Mare Island Brewing Co: Brewing Up Success
Mare Island Brewing Company has reached a decade in business. Read on to explore their journey, plus ways to partake in the celebration.
Before making their mark on the local beer scene, Kent Fortner and Ryan Gibbons both began in the wine industry. They met on a crush pad in Napa before flipping from grape to grain and their new business venture, Mare Island Brewing Company, came about.
“I think Kent was walking on the water with his family and saw a space for lease,” Gibbons says. “I was living in Napa and working the night shift at Lagunitas. Kent called at 10 in the morning, which is when I was usually asleep, so I was running on adrenaline. He said ‘Ryan, I found a spot. We should do a taproom!’
And so they did. This original location at the Vallejo Ferry Terminal had beer that was produced at two different rental facilities. As their business grew, hosting many veterans, commuters, and Cal Maritime and Touro University students, they both knew this practice wasn’t sustainable. The quality was there, sure, but the quantity just wasn’t enough. Enter: The Coal Shed.
But there was a setback.
“We were open for 3 weeks, and then there was a major earthquake,” says Gibbons.
“It wrecked the coal shed,” Fortner adds. “It would leak when it rained. We didn’t own this space and had to move out of it. Then a developer on Mare Island was looking to fix and develop national historic landmarks like the coal shed. So we said ‘hey, if you do the outside of this, we’ll do the inside and build the brewery there.’”
The Coal Shed opened in 2017, primarily for brewing and hosting private events. When COVID-19 shutdowns hit, they revamped and realized what they could offer the community that perhaps other locations couldn’t.
“We brought a food truck and 18 pandemically-spaced tables,” says Fortner. “We just had tons of space out front, which led to us developing a full blown tap room.”
There were initial concerns about the two locations being so close together, but there’s enough difference that they have both been thriving.
“They have two different subsets of customers,” says Gibbons. “The Coal Shed is great for families.”
The (current) final piece of the locations puzzle is our very own First Street Taphouse. During COVID, the owners of beloved First Street Cafe had decided to retire, leaving the historical building at 440 First Street vacant.
“They were one of our wholesale clients and we found out that they were calling it … I took a pause and said ‘who’s the landlord?’” Gibbons says. “I take my wife and kids down there all the time for farmers markets, and it was a natural progression to a sister city. Benicia was Vallejo’s wife, and with a lot of military history; it wasn’t a stretch to bring it over into town.”
What sets the Benicia location apart? The fact that it’s a sit-down restaurant, the town’s feel, and an experienced head chef lend to a bit of an elevated experience. But the beer will always stay consistent, no matter the location (Gibbons currently favors their War Bond California Common while Fortser reaches for a Saginaw Golden Ale).
Aside from visiting any of the three locations, you can help them ring in 10 years by listening to their limited series podcast, Battleships to Beer with Brewing Network’s Justin Crossley, or attending their August 3rd anniversary bash at the Coal Shed, which will go from 3-7pm.
“It’s 10 dollars to get in for our 10th anniversary,” Fortner says. “There will be a killer band, some surprises, great beer, and great food.”
“Today I’m actually brewing our special anniversary beer,” says Gibbons. “I’m only making enough for the party and only a few days after for people to want to come and try.”
They’re not stopping at 10 years, either; these co-owners also have plans for the future.
“There’s a local regional brand push with having three locations within 15 miles of each other,” says Fortner. We want you to have a pint of our beer in multiple locations of the Bay Area; spread the gospel, if you will, of the history of Mare Island … we’ve also really turned an eye to become as sustainable as possible … we’re so grateful for the years we’ve had, and part of that is being good stewards of the earth.”
“I’m about to have my third child,” adds Gibbons. “I’m really just trying to see what we become as a business and carry on our legacy, not just for the community, but the next generation that comes behind us.”
For more information on the party, please visit mareislandbrewingco.com; for the podcast, head to thebrewingnetwork.com.
