Faction Brewing is a production brewery with a tasting room in a large building which served as an airplane hangar on the former Alameda naval base on the island city of Alameda. Founded by a veteran brewer of Drakes and Triple Rock, this brewery nabbed a national medal in its first year. Hoppy beers are a specialty, but expect a range of styles and flavors.
Extras: The tasting room faces a wind-swept wildlife preserve for sea birds, and you can look out over that open area at a spectacular view of San Francisco.
To further your tasting experience, St. George Spirits is next door. They do hourly tours and tastings. Also Rock Wall Winery is on the other side of Faction with daily tasting room hours.
*Coming from San Francisco, you can take a pretty sweet ferry boat ride to Alameda. See below for directions.
2501 Monarch St, Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 523-2739
Directions from 12th St. Oakland BART: Exit the BART thru Exit A1. Walk down Broadway to 9th St. Board the #31 AC Transit bus ($2.10 exact change or Clipper Card). Take the bus through the tunnel into Alameda. Get off at W. Midway Ave and Pan Am Way. Continue walking down W. Midway Ave. to Monarch St. Turn right and cross the street. You’ll see two huge barracks-like buildings. One is Faction and one is St. George Spirits. Turn into the parking lot between them. You’ll see a grain silo on the left. Walk to the end of the building. The tasting room will be around the corner of the building, facing the bay.
Official 12th St. BART Transit Info
*If you’re coming from San Francisco, you can take a scenic ferry ride from the Ferry Building across from Embarcadero BART. Board the boat behind the Ferry Building. When you get off in Alameda follow these directions: Exit the terminal and walk right along the fence, around the edge of the parking lot. Exit the parking lot and turn right on Main Street. Just before Main Street ends, turn left on Navy Way through an old gate to the former Naval air station. You will see an aircraft in the middle of a circular lawn.
Continue around the lawn to the right, then take the first right turn, onto Red Line. You’ll pass a large gym and some boarded-up barracks. The street dead-ends at a massive auction building. Turn left, and continue past Saint George Spirits to the third massive building.
This is Faction Brewing Company, with a grain silo next to it. Turn into the parking lot, and walk out to the end of the building. The tasting room will be around the corner of the building, facing the bay.
Beer by BART 
And if you have any taste buds left after Faction and St. George the Rockwall winery is in easy walking distance as well.
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