Ghost Town Brewing
Ghost Town Brewing is a brewery from West Oakland, California, started by four bandmates who wanted to pay for their rehearsal space with beer. They are known for their West Coast IPAs, their metal aesthetic and medals at the Great American Beer Festival. At Hoptimaal you can find their heavy stout Ghost Town Queenless.
- LocationOakland, CA
- Founded2012
- TypeMicrobrewery
- Untappd 3.95 · 170k ratings
- At Hoptimaal1 in stock
In stock now 1
New
From rehearsal space to brewery
Ghost Town Brewing started in 2012 in West Oakland. The founders Ryan Nosek, Sam Carr-Prindle, Jason Gehman and Adam Hill played in a metal band together and brewed beer at home on weekends. They found a warehouse on Union Street to use as a rehearsal space and added a one-barrel brewing system to bring down the rent. According to Nosek, the space got so expensive that they decided to turn it into a brewery.
Their homebrews got attention through small accounts at Dogwood and Golden Bull in Oakland and at the Uptown in San Francisco. For four and a half years they supplied everything from that single 31-gallon system. In 2017 they opened a 15-barrel brewery at 1960 Adeline Street, and Justin Burdt joined, now head brewer.
The name refers to Ghost Town, a nickname for their neighborhood in West Oakland, which according to local lore once lay between two coffin factories. Hence the coffin motifs in the taproom. The founders have not been able to check whether their own building was ever such a factory.
Their beer and style
Ghost Town brews a lot of West Coast IPAs, alongside hazy IPAs, pilsner, cream ale, saison and dark beers. Only the flagship Inhume, a West Coast IPA, is brewed year-round. Nosek says it is not an over-the-top version: punchy and bitter enough to satisfy the everyday thirst for a West Coast IPA. In 2021 the brewery released around 130 different beers.
In 2022 Ghost Town won the top prize at the Great American Beer Festival in the production category of 5,001 to 15,000 barrels per year. Nose Goblin won gold two years in a row among the Imperial IPAs. The brewery also won gold that year with an India Pale Lager and silver with an American-Style Strong Pale Ale. Ossuary won silver at the World Beer Cup in the Robust Porter category.
Ghost Town Brewing at Hoptimaal
Right now we have Ghost Town Queenless from them: a 15.8% stout in a 47.3 cl package, highly rated on Untappd. You don't pour a heavy stout like this ice cold. Take it out of the fridge for a while and the dark flavors come through better.
Take your time with it and pour it in small glasses or share it with someone, because this isn't a beer for quickly quenching your thirst. If you come across hoppy beers from Ghost Town later, such as their IPAs, drink those as fresh and cold as possible.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Ghost Town Brewing come from?
Ghost Town Brewing comes from West Oakland in California. The brewery was founded in 2012 by four members of a metal band and is located at 1960 Adeline Street.
What kind of beer does Ghost Town Brewing make?
Mostly West Coast IPAs, alongside hazy IPAs, pilsner, cream ale, saison and dark beers such as the Robust Porter Ossuary. The flagship Inhume is a West Coast IPA.
What does the name Ghost Town refer to?
To Ghost Town, a nickname for the neighborhood in West Oakland where the brewery is located. According to local lore, that neighborhood lay between two coffin factories, which is why the coffin returns in their look.
