Just FYI the place is (temporarily?) closed even if Google says otherwise. There are no phone numbers or websites to get any info. The Rare Barrel was bought by Cellar Maker and it’s unclear when it’ll reopen. The only way to get info is to call the Cellarmaker pizza place in SF. Bummer as this is the only brewery specialized in sours in the Bay. Hope it reopens soon, at the same level of quality as before it was bought.
Emma H.
Service was very friendly, but seating inside is scarce and almost as chilly as outdoor and the outdoor area has only a few heaters. The place is packed though, so they're obviously doing something right. I found the prices to be very high, and for pours that were very small, to boot. East Bay brewery hopping is perhaps my favorite activity, but we have never returned to Rare after the one time. I love sours, so I'll give it another shot one day, but dayum gina, them prices. Many moons ago somebody gifted me a (super thoughtful) box of various beers all brewed with wine grapes (it was a big phase for me) and there were several selections from Rare included. In hindsight, that person must've dropped a pretty penny on that gift. Thanks friend!
Janice M.
Although I can't wait for Cellarmaker to make it nearby my neighborhood, I'm humbled to have visited this place while it's still Rare Barrel. Their hazies are good! The ambience is chill! Lots of doggos and everyone behind the bar is nice
Jem T.
If you love sour beer, come here. My brother brought me here during one of our sibling dates and I was so excited to try a different brewery in Berkeley. The staff is very friendly, although there's limited seating inside, there is a spacious outdoor area to enjoy your beer. There are also board games that you can use while you're there. Unfortunately, the full kitchen wasn't open when we visited, but their food selection was decent. It is also family and pet friendly!
I M
Great sour beers
Lila R.
This place is pretty cool. There are a lot of sour beers (that's what they do here), and it's a really big, industrial space with some fun places to sit or stand and have a beer. The beers are getting all kinds of press!
Jonathan Stokes
I appreciate the sours at The Rare Barrel, but as with most sours I have yet to fall for one. However I find myself daydreaming about their blurred grape ales and attempting to rationalize unnecessary trips to Berkeley. This brewery is pushing the boundaries of what is beer.
Sharing YourPassion
The Rare Barrel is a nice Berkeley brewery to have a good time with friends. They have BBQ and usually a food truck. Good beers.
Dan Porter
Ashton is great, the food is great, and the beer can't be beat. I challenge someone to show me a brewery with better sour beer. I've driven coast to coast and the only brewery that comes close is New Belgium for me.
Calvin Tam
Loved the sour beers and the fact they had a small parking lot. Went here after work and it was a great hang out spot. We sat inside, but outdoor seating was available.
Rare barrel is a really special spot! It's tucked away on a side street off San Pablo, at the end of a parking lot. This place is pretty popular and parking fills up quick, but i seem to always be able to get a spot. They are the go to spot for sour beers outside of almanac brewing in my opinion. They have a wide variety of unique sours in very eye catching jewel like colors. The folks who work their are super warm and friendly as well! They've had a resident food popup for a bit over the last year on and off called "Fish & Bonez" and OMG gotta rave about them too. The food made by the beautiful people at F&B is some of the most flavorful, inventive, and visually stunning that I've had! And a bonus is that a lot of it is vegetarian, but you don't lose out on any savory flavor with the dishes, so as a meat and potatoes type of person the food still hits just the same. And they use firebrand bread! Rate barrel definitely brings together the epicures, not so much the foodies in my opinion. Love this place, and their understated location and aesthetic, they care about good beer, good food, and good service!
Brian Davenport
Brewmaster needs to balance the flavors, just awful swill. Children at a brewery?! Really? It's freezing cold and no heating available. Food is sub par. I should have guessed that my beverage would be terrible based on the warning from the server that it was "highly tannic" which translates to terrible. Seriously, please get a brewer that knows what they are doing. It seems their batches are highly experimental which means they don't know what they are doing and therefor can't offer consistency.
Uday Mehta
Came by on a Saturday – it’s tucked away in an industrial complex but the property itself is huge. It’s a bit far from campus but only a few minutes from the marina if you’re headed in that direction. There were no more than a couple dozen people, but they could easily fit way more given the substantial indoor and outdoor seating. We’re huge fans of sours, and this place specializes in them, specifically sours aged in barrels. We tried the Key Lime Star Press ’22 (excellent, wish I had gotten a pack), Playing for Keeps ’21 (good, quite tart), Blurred Carbonic ’21 (okay), and Tara’s Bulbasaur (good, worth getting for the can art). The bartender was friendly and let us try splashes of a couple of things before we ordered. Will definitely be coming back here when we’re in the area.
Brandon Whitcher
Amazing beer, nice outside space and the staff were very knowledgeable. I would come back again and again
Uday M.
Came by on a Saturday - it's tucked away in an industrial complex but the property itself is huge. It's a bit far from campus but only a few minutes from the marina if you're headed in that direction. There were no more than a couple dozen people, but they could easily fit way more given the substantial indoor and outdoor seating. We're huge fans of sours, and this place specializes in them, specifically sours aged in barrels. We tried the Key Lime Star Press '22 (excellent, wish I had gotten a pack), Playing for Keeps '21 (good, quite tart), Blurred Carbonic '21 (okay), and Tara's Bulbasaur (good, worth getting for the can art). The bartender was friendly and let us try splashes of a couple of things before we ordered. Will definitely be coming back here when we're in the area.
