OUR STORY
Founded in 1989
San Leandro, CA
- Leaned hard into IPAs + core SKUs (Racer 5, Juicy Hoot, Best Coast)
- Prioritized retail + chain-ready packaging formats
- Balanced innovation (San Leandro) with scaled production (partners)
- Positioned as scrappy but strategic survivor in a tough craft market
our journey
1989
in the beginning
During the dawn of micro-brewing in the Bay Area, Roger Lind stepped into a former Dodge factory in San Leandro, CA, and started Lind Brewing Company, which would later become Drake's Brewing. Lind was a brewer at Triple Rock in Berkeley, one of the first brewpubs in America, and set off on his own to brew draft-only English-style ales.
The original brewery
Lind constructed a 15 Barrel brewing system using repurposed dairy steel and several “Grundy” tanks imported from England during the 1980s. The gravity fed brewing system was hand made, and it served not only as the brewing system, but as a symbol of hard work and adaptability.
Vintage Advertisement
We've never taken ourselves too seriously, from the day the brewery was founded.
1998
the founder departs
Roger Lind sold the brewery to a local coffee company, which continued to brew Drake's beer.
2000
bottled six-packs arrive
It's hard to believe, but Drake's beer wasn't available in six-packs until the year 2000, when maritime artwork inspired by Sir Francis Drake still adorned our bottles. Shortly thereafter, all references and images related to the sea captain were removed. Drake's Brewing is now named for our feathered friends, mallard ducks, also known as a "drake."
2002
Drake's IPA Wins Gold at GABF
We've developed a reputation for brewing fantastic IPAs, and Drake's IPA winning gold at the Great American Beer Festival was just the beginning. It was the first of six total GABF medals we've won to date.
2004
Hold On To Your Head
After three weeks in the tanks and one minor incident involving a pressure relief valve jettisoning across the cellar and nearly decapitating a brewer, Denogginizer Double IPA was born. It's now one of our best-selling beers.
2008
A New Era
John Martin and his business partner, Roy Kirkorian, purchased the brewery. Over the years, they have expanded brewing capacity, distribution, and started producing West Coast style ales using an abundance of high quality hops and malt. Drake’s beer is distributed throughout California and has become a household name in the state’s brewing community.
2011
Barrel House Opens
Drake’s Barrel House opened at our San Leandro brewery to serve as the tasting room and retail home of the company. Hundreds of wine and spirit barrels adorn the walls. A wide variety of Drake’s beer can be sampled and purchased, including year-round releases, experimental batches, and barrel-aged beers. The Barrel House also offers food from our Brew! Kitchen.
2015
Hello Oakland
Drake’s Dealership opened in downtown Oakland, inside the shell of a former Dodge Dealership and repair shop. The beer garden and full service restaurant was built largely of repurposed wood and steel from the existing structure. In a short time, the Dealership has become renowned for its excellent food menu, featuring locally sourced, farm fresh, and seasonal ingredients. Fresh beer is served from 32 taps or can be purchased to-go.
2016
Brewhouse & Cellar Expansion
A new 60-barrel brewhouse and fermentation tanks to match, boosted our brewing capacity, ensuring more people could find and enjoy Drake's beer.
2018
Our First Can
Originally launched in bottles as a summer seasonal in 2016, Kick Back IPA became the first Drake's beer in can.
More Than a Brewery
In 2018, we opened Drake's: The Barn, a massive riverfront beer garden and event space that changed the direction of the business. We were still focused on brewing great beer, but this was the point where hospitality, food, live music, and community became a much bigger part of who we are.
Barrel-Aging Program Wins Gold
Our most recent gold medal win at the Great American Beer Festival was brought home by our Advanced Oak team for Santa's Brass, a barleywine aged in whiskey and port barrels.
New Bottling Line
We capped off a big year by firing up a new bottling line, allowing us to ship more beer to customers. It can fill 40 bottles at one time.
2019
Pushing Production
We added a kegging line, hit peak production output, and kept experimenting with beers like the Urban Animal Series, including Foraging Raccoon, War Pigeon, and Wandering Opossum. At the same time, we kept investing in our spaces and building places people actually wanted to spend time in.
2021
Bigger Line, Bigger Reach
A large-scale canning line was installed, with Hopocalypse White becoming one of the first beers to run through it. Best Coast was canned for the first time, and the Drink Different variety pack helped introduce more people to the lineup in an easy retail format.
2023
Welcoming an Iconic Craft Brand
Bear Republic Brewing Company joined the Drake’s family, bringing iconic beers like Racer 5 into the portfolio. It was a major move that expanded our production, distribution, and reach while helping preserve another longtime California craft brewery.
A Big Shift
Juicy Hoot launched and quickly became part of our core lineup. We officially ended our bottling era with a final celebratory run of Drake’s Denogginizer Double IPA, before moving fully into cans as part of our long-term sustainability efforts and focus on reducing waste and improving efficiency.
2024
Something Juicy
In 2024, we kept evolving what we brew while continuing to experiment and grow how our beers show up in the market. Juicy Hoot expanded into year-round 6-packs and 12 oz cans, becoming a more consistent part of our lineup and reaching more people in a format built for everyday drinking.
Sustainability in Action
Bold Rush launched, and we continued to put our sustainability values into practice across the company. Drake’s Barrel House and Drake’s: The Barn both became certified California Green Businesses, and we were recognized with a StopWaste Environmental Leadership Award for our ongoing work in waste prevention and reuse.
2025
Official Craft Beer of Cal
We partnered with the University of California, Berkeley to launch Oski’s California Gold from Bear Republic and became the school’s official craft beer partner. It marked a big step into sports partnerships and reaching new drinkers beyond the traditional craft beer crowd.
That same year, Hal McConnellogue was named Sustainability Subcommittee Co-Chair for the Brewers Association.
Beer and Beyond
We launched a two-brewery IPA Variety Pack featuring both Drake’s and Bear Republic beers, alongside a refreshed Aroma Coma recipe and format. Bold Rush also won gold in the American-Style Cream Ale category at the World Beer Cup.
At Drake’s Dealership, we expanded beyond beer with a full cocktail program and bar setup, continuing to evolve how people experience what we make without losing focus on beer.
2026
West Coast Craft
Drake’s and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company formed West Coast Craft, a joint venture focused on production efficiency, distribution scale, and long-term survival in a difficult craft beer market.
The partnership immediately created one of the largest independent craft brewing platforms in California while keeping both breweries independently rooted in the state’s beer culture.
OUR STAFF MAKE DRAKE’S GO ROUND
Without our staff there would be no story, and no beer! We have a dedicated team, from the office to the brewhouse, and we’re grateful for their commitment to quality and hospitality.
