A general's prized mare and a shipwreck. A naval shipyard founded in 1854. Forty thousand welders, torpedo makers, radiomen and Rosie the Riveters securing our freedom through a Civil, a Cold, and two World Wars. Two winemakers now toiling to handcraft beer worthy of this historic island.
Behind Every Great Beer
Is a great story
Learn about the storied naval base, how our founders went from wine to beer, and the story of how our little brewery grew into the communal hub our loyal patrons have come to love.
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Riding Mare Island with Tails, Ales & Trails
Posted:
8/12/2026
Category:
Beers
Turns out the best way to see Mare Island is from a bike seat, with a cold one at every stop.
Our founders Kent Fortner and Ryan Gibbons recently spent a morning pedaling the island with Nick Woodard, host of Tails, Ales & Trails — a podcast built around the great outdoors and the craft beverages that pair with it. They rolled through the old shipyard, stopped at a handful of the historic sites that gave our beers their names, and cracked a few cans along the way.
It's a behind-the-scenes look at the living history of Mare Island, and at what happens when you put two brewery co-founders on bicycles and let them talk about the shipyard for an hour.
Pour yourself a pint and hit play. Then come do the ride yourself — the Coal Shed Brewery is right there on the Mare Island waterfront when you're ready for a post-ride pint.
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