Beer Baron Expands To Rockridge, Also Features Whiskeys And Brunch

Beer Baron Expands To Rockridge, Also Features Whiskeys And BrunchPhoto: Cirrus Wood
Cirrus Wood
Published on April 06, 2018

Rockridge has a new after-work bistro and weekend brunch patio locale with Beer Baron at 5900 College Avenue. The Oakland location is the fourth in the Bay Area franchise run by the same family, which already has restaurant-bards in Livermore, Pleasanton, and Santa Rosa.

All locations share a similar vibe. “They’re all ‘downtown’ based,” said founder Harpreet Judge. “We like to be within a community.”

“The name is a little bit of a misnomer,” said Prince Singh, Judge’s cousin and director of operations at Beer Baron Oakland. Aside from 23 craft beers on tap, Beer Baron also offers bar snacks, small plates, classic bar-grill dinners like prawns and locally-sourced burgers, and around 500 varietal whiskeys. “Though it’ll probably go up to about 7,” said Singh.

The bar at Beer Baron/ Photo: Cirrus Wood

Those whiskeys are key to Beer Baron’s brews.

The company fosters relations with about a dozen small-batch distillers, brokering deals for both the batches and the barrels. Beer Baron then takes those whiskey barrels and offers them to local brewers, who repurpose the barrels to ferment small batch beers which are then sold back to Beer Baron in a distillation-fermentation craft drink cycle.

Additionally, Beer Baron also offers craft cocktails with all syrups and bitters made in-house, such as Cocoa Puff-infused green chartreuse, and milk punch, a concoction made with four different types of whiskey, herbs, pineapple juice, brandy, and rum. “It takes three days to make,” said Judge.

Prince Singh brands a hand-cut cube of ice/ Photo: Cirrus Wood

A further complication to the name: Beer Baron offers a whiskey club of 30 to 60 curated whiskeys, available only to club members. Membership entails a $250 enrollment, which functions the same as a gift card. But it also gives 25 percent off all whiskeys valued at $50 or more a pour. Members are also given access to Distiller Dinners, custom made dinners matched to specific whiskeys, presided over by the distillers themselves. “The guy responsible for the whiskey is there with glass in hand to answer questions,” said Singh.

Beer Baron places an emphasis on the ‘craft’ in craft brewing, distillation, and presentation. Not just partnering with small brewers and distillers, but even crafting the right ice for a cocktail. “We give it a lot of attention” said Singh, as he tweezered and branded a hand-cut cube of ice.

Photo: Cirrus Wood

Beer Baron is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 AM to 11 PM. Starting May 1st, Beer Baron will also be open Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 11 PM, Monday through Friday 11:30 AM to 11 PM. 

Thanks to tipster Adrienne D.!

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