently. When the time is right, the barrels are opened and either bottled or sold on tap in Rare Barrel or selected local pubs. Even if you’re not a sour fan, give it a chance, they grow on you after a few; once you’re attuned, you’ll soon be craving the style.
If you give Rare Barrel a try, you’ll immediately notice the amazing variety of sour beers that the brewery produces. Every batch is an experiment (spices and fruits) and, thus, every batch is limited. This creates a sort of sampling heaven, where each sour beer lover will find their match.
Start off with ‘Map of the Sun’ (brewed with apricots) Too fruity? Try another one. Too hoppy? Try another with ginger or grapefruit. Too sour? Try yet another; At Rare Barrel, finding the perfect sour is easier than ever. And don’t worry if drinking these gives you the munchies, they serve one thing, fantastic grilled cheese.
Summarizing, Rare Barrel is what happens when a bunch of sour beer geeks decide to experiment and take on the Belgians: a great place to try new and creative sour beers. We love it.

The Rare Barrel is a pretty cool sour beer producer! The brewers are former Bruery employees who came up here to make some dope beer. Tasty stuff for sure. Great tap room for the craft fans. No TVs though and minimum food options.
Definitely worth checking out if you love sour beers!
Tip: Bottles to go are often available!

Cannot say enough good things about this brewery. Extremely high quality brews with a great tasting room and location that’s easy to access.
Additionally the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Everyone I ran into was very open to discussing the company’s beers and process. Refreshing visit, I hope to repeat many times in the future.

The Rare Barrel has been on my radar for quite some time. I’m not exactly a sour beer aficionado, but I’m working on gaining a better appreciation for this tangy beverage, and figured I could be pointed in the right direction under the guidance of some specialists .
THE HIGHLIGHTS.
+ Huge, fantastic place filled with barrels of rare sours
+ Small kitchen with plenty of bar snacks
+ Big, open seating selection, with a killer choice in music
— No tasters available (or flights), just full servings of singular beers
It’s a pretty chill place to hang out, although I do wish there were more options to try more sours, as if you’re new to the drink, being stuck with one full pint or so is more than you might want. I did like the advice that I got from the bartender — if you’re new to sours, give your drink a chance to warm up to you. About halfway through the glass, it should really open up and your palette should have adjusted, making the drink pretty enjoyable
I’d be back if I had more time (and a bigger tolerance!).

If I had a brewery with a tasting room, it would look a lot like this. Spacious, industrial, modern.
Maybe a few more comfy seating options, and an outdoor patio, but that’s just me dreaming.
Beers were expensive, but good. Service was friendly, and adorably hip; music was on point.
A great spot to try some great sours, and maybe that grilled cheese they were offering.. .

Okay, I admit their workers can be a bit pompous but I can sweep that under the rug as long as I get my share of sour beer (so I’m kinda forced to saying I’m a fan). At first, I never realized that this place was fully functional simply because it’s hidden from the main street and is only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The tasting room is large with lots of long tables and chairs, a few sofas, and rocking chairs. It had more of the «minimalist» vibe going on and by vibe, it also applies to their food menu (if they have any food that day) but it’s okay, I’m here for the beer, see — and with limited sour breweries in the bay area, I ain’t gonna complain.

Yet another establishment where the beers speak for themselves so I’ll focus on the more Unilocal-​oriented details.
Yes, it’s way the heck out of the main area in Berkeley. But I don’t care.
Yes, they only serve grilled cheese as their (finger) food option. But I don’t care.
Yes, you’re severely limited in terms of takeout beer options unless you’re an exclusive member of the Ambassadors of Sour. But frankly, I don’t care about that either.
What I do care about is the fact that despite all the beergeek hype surrounding this place, the people are extremely humble and passionate about beer and most importantly, the community. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that it’s located a little off from the main Berkeley, but even the patrons here are decidedly more down-​to-​earth and easygoing than the ones you find at some of the more student-​oriented bars downtown (e.g. Pappy’s, Eureka).
Okay fine, so I’m fumbling around the dark here, but I first came here on my birthday and despite the fact that there were about seven of us, Rare Barrel were very accommodating despite it being a busy Thursday night; they even recommended some good places to grab a bite in the neighborhood and apologized for their lack of food choices and all three of the beer servers at the counter comped me a drink each — who the hell even does that anymore?
As long as they never change who they are, the Rare Barrel can take all my money and keep it.

