Oakland United Beerworks

What Oakland United Beerworks does

Oakland United Beerworks is a craft brewery operating a single taproom and production facility at 262 2nd Street in Oakland's Jack London Square waterfront district. Founded in 2009 as Linden Street Brewery, the company was the first community-based production brewery in Oakland since Golden West Brewery closed in the 1950s, and relocated and rebranded under its current name in 2017 after the sale of its original Linden Street building. The product portfolio centers on four core beers (New Oakland Glow Pilsner at 4.8% ABV, East Bay Nights Black Lager at 5.2% ABV, Drink Beer Slay Dragon West Coast IPA at 6.5% ABV, and Bay Shore Fog Hazy IPA at 6.5% ABV) supplemented by rotating limited releases themed around Oakland neighborhoods, landmarks, and local causes. Distribution of a 2022 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal in the German Dark Lager category for East Bay Nights is the most prominent third-party validation of product quality.

The business operates four interlocking revenue streams: on-site taproom sales across 14 taps with an outdoor beer patio, packaged beer-to-go (4-packs, single cans, crowlers, and growlers) sold through Square-powered online ordering with California shipping, wholesale distribution through San Francisco Naturals to Bay Area bars, restaurants, bottle shops, and grocery stores, and private events plus ticketed community programming. Private taproom buyouts are priced at $800-$1,500 bar minimum plus 20% gratuity, with capacity up to 125 guests indoor and outdoor. Community engagement is a deliberate commercial pillar, encompassing recurring programming such as Magic: The Gathering nights, Jeopardy trivia, Mahjong workshops, pasta-making classes, Paint & Sip sessions, sports watch parties, and monthly Pints with Purpose fundraisers benefiting Berkeley Humane, Ella Baker Center, and Oakland LGBTQ Community Center.

The company is privately held, independently owned by Co-Owners John Karnay (Managing Partner) and Chris Ritter (Lead Schmoozer), with a small operating team of 1-10 employees. Sales and operations are led by Sales Director Lisa Wells, Head Brewer Stephen Ruddy (Certified Cicerone, previously of Almanac, Libertine, and Anchor Brewing), and Operations Lead Kristen Karnay. There is no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or app-based platform; technology is limited to a Square online storefront, an Instagram-driven marketing presence, and a Beer Finder map tool supporting wholesale distribution visibility. The Lucky Dog custom beer can program and an annual tribute beer honoring former head brewer Andrew Ritter (who died of ALS in 2017) anchor the brand's community and emotional positioning.

Name

Oakland United Beerworks

Legal name

New Oakland Beer Group

Website

https://oaklandunitedbeerworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oakland United Beerworks is a privately held craft brewery and taproom in Oakland's Jack London Square, selling four core and several limited-release beers direct-to-consumer, via Bay Area wholesale through San Francisco Naturals, and through private events and community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

Keywords

• Craft brewery
• Craft beer production
• Taproom beer sales
• Wholesale beer distribution
• Brewery private events

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Taproom Beer Sales: On-site draft and packaged beer sales at the taproom with 14 taps available
2. Beer To-Go: 4-packs, single cans, 32oz crowlers, and 64oz growlers for off-site consumption. Available online and at taproom
3. Distribution Sales: Wholesale distribution through San Francisco Naturals to Bay Area bars, restaurants, bottle shops, and grocery stores
4. Private Events: Taproom buyouts and space reservations for events with bar minimums ranging $800-$1500 plus gratuity
5. Event Tickets and Classes: Revenue from ticketed events including pasta-making classes, mahjong workshops, and paint & sip sessions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oakland United Beerworks is a craft brewery that produces a core lineup of hand-crafted beers (Pilsner, Black Lager, West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA) along with rotating limited releases. The company operates a family- and dog-friendly taproom with an outdoor beer patio in Oakland's Jack London Square, sells beer to-go via online ordering, and distributes wholesale through San Francisco Naturals to Bay Area bars, restaurants, and retailers.

