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Check Please! Bay Area
Posted:
9/30/2023
Category:
Press
We're honored to have had our Ferry Taproom featured on an episode of KQED's James Beard and Emmy award-winning restaurant series, Check Please! Bay Area!
The whole experience was a blast, and in-case you missed the live airing, you can check out the full episode below.
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Check Please! Bay Area
Posted:
9/30/2023
We're honored to have had our Ferry Taproom featured on an episode of KQED's James Beard and Emmy award-winning restaurant series, Check Please! Bay Area!
The whole experience was a blast, and in-case you missed the live airing, you can check out the full episode below.

Announcing Our "Staff Brews" Series
Posted:
8/17/2023
We're stoked to announce our "Staff Brews" series! Small batch brews featuring ideas and recipes from our staff, and available only in our taprooms. Every few weeks, we'll be tapping one of our staff members for their ideas on a new brew, and then working with them to make it happen on our 1BBL pilot system. We're excited to get team members from across departments involved in the brewing process, and just as excited to have you all taste their creations!
STAFF BREWS #1: "TIPPY BOY" HAZY IPA
Friday, Aug. 18 – Our first Staff Brew drops at the taprooms this Friday. Tippy Boy Hazy IPA is a fruity, juice bomb dreamed up by one of our brewers, Tom. As far as the name, "Tippy Boy"? It's a long story. Check out the video below for a little behind the scenes look at the brew.
STAFF BREWS #2: "THE BIG MACK" KÖLSCH
September 27 – Our newest brewer, Mackie, created this killer Kölsch, with a nod to 90s R&B and smoke machines...
When does the next Staff Brew Drop? We'll announce the next staff brew the day before it hits the taprooms. So, follow us on Instagram & Facebook to stay in the loop.

Spring Beer Dinner & Pairing
Posted:
4/6/2023
Come indulge in a night of delicious food and perfectly paired brews! Join us at our First Street Taphouse on April 13th from 6-9pm, and feast on four mouthwatering courses, each complimented with the perfect beer or wine pairing.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite, and we only have 30 available, so grab them now.
**Yardbird Beer Club Members - check your email for a special discount code!

Join Us for Trivia Night
Posted:
2/21/2023
We're excited to bring trivia to both our First Street Taphouse and Coal Shed Brewery locations! Grab your friends, and join use every Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:30pm for craft brews, food, and a few brain ticklers from the quizmasters at King Trivia.
FIRST STREET TAPHOUSE
- Tuesdays, 6-8pm
- Starting February 28th
COAL SHED BREWERY
- Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm
- Starting March 1st

SF Beer Week Events
Posted:
2/1/2023
SF Beer Week returns February 10-19, and we have some great events happening at all three locations. Mark your calendars for the upcoming events below...
Special Release: One House Bakery Beer Collab
FRI, FEB. 10TH | FIRST STREET TAPHOUSE
"One Island" Maple Pecan Stout hits the taps at our First Street Taphouse on Feb. 10!
Created with our Benicia neighbor Hannalee from One House Bakery, this tasty brew is packed with pecan aromatic punch, and hints of Canadian maple syrup. Come visit our taps in downtown Benicia for the release of this limited SF Beer Week collab.
"One Island" Maple Pecan Stout | 7.2% ABV:
Rich oatmeal stout packed with a sweet yet powerful pecan aromatic punch. Fermented with Grade A Canadian maple syrup until bone dry, dosed with whole roasted pecans, and then back sweetened with additional maple syrup to create the perfect balance.

Super Bowl Viewing & Specials
SUN, FEB. 12TH | ALL LOCATIONS
Grab your friends and family, and join us for the Superbowl! Cold pints, football-worthy food specials, and multiple screens to watch the game at each location.
SUPER BOWL SPECIALS:
- FERRY TAPROOM: Fish & Chips - Locally Caught Rock Cod dipped in Saginaw Golden Ale Beer Batter, Old Bay Steak Fries, Tartar Sauce and Malt Vinegar
- COAL SHED BREWERY: Smoked Brisket Chili & Cornbread
- FIRST STREET TAPHOUSE: House Made Cheddar Bratwurst with Aged White Cheddar, Hydraulic Sandwich IPA Mustard, and Chourcroute (House Made Sauerkraut, Onions, Bacon, and our Ivy Bells Pilsner)

Valentine's Day Pre-Fixe Dinner & Pairing
TUE, FEB. 14TH | FIRST STREET TAPHOUSE
Treat your Valentine to a delicious date night at the Taphouse! Chef David and team have crafted a special Valentine's Day menu, featuring a 3-course dinner, with suggested beer or wine pairings. The pre-fixe dinner includes an amuse bouche, appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Make it extra special, and reserve a table upstairs in our Benicia Room! Walk-ins welcome, but availability will be limited.\
FOR RESERVATIONS:
For reservations, please email our Taphouse Manager, Jenn Shovelton at jenn@mareislandbrewingco.com, or call at 707.556.3000 ext. 4.