Damn I wish The Rare Barrel was closer to home. They make some awesome sours. And it shows on their wall from the medals they won at the GABF. I first came here for their 2 year anniversary party and they served up some incredible sours, both vintage and currently on tap. They had Real Smoked BBQ catered and that was BOMB. I can’t wait until 2016 since I am an ambassador and will be trying more of their stuff.

After hearing so many friends rave about this place, it’s been on my bookmark list for months. We were finally in the area with a little time to kill and decided to grab a drink.
Their sours were very good and they have their own lot (which is really nice in this area). Service super pleasant.
My only suggestion — they should offer flights so that you can try multiples of their sours. There is only so much I can drink in one sitting.

I really like Sour Beers and I think the Rare Barrel makes the best out there. They have a good sour to them but not overly punchy sour but instead they do a really good job of having a variety of flavors in their sours. I love Home Sour Home (like a Peach Cobbler), Another World and Ensorcelled. I love visiting too — they get crowded but have so much room you don’t feel like your squished.

Pass.
Environment: Super loud and packed on a weekend. The environment was just not conducive to having a conversation. Everyone was yelling, trying to hear the person next to them.
Beer: Sour beer is not for the faint of heart. I took one sip and knew we would never be. #whatcouldhavebeen
Service: Pretty good. The bartenders are attentive and polite. There’s also self-​serve water on tap in the center of the bar so you don’t have to get water from the bartenders. (this is a huge plus and all bars should have this!)
Food: Unless you like grilled cheese sandwiches, there’s no food. Eat before or after.

I am a huge fan of sour beer. When my friend told me he lived right down the street from an incredible all-​sour brewery, I knew it was about time for a visit. We came on a Saturday night. The place was pretty packed (with a younger crowd). The space itself is a relatively dark a warehouse, but it manages to have a really lively and almost even classy atmosphere.
At first I was a bit turned off by the price ($ 8 for a 10 ounce pour of just about anything), but after the first sip I was hooked. I had Err on the Side of Awesome, a collaboration with New Belgium Brewing. It had just the right amount of biting sour and cherry flavor. I was completely sold on the price after tasting the delicious brew, and would have had a few more if I had not been on a budget!
When one of my beer geek friends found out I was at The Rare Barrel, he insisted I bring back a bottle (unfortunately they were all out at the time). If they have bottles while you are there be sure to stock up, your out-​of-​town beer geek friends will be very pleased!
I cannot wait until I have the chance to visit The Rare Barrel again. If you are in the area and already love sour beer or are the least bit curious as to what exactly it is, The Rare Barrel is a must visit! You might even want to bring that one friend who prefers wine to beer and show them what they have been missing out on.

A brewery devoted to all sours? Wow, I must admit I’m not the biggest sour fan in the world, but this place was legit. Brought to you by the guy who had a hand in Placentia’s The Bruery, this is for serious sourheads only. I got my sour taste buds thoroughly christened during this visit and I liked it! This is an impressively large space, with an airy, open feel that was quite pleasant. Add very friendly staff into the mix and you have an instant local institution. I knew Richard and Judy K wouldn’t steer me wrong.
STEPH JUDGEMENT: If you like sours, this is a must-​visit.

