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Dust Bowl to open fourth taproom
Dust Bowl livermore
Dust Bowl owners Brett and Karen Tate and Camy and Brett Honore pose for a picture in the new Livermore site (Photo contributed).

Turlock’s own Dust Bowl Brewing Co. is branching out once again, this time with a taproom to be located in Livermore. Slated to open in early summer 2023, the new taproom will be an anchor tenant in the Shops at Livermore, nestled next to the world-famous San Francisco Premium Outlets.

“We were attracted to the region and the Shops at Livermore for a variety of reasons,” said Brett Tate, founder/owner, Dust Bowl Brewing Co. “The building site is just steps away from the San Francisco Premium Outlets, where an average of 8 to 10 million visitors frequent annually. The clientele is a mix of locals and world travelers seeking that ‘Americana’ experience, which craft beer certainly fits. Livermore has an established craft beer culture that we’re excited to be part of. We’ve been distributing our beer to the region since 2015, so we have established brand familiarity. Livermore has a population of 90,000 and growing at nearly double the U.S. average. The demographics are ideal with many large regional and national headquartered companies close by. This presents a great opportunity for retailers like us to capture a market seeking shopping, dining and entertainment.”

“We are thrilled to bring Dust Bowl Brewing Company, a family owned and operated business, to the Shops of Livermore,” adds Robert Himsl, owner, Shops at Livermore. “This will be a fantastic addition, given Livermore’s long history of successful breweries, wineries, and food. Dust Bowl Brewing is a destination to gather, celebrate the past, look forward to the future and connect with friends and family. We are thrilled to partner with a great brand that values family and forming connections the way we do.”

This will be Dust Bowl’s fourth taproom but the first satellite taproom that is in a new space, not a historic building. The taproom takes an end position in the complex, which opens to a large outdoor space. The interior offers over 3500 sq. ft., while the outdoor area provides 6500 sq. ft.

“While we’ve certainly loved the charm of the older buildings we’ve worked with in the past, it’s exciting to create the layout and flow without limitations,” said Brett Honore, owner, Dust Bowl Brewing Co. “We’ll maintain our signature aesthetic and furnishings within a crisp, new backdrop. Guests will enjoy 30 taps of Dust Bowl beer and seltzers from the indoor/outdoor bar. The inside will offer traditional bar seating, rail bars, lounge settings and an oversized banquette. The exterior area will feature a covered patio, picnic table communal seating, and various seating vignettes along with firepits and corn hole on a turf area.”

The décor and furnishings will resemble the brand personality established at Dust Bowl’s other taprooms in Turlock, Monterey and Elk Grove. To-go packaged beer, growlers, Crowlers and retail items, such as t-shirts, hats and glassware, will be available.

Food will be provided by a resident food truck, Wedo’s Tacos, owned by Chris Tringali and Cal Leidig. The duo also owns and operates the resident food truck at Dust Bowl’s Monterey Tap Depot as well as Wedo’s Kitchen located in Dust Bowl’s taproom in Elk Grove. Guests can expect quick service along with elevated tacos, gourmet burgers, and shared plates.

Dust Bowl Brewing Company’s portfolio currently features 13 year-round beers and seven specialty rotating beers, along with an ever-changing array of draft-only releases ensuring there’s always something new and interesting to explore while visiting any of Dust Bowl’s taprooms. Some of the Central Valley brewery’s most well-known brands include Hops of Wrath IPA, Therapist Imperial IPA and Taco Truck Lager. Dust Bowl Brewing Co. moved into Regional Brewery status in 2020 with a record 16,500 barrels of beer produced for the year.

In 2021, the brewery hit the 21,000-barrel mark. The brewery ranks among the top 2% of craft breweries in California, the most competitive state with over 1,000 craft breweries. In 2022, Dust Bowl Brewing Company was named “Brewery of the Year” by the prestigious California State Fair Commercial Craft Beer Competition upon winning three golds and a silver in the contest.

Dust Bowl’s Livermore taproom will be located at 3034 W. Jack London Blvd., Livermore. Follow the brewery on Instagram @dustbowlbrewingco for updates on the opening this summer.