Taste Through Mare Island History
THURS, FEB. 16TH | FERRY TAPROOM
5:30-7:30pm – Stop by the Ferry Taproom for a special beer tasting with the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation! Grab a sampler flight of four hand-picked brews, and then learn more about the history that inspired each of them through historical artifacts from Mare Island's past.
Members from the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation will be in the Taproom to tell you more about each artifact, and the amazing history of Mare Island!

Hops + Hounds – Dog Adoption Day
SAT, FEB 18TH| COAL SHED BREWERY
1pm-5pm – We’re excited to partner with Vallejo's own Humane Society of the North Bay to help find some great homes for some great dogs. Come by our Coal Shed Brewery from 1-5pm to meet (and hopefully adopt) your new best friend.
Volunteers from the HSNB will be at the brewery, with a cadre of furry friends who are looking for their new home. You'll have a chance to meet the dogs, learn more about them from the volunteers, and submit an application to adopt. Plus, if you complete the adoptions process, you'll receive a VIP invite to our next Yardbird Beer Club Member event.
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME: While we're usually very dog-friendly, we highly encourage you leave your furry friends at home that day in order to create a comfortable environment for the adoptees.


Brew Ha Ha Podcast
Posted:
1/16/2023
Mare Island Brewing Co. Co-founders, Kent and Ryan recently stopped by Brew HaHa to talk beer, the incredible history of Mare Island, and how they're connecting the two. The episode was broadcast live on KSRO in Santa Rosa, and you can check out the full recording below!

The Benicia Room Stand-up Comedy Show
Posted:
12/13/2022

Grab a beer, some bites, and enjoy the show! Produced by Bayareacomics and hosted in the Benicia Room upstairs at our First Street Taphouse, this show promises only the funniest comedians from around the Bay and beyond.

Holiday Open House 2022
Posted:
11/17/2022
Get in the Holiday spirit Sunday, December 4th from 1-6pm! Drop by the Coal Shed Brewery to enjoy brews, food, and music around our fire pits. Pick up some great gifts for your family and friends while you're here too!
Special Beer Tastings and Releases
Taste through several previous vintages of our reserve-level beers and take some bottles home for the beer lover in your life. We will also have special limited releases on tap, including a new brew crafted by our beer club members in our Yardbird Brewer Bootcamp.
Tastings are included for Yardbirds with dog tags, and $5 for the public.
S'Mores and More
Grab a s'mores cone from Chef David, and enjoy tasty Holiday specials around the fire.
Kids Activities
Face painting provided by the wonderful Anna Lea and kid friendly games to provide entertainment for the whole family.
Photos with Santa
'Tis the season for adorable holiday family photos. Grab some photos with Santa while you're here, and make sure you are on the nice list!
Special Holiday Gifts and Merch Deals
Pick-up some great gifts, and take advantage of some great deals.
Yardbirds, get 20% off all merchandise. Non-Yardbirds enjoy 15% off when you bundle a sweatshirt, a t-shirt, and an accessory.
Toy Drive
Helps us spread some holiday cheer to kids and families in the community! We're partnering with the Straits of Mare Island Rowing Association to collect toys for the annual Vallejo Firefighters Holiday Toy Drive. Bring your new and unwrapped toy donations, and watch as they're loaded onto a whaleboat, and rowed across the strait for donation.
Yardbird Beer Club Members
This is your first opportunity to get your hands on your 2022 Holiday Release of Our Three Wise Men! Pick-up your Holiday Release, and bring your dog tags to enjoy a few extra Yardbird perks while you're here.

First Street Taphouse Now Open 7 Days A Week
Posted:
11/10/2022
The First Street Taphouse is now open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3-9pm! Visit us 7 days a week for bites, pints, and great company... and stop by Mondays and Tuesdays for these new weekly specials too...
Every Monday: Industry Night
We're open 3-9pm every Monday... but if you work behind a bar, in a brewhouse, or at a restaurant - stop by from 7-9pm for 18% off your check.
Every Tuesday: Taco + Movie Tuesday
Come hangout for Baja Tacos, and a handpicked flick each week. Come for tacos and pints, and stay for the movie starting at 6pm every Tuesday.
Wanna know about the movie pick each week? Follow the First Street Taphouse on Instagram of Facebook.

Halloween Haunts
Posted:
10/12/2022
Saturday, October 29th - We're decking out all three taprooms for Halloween! Costume-up, and come hang out for brews, Halloween specials, and more at each location.
Oh, and for the first 30 Yardbird beer club members at each location - we've got Trick or Treat Schwag Bags for ya!
COAL SHED BREWERY

Costume-up, round-up your friends, and bring your little goblins! On Saturday, October 29th, come haunt the Coal Shed Brewery with us.
- Live DJ (4-8pm)
- Kids Face Painting (4-7pm)
- Halloween Food Specials
- Beers
- Trick or Treat Goodie Bags for the first 30 Yardbird beer club members (with dog tags)
FERRY TAPROOM

Calling all you witches and warlocks. Sat. Oct. 29th, we're decking out the Ferry Taproom for Halloween. Stop by in your best costume for halloween food specials, live music, and a killer good time.
- Live Music ft. @hattiecravenmusic (6:30pm-8:30pm)
- Halloween Food Specials
- Cold Pints
- Trick or Treat Goodie Bags for the first 30 Yardbird beer club members (with dog tags)
First Street Taphouse