When I first got into the craft beer scene nearly a decade ago, I was all about that hops, about that hops, no lagers… and definitely no fruity ass sours. The hoppier and bitter the better. However, as I grew older, akin to the spontaneous fermentation process in sour beers, my palate literally got tapped out of IPAs and switched to less bitter beers such as trappist ales and Belgian-​style ales.
And then one day two awesome fellow alcoholic friends from Costa Mesa, CA introduced me to The Bruery in Placentia and BAZINGA I was addicted like a moth to a flame, a fat kid to cake, a dog to buttholes, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. True to their Reserve Society membership status at The Bruery, my married friends even played the «Chocolate Rain» viral video while they poured me Chocolate Rain from The Bruery on Burns Night of all nights!
Sadly, I relocated to the East Bay for work and thought I had lost access to consistently sour beers. That was until I stumbled upon The Rare Barrel in Berkeley and saw that like The Bruery they focused on sour beers. It was like motherfucking destiny. Cue Paul Anka’s «You Are My Destiny»
.
When I first walked into The Rare Barrel with my equally sour beer loving wife (in fact she takes it to another level and would drink balsamic vinegar straight up if it had alcohol in it), we were a bit bummed that they did not offer any tasters. However, they only had about six beers on tap so we ended up drinking four between us.
As we flipped to the back of their ever-​changing menu, we saw that they had quite a selection of guest taps and among them was The Bruery. Then I started talking to one of the pourers and she was like, «oh yea, our headbrewer worked for The Bruery». No fucking wonder. Cue Paul Anka’s «You Are My Destiny»
.
Their staple beer is the Home, Sour Home, which is the only beer that they bottle as of now. It is a bit pricey at $ 25, but man oh man is it worth it. Listen to this, the Home, Sweet Home is a golden sour that is aged in oak barrels with peaches, cinnamon, and vanilla beans!
During a recent visit we had the Dubious Proposal that was a red sour beer aged in oak barrels with strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries that was truly off the charts. My wife loved it because it tasted like a fusion of balsamic vinegar and red wine. I thought it tasted like Vander Ghinste Cuvée des Jacobins from Belgium myself and thought it was berry, berry, berry delicious!
The Arrows of Neon was another beer we tried and man, it was really different. It was a golden sour beer aged in oak barrels with lemon and lime peels that tasted like a Sprite on fucking steroids… crap, that gave my age away — and all this time I was trying to blend in with all the Cal students.
So, correction, the Arrows of Neon tasted like Sprite on performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Loved every last bit and all I can say is «obey your thirst» and try this if it is on tap!
Speaking of which, check their website before you go because they change their beers daily. Moreover, for now, they are only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. So if you show up on Thursday, that is a fucking YOU problem.
Also, since they sell a $ 5 grilled cheese sandwich, no furbabies are allowed.
After all that is said and done, anytime I am in Berkeley during the weekend, I will try and stop by The Rare Barrel because not only do they have a humongous parking lot, they are my motherfucking destiny. Cue Paul Anka’s «You Are My Destiny»
.
* Shout out to Joe L. and Sandya N. for introducing my better half and I to sours.
* Link to Chocolate Rain viral video

I’m not a huge sour beer fan but, holy moly I could be if every sour beer matched the rare barrel standard ! I’ve been here twice and can’t wait to go back again for more sour beer. Their sour beers are out of this world delicious and not too heavy on the sourness… many of their selections are light and not too filing… Inside its spacious with long tables and a few barrel tables to stand around as well. Chill and friendly vibe here. They have a large parking lot out front, look for the NOLO sign on the building next to them and turn into the lot. What a gem here in Berkeley !

