Little Brewery in Berkeley Neighborhood Has New Owners, Big Plans

Beer has been tapped in the blink-and-you'll-miss-it-microbrewery just off the busy corner of Tennyson Street and West 44th Avenue since 2013, but the alley-entranced business changed from De Steeg Brewing (Dutch for "the Alley") to Berkeley Alley Beer Company four years ago. As of June 30, the 35-person spot has new owners, with big plans for expanding the little space that's keeping its name.

Owners Chelsea Rhoads and Liz Hess, also the voices behind the popular Body by Beer podcast, are kicking off the new era with expanded hours and a collab beer made with Monolith Brewing — where Rhoads previously consulted — that will be released this weekend during the Tennyson Street Fair.

Taking on a brewery when many are folding seems like a bold move, but Rhoads and Hess are going for it anyway. "We're pretty familiar with the fact that the craft beer space is a bit intimidating at the moment," says Hess. "So it does seem maybe a little crazy that we would do this. But we like crazy, so we're all about it."

Both women have extensive experience in the space. Rhoads has been in the industry since 2014, helping to open 4 Noses, while Hess did a stint at Resolute Brewing until 2023. The two have been best friends since 2007, having met while working casino jobs in South Dakota.
Plans for expanding options in the cozy space are now underway, after a three-day renovation to paint and brighten the airy interior. "We don't have an exact timeline because of licensing," explains Hess. "We have our application in to get coffee going, which I believe will take place within the next month. And then we'll do the brew-pub license, which will allow us to have tapped cocktails like margaritas and Old-Fashioneds."

The pair hopes to offer grab-and-go food options instead of relying on food trucks. "We want to do kind of a take on the bento box, but offer it as more American fare — protein, veggie, grain option — keeping it on the healthier side," says Hess. "And then in the morning, classics like a breakfast burrito, but also having a healthier option, like overnight oats."

While all that's in the works, the new space will be debuting its beer brewed in collaboration with South Broadway's Monolith Brewing at the inaugural Berkeley Beer Fest at the Tennyson Street Fair. "Being in the Tennyson area is amazing," says Hess. "We are so happy to be here, because it's such a wonderful community."

Other breweries participating in the beer fest include New Terrain, Empourium, Westbound & Down, Gravity, Fiction, Prost and more. The fest runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 18; pre-sale tickets are $20, or $25 if purchased that day. The Tennyson Street Fair runs fro 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 17, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 18.

Berkeley Alley Beer Company is located at 4342 Tennyson Street (enter in the alley off 44th Avenue). Hours are Monday and Thursday 3 to 9 p.m., Wednesday 3 to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; it's closed on Tuesday. Learn more at berkeleyalleybeer.com.