The First Street Taphouse was built in the 1890s, and there's bound to be ghost story or two somewhere in its history. Come out in your costume, and enjoy a ghoulish evening with us!
- Brews
- Halloween Food Specials
- Horror Movies
- Trick or Treat Goodie Bags for the first 30 Yardbird beer club members (with dog tags)

Fall 2022 Yardbird Pick-up Party
Posted:
8/12/2022

Yardbirds! Buckle up your fanny pack, and get ready to relive your glory days. For this fall's Yardbird Pick-up Party, we're taking you back to the 1980s.
Saturday, September 10th, 1-4pm | Coal Shed Brewery
Join us on the waterfront for an '80s themed Pick-up Party, and cornhole tournament. Enjoy cold pints, some creative 80s inspired dishes from Chef David, and your favorite jams from the decade. We've got a few surprises for you too. And don't forget to dress to impress.... you know the MIBC crew will.
- Great food, with a dash of nostalgia
- Live band cranking out your favorite 80s jams
- Cold pints
- Yardbird Game: Cornhole tournament
- Dress to impress! We'll have prizes for the most enthusiastic and authentic getups
- Pick-up your Fall 2022 Yardbird Case after the party

Mare Island Pedalfest 2022
Posted:
8/10/2022
We're stoked to once again host the Bay Area's most unique bike festival and urban cyclo-cross race at our Coal Shed Brewery! Join us on the Mare Island waterfront for a full day of UCX racing, riding, family-friendly activities, live music... and of course, cold beer and great food.
Mare Island PedalFest 2022, Featuring...
- The Wet Mile Urban Cyclo-cross Race
- Lap of the Shipyard Family Bike Tour
- Kids Bike Rodeo
- Mare Island Bike Swap
- Great Food, Beer, and Live Music from our Beer Garden


The Session | Mare Island Brewing Co.
Posted:
8/9/2022
Co-founders Kent & Ryan stopped by The Session podcast to chat about beers, the brand, and the history behind Mare Island that inspired it all...
Mare Island Brewing Company joins us on The Session to discuss the history of Mare Island and the brewery that is helping to keep it alive. Co-Founders Ryan Gibbons and Kent Fortner have built a truly unique brewery in an historic decommissioned Naval shipyard and their dedication to the history, the men and women who worked there, and the legacy that surrounds them shows in every single thing that they do. Tune in listen to one of the coolest and most important brewing stories we’ve ever had on The Brewing Network.
Check out the episode below, or listen over at The Brewing Network.

Historic Brew Cruise
Posted:
7/26/2022
Yardbirds! Jump aboard a 65ft cruiser, and experience an amazing evening of brews, history, scenic views, and a decadent dinner landing in Benicia.
THE ITINERARY:
- 5:00pm – Board the boat at the Vallejo Municipal Marina public guest dock
- 5:15pm – Set sail for Benicia, with beers, appetizers, and local history along the way
- 6:00pm – Arrive at the Benicia Public Dock, disembark, and walk as a group to the First Street Taphouse
- 6:15pm – Private dinner upstairs in the Benicia Room at our First Street Taphouse
- 7:30pm – Sunset cruise back to Vallejo, with more history, dessert, and coffee along the way
- 8:15pm – Arrive at Vallejo Municipal Marina, and disembark
DEPART VALLEJO
We'll begin boarding the boat at 5pm. Then, kick back with beers and appetizers as we cruise through the Mare Island Strait, and under the Carquinez Bridge towards Benicia. Along the way, Mare Island Brewing Co. Founder, Kent Fortner, will regale you with the colorful history of our local waters, and the historical landmarks we see along the way.
PRIVATE DINNER IN BENICIA
We'll land at the Benicia Public Dock, and then take a short walk up to our First Street Taphouse for a decadent private feast upstairs in our Benicia Room. Chef David will have a delicious menu of whole roasted salmon, bone-in ham, and more specially prepared just for you.
The Menu
- Arugula Salad w/ Heirloom Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs & Buffalo Mozzarella
- Potatoes Au Gratin
- Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
- Whole Roasted Salmon
- Bone-in Honey Glazed Ham
SUNSET CRUISE BACK TO VALLEJO
After dinner, we'll jump back on the boat for a sunset cruise back to Vallejo, filled with dessert, coffee, and more local history along the way.

Ticket Details
- Tickets available to Yardbird Beer Club Members only
- Yardbirds can purchase tickets for themselves, and up to three Non-Yardbird guests
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Treetopia After Party
Posted:
7/25/2022
This Friday, we are hosting Treetopia's After Party and Foot-locking Competition at our Coal Shed Brewery. The party is presented by Treestuff, and our Mare Island neighbors at A Plus Tree and we could not be more excited to host their free to attend, family friendly event.
Stop by for a night of:
- Climbing Competitions
- Human Claw Game
- Tree-Style Games
- DJ & Live Music
- Family Zone
- Prizes & More!
Enjoy food and libations from our Pie Wagon food truck, the Best Food Truck Ever by Heritage Eats, as well as Beer, Wine, and more!