El menú de cerveza lo cambian ocacionalente, cervezas diferentes y ácidas.
Hay un sanduche sencillo de queso el cual pienso que es delicioso.
No me gusta que solo venden algunas cosas para los que están en el club y para estar dentro del club te toca esperar en una lista mucho tiempo.
El lugar es agradable y buena atención

As part of my beer education/​beer tasting night, in Berkeley, I was told to go to Rare Barrel for, my favorite type of beer, sours.
I really like this place! It’s a warehouse… if you’re not looking for it, you probably miss it.
Inside a parking lot, the lamp on top of the sign makes it difficult to read, and when we went there was no one outside, making it seem like they were closed but, we knew they weren’t. So, we kept walking towards it, opened the door and there it was, a space filled with barrels, and more barrels.
Barrels holding the beer, barrels as tables, barrels at the bar… Very casual environment.
They have some tables with chairs for groups, as well as high chairs for a «bar like» feel across the bar.
The bar was well covered by 3 — 4 people, and others walking around making sure everything was clean and everyone had a beer in hand.
Menus have 2 sides, 1^st (my favorite) the sour beers. Each beer has a description of what it is but, if you’re like me, and don’t know much about beers or want to try something new or different, ask the staff, they will quickly and gladly make a recommendation.
Based on ingredients I went with the Sourtooth Tiger. It’s a golden sour beer with ginger. According to all my friends there, this was the most sour of all the ones we had, and I was very happy with it. Sour beers remind me of eating my favorite (handpicked) fruits as a kid — passion fruit, tamarinds… When the taste buds explode you know it’s good :p
With one picked I asked one of the girls at the bar for a recommendation, she immediately said to get the Ensorcelled. This one is one of their most popular ones, and won an award for sour beer category in 2014. It has raspberry notes to it, making it fruity and I think a great one to start if trying sours for the first time.
I also tried the Egregious which was a little dryer than the first two.
On that first side of the menu, there’s also the Bottles menu, and they even had a grilled cheese (food is good when trying so many good beers)
Second side of the menu is the guest beers, guest wines, waters, and merchandise.
I loved being able to have the barrel experience. It was fun standing around one, drinking beers that came out of one, and confirm my love for sour beers.

Rare Barrel is exactly what you’d expect from the name. Rare sour beers that you can’t find anywhere else and can seldom find in the majority of bars or restaurants. Well, not exactly rare but this is one of the few microbreweries that specialize in just sours alone (bring more to California)!
If you’re not familiar with sours, I recommend coming here and getting your sour cherry popped! The staff is highly knowledgable and can lead you in the right direction based on what flavors you’d like to taste. Shoot, I’d say that a sour is a good way to get a non beer drinker to actually sip on a brew (trust me on this)!
They don’t do flights here but you can definitely get a splash of the various sours. They’ve got everything from the bold dark fruity flavors to more tart flavors such as their golden sours. I highly recommend ordering a few of them with your friends and having a taste of each one so you can see the sour goodness they’ve got here.
Be sure to come after you’ve had a bite because all they have here is grilled cheese. Or just get your buzz on and load up your belly on some beers before you head off for a bite elsewhere!
Grab a bottle before you take off as well (I went with their damn good Ensorcelled dark sour beer).