Just FYI the place is (temporarily?) closed even if Google says otherwise. There are no phone numbers or websites to get any info. The Rare Barrel was bought by Cellar Maker and it’s unclear when it’ll reopen. The only way to get info is to call the Cellarmaker pizza place in SF. Bummer as this is the only brewery specialized in sours in the Bay. Hope it reopens soon, at the same level of quality as before it was bought.
Service was very friendly, but seating inside is scarce and almost as chilly as outdoor and the outdoor area has only a few heaters. The place is packed though, so they're obviously doing something right. I found the prices to be very high, and for pours that were very small, to boot. East Bay brewery hopping is perhaps my favorite activity, but we have never returned to Rare after the one time. I love sours, so I'll give it another shot one day, but dayum gina, them prices. Many moons ago somebody gifted me a (super thoughtful) box of various beers all brewed with wine grapes (it was a big phase for me) and there were several selections from Rare included. In hindsight, that person must've dropped a pretty penny on that gift. Thanks friend!
Although I can't wait for Cellarmaker to make it nearby my neighborhood, I'm humbled to have visited this place while it's still Rare Barrel. Their hazies are good! The ambience is chill! Lots of doggos and everyone behind the bar is nice
If you love sour beer, come here. My brother brought me here during one of our sibling dates and I was so excited to try a different brewery in Berkeley. The staff is very friendly, although there's limited seating inside, there is a spacious outdoor area to enjoy your beer. There are also board games that you can use while you're there. Unfortunately, the full kitchen wasn't open when we visited, but their food selection was decent. It is also family and pet friendly!
Great sour beers
This place is pretty cool. There are a lot of sour beers (that's what they do here), and it's a really big, industrial space with some fun places to sit or stand and have a beer. The beers are getting all kinds of press!
I appreciate the sours at The Rare Barrel, but as with most sours I have yet to fall for one. However I find myself daydreaming about their blurred grape ales and attempting to rationalize unnecessary trips to Berkeley. This brewery is pushing the boundaries of what is beer.
The Rare Barrel is a nice Berkeley brewery to have a good time with friends. They have BBQ and usually a food truck. Good beers.
Ashton is great, the food is great, and the beer can't be beat. I challenge someone to show me a brewery with better sour beer. I've driven coast to coast and the only brewery that comes close is New Belgium for me.
Loved the sour beers and the fact they had a small parking lot. Went here after work and it was a great hang out spot. We sat inside, but outdoor seating was available.
Restaurantji Recommends
Rare barrel is a really special spot! It's tucked away on a side street off San Pablo, at the end of a parking lot. This place is pretty popular and parking fills up quick, but i seem to always be able to get a spot. They are the go to spot for sour beers outside of almanac brewing in my opinion. They have a wide variety of unique sours in very eye catching jewel like colors. The folks who work their are super warm and friendly as well! They've had a resident food popup for a bit over the last year on and off called "Fish & Bonez" and OMG gotta rave about them too. The food made by the beautiful people at F&B is some of the most flavorful, inventive, and visually stunning that I've had! And a bonus is that a lot of it is vegetarian, but you don't lose out on any savory flavor with the dishes, so as a meat and potatoes type of person the food still hits just the same. And they use firebrand bread! Rate barrel definitely brings together the epicures, not so much the foodies in my opinion. Love this place, and their understated location and aesthetic, they care about good beer, good food, and good service!
Brewmaster needs to balance the flavors, just awful swill. Children at a brewery?! Really? It's freezing cold and no heating available. Food is sub par. I should have guessed that my beverage would be terrible based on the warning from the server that it was "highly tannic" which translates to terrible. Seriously, please get a brewer that knows what they are doing. It seems their batches are highly experimental which means they don't know what they are doing and therefor can't offer consistency.
Came by on a Saturday – it’s tucked away in an industrial complex but the property itself is huge. It’s a bit far from campus but only a few minutes from the marina if you’re headed in that direction. There were no more than a couple dozen people, but they could easily fit way more given the substantial indoor and outdoor seating. We’re huge fans of sours, and this place specializes in them, specifically sours aged in barrels. We tried the Key Lime Star Press ’22 (excellent, wish I had gotten a pack), Playing for Keeps ’21 (good, quite tart), Blurred Carbonic ’21 (okay), and Tara’s Bulbasaur (good, worth getting for the can art). The bartender was friendly and let us try splashes of a couple of things before we ordered. Will definitely be coming back here when we’re in the area.
Amazing beer, nice outside space and the staff were very knowledgeable. I would come back again and again
Came by on a Saturday - it's tucked away in an industrial complex but the property itself is huge. It's a bit far from campus but only a few minutes from the marina if you're headed in that direction. There were no more than a couple dozen people, but they could easily fit way more given the substantial indoor and outdoor seating. We're huge fans of sours, and this place specializes in them, specifically sours aged in barrels. We tried the Key Lime Star Press '22 (excellent, wish I had gotten a pack), Playing for Keeps '21 (good, quite tart), Blurred Carbonic '21 (okay), and Tara's Bulbasaur (good, worth getting for the can art). The bartender was friendly and let us try splashes of a couple of things before we ordered. Will definitely be coming back here when we're in the area.