Product overview

Oakland United Beerworks is a craft brewery offering a core lineup of four flagship beers—New Oakland Glow (Pilsner), East Bay Nights (Black Lager), Drink Beer Slay Dragon (West Coast IPA), and Bay Shore Fog (Hazy IPA)—alongside rotating seasonal and limited-release beers. The brewery operates a taproom and beer garden in Jack London Square with private event spaces, sells beer to-go through online ordering with California shipping, and offers a Beer Finder tool to locate their products throughout the Bay Area. They also provide a custom Lucky Dog beer can program for personalized celebrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Oakland Glow German-style Pilsner at 4.8% ABV featuring premium ingredients for a crisp, biscuity light beer with a subtle hopped finish; part of the core lineup.
• East Bay Nights Black Lager at 5.2% ABV; a tribute to a classic German Schwarzbier with notes of coffee and roast, balanced by German noble hops. Won Silver Medal at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival in the German Dark Lager category.
• Drink Beer Slay Dragon West Coast IPA at 6.5% ABV with citrusy, fruity, and piney hop character, subtle sweetness, and balanced bitterness; tribute brew for Andrew Ritter.
• Bay Shore Fog Hazy IPA at 6.5% ABV generously hopped with Comet, Citra, Chinook, and Talus offering rich lychee and tropical fruit aromas with balanced grapefruit and citrus peel.
• Lucky Dog (ft. Rickey) Hazy IPA at 6% ABV featuring Mosaic, Talus, and Chinook hops; aromas of Concord grape, red currant, melon, coconut, papaya, and orange. Collaboration beer with proceeds benefiting Berkeley Humane.
• Migration West Coast IPA at 6% ABV brewed with Enigma and Eclipse hops; inspired by migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway and Lake Merritt.
• Redwood Red Ale at 5.5% ABV inspired by the redwood forests in Oakland hills, paying tribute to the ancient forests and Ohlone heritage.
• From Funktown to Jingletown West Coast Double IPA at 8% ABV celebrating Oakland neighborhoods, from historic Funktown to Jingletown; brewed with Thora, El Dorado, and Citra hops.
• Taproom Experience Family- and dog-friendly taproom in Jack London Square featuring a 2-tiered indoor space and outdoor beer patio, offering pub fare, rotating food vendors, and private event spaces (mezzanine up to 50 guests; full taproom buyouts up to 125 guests).
• Beer to Go Online ordering for 4-packs, single cans, 32oz crowlers, and 64oz growlers available for pickup and California shipping.
• Beer Finder Interactive map tool allowing customers to locate bars, restaurants, and bottle shops serving Oakland United Beerworks products throughout the Bay Area.
• Lucky Dog Custom Beer Cans Personalized Lucky Dog beer can program allowing customers to feature their own dogs on custom beer cans for celebrations, memorials, or special occasions.
• Taproom Buyout and Private Events Taproom buyouts and space reservations for private events with bar minimums ranging from $800-$1,500 plus 20% gratuity and $500 deposit; capacity up to 70 indoor or 125 indoor+outdoor.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2022 GABF Silver Medal in German Dark Lager category

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• San Francisco NaturalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOakland United Beerworks distributes through San Francisco Naturals with territory sales representatives connecting to licensed establishments, bottle shops, and grocery stores throughout the Bay Area.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Almanac Beer Company: Alameda-based craft brewery known for barrel-aged and seasonal programs; directly comparable as a peer Bay Area brewery and a former employer of Oakland United's Head Brewer Stephen Ruddy.
• Drake's Brewing Company: San Leandro-based craft brewery operating a taproom and pub (The Barn) plus regional wholesale distribution; highly comparable to Oakland United Beerworks as a Bay Area craft brewery with brewpub-style on-premise operations and similar lager/IPA focus.
• Cellarmaker Brewing: San Francisco craft brewery operating taprooms and focusing on hop-forward IPAs and barrel-aged sours; comparable on product mix (IPAs, lagers) and Bay Area wholesale + taproom go-to-market model.
• Libertine Brewing Company: San Francisco small craft brewery; comparable to Oakland United as a small-footprint Bay Area brewery and a former employer of Head Brewer Stephen Ruddy.
• Fieldwork Brewing Company: Berkeley-headquartered craft brewery with multiple Bay Area taprooms; directly comparable in terms of neighborhood taproom model, hop-forward beer portfolio, and local-community focus.
• HenHouse Brewing Company: Santa Rosa-based craft brewery operating taprooms and distributing IPA-heavy and lager programs across Northern California; comparable scale and multi-taproom craft model.
• Barebottle Brewing Company: San Francisco craft brewery and taproom producing experimental and hop-forward beers; mirrors Oakland United's small-batch, taproom-anchored craft model in the same regional market.
• Russian River Brewing Company: Petaluma/Santa Rosa craft brewery famous for Pliny the Elder IPAs and sour programs; relevant as a Northern California craft peer with a destination taproom model, though at a larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Major Petaluma-based craft brewer (now part of Heineken); relevant as a large-scale Bay Area craft incumbent whose lager, IPA, and taproom ecosystem defines the category OUB competes in.
• Anchor Brewing Company: Historic San Francisco craft brewery (founded 1896, revived operations) and a former employer of Oakland United's Head Brewer; comparable as a heritage Bay Area beer brand with broad lager positioning, though at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/oaklandunitedbeerworks
• Xx.com/OakUnitedBeer
• Facebookfacebook.com/oaklandunitedbeerworks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oakland United Beerworks