How did I find sour beer? The culprit is one d/​t grocery store that has a really awesome beer selection. There hidden amongst my choice of four flights was this really, really good tasting beer. It was the sour style of beer. That was back in January of this year and since then I’ve searched everywhere for that ultimate sour beer. The one that I will call my favorite! Since then I’ve talked about sour beer like Bubba Gump did. Except on the context of where I can actually find it. Lots of it! Where can I go where they won’t/can’t say the dreaded words «We’re Out!»
I found the Rare Barrel Brewery where it would be impossible for them to utter the above words or it would be darn ridiculous! Murderous!
Like one good friend knows now I do my best when I do research. On anything! I just didn’t find the ONLY sour beer brewery in the Bay Area but also discovered that there’s a whole community that loves it! They’re in Berkeley. My very own town where I call home. Sweet irony!
What makes a beer sour? Unlike modern brewing which is done in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of wild yeast. Sour beers are the «dirty» beers. On purpose by allowing wild yeast strains or bacteria into brew. Because of the uncertainty involved in using wild yeast, the sour beer process is extremely unpredictable. The beer takes months to ferment and years to mature. Knowing this makes sense why you pay $ 21/​bottle.
Well thanks to this group of sour beer enthusiast RB is conceived. My new bff!
They picked a perfect location. Industrial chick, high ceiling open floor design. A great view of the barrels. Communal tables. Soft couches or if you prefer to stand around barrels that’s fine too.
The Rare Barrel has about 8 different sours that you can try. Tiger Lily, Entanglement, Kerfuffle, Tangerang, What Hop Pun, Sour Tooth Tiger, Forces Unseen and Shadows of Their Eyes. The last one sold in bottles only. Each pour is $ 8.
They carry one item to munch while you drink. They change so don’t expect the same old same old. I was told it could be a BBQ! What?! When I was there this weekend it was the classic grilled cheese. They used the sharpest cheese possible with a splash of garlic infused oil to compliment their beer. $ 5. Hey! This is a brewery so their main focus is beer. Duh! No worries. They allow you to bring your very own munchies! Yes! Happy now? Geez!
If you decide to drive it’s about 45 minutes from the south bay or BART it and it’s a two mile short walk from the Ashby station.
Walk in. Order at the bar. Grab a seat. Mingle or not but boy please take your time to enjoy this beer. You may pucker your first time you try but It. Will. Grow. On. You! But if you really must they also have «Guest» beers and wines.
I’m hosting a UYE there this month! Come join us! Link below:

FYI — Janet O. has a UYE event at this place, go to her event page for more details! If you are going to try it anyways, might as well do it with some Unilocal friends.
Definitely a cool brewery. It’s surprisingly comfortable and pleasing on the eyes. There are few leather lazy boy style seats and two grand tables with capacities of 16 and 22 persons. The bar is stainless steel with subway titles as your view. Simple and practical of a place, definitely industrial design with wood accents. The ambiance is Berkeley style.
The menu includes five sour beers, an acquired taste for sure. If sour beer is not your thing don’t panic, they have guest beers on tap, like IPA and others. There is also limited selection of guest wine. They also sell bottled beers, but not all are on tap. The food selection is simple and complimentary to the beer, Grilled Cheese, although they change it up once in a while. They allow customers to bring food in, as the brewery is focusing on the beer. I had the Kerfuffle, which was mildly sour with tones of strawberry and raspberry… yummy!
Parking is available along the colored building on the left when facing the brewery entrance. Also street parking is ample going left out of the gated parking lot. Parking to the right is metered with 15 minute maximum parking duration. The bartenders are polite and informative, just step up to the bar and they will make sure you get what you like.
Very nice place to have a tasty beer during the day or evening.

Good lord. I would fly back to the bay JUST for Rare Barrel.
A few of us decided to stop by during our few days in SF, and much to our disappointment, it was their anniversary celebration so the brewery was closed for their event. Sobbbbbb
But we couldn’t give up. We made time to come back the next day, and it was THE single best decision we made that entire trip in SF. We spent the next 2 – 3 glorious hours trying the remnants of their special anniversary beers that remained on tap (we tapped out the Fields Forever. teehee), and then moved on to the main brews.
Divine.
Everything we had was top notch. Everything was excellent, but a few of them did stand out just a tad bit more than the others.
Our utmost favorites: Unlimited Juice, Shades of Cool, Map of the Sun, Forces Unseen Blend 2, Sirius Black, Wise Guise, Fields Forever
Our other favorites: Across the Sea, Grainsta’s Paradise, Forces Unseen Blend 1 (+ only 2 months bottle aging. still waiting for a good time to open the other bottle up!)
If you like sours, if you like tart, and if you like über friendly beertenders who take their time to explain the brews to you, you will fall in love with Rare Barrel. We sure as hell did. The beers are only $ 8 also, which makes it such an incredible deal. We also picked up some bottles of the Forces Unseen Blend 1’s, for $ 20. Their bottle selection will vary, but if you’re looking for a good souvenir, you’ve found it!
I can’t wait until the day we can step foot here again. I’m jealous of everyone reading this with easy access to the brewery. You. Are. So. Lucky.