There are plenty of polished patios in Walnut Creek. Upscale parklets and fancy outdoor decks abound.
Then there is Calicraft’s current beer garden.
Tucked behind offices near 390 N. Wiget Lane in Shadelands, Calicraft’s temporary outdoor taproom is built around a 40-foot shipping container bar, communal picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, fire pits, televisions, umbrellas and a wide-open patch of outdoor space. It was created as a stopgap while the brewery’s original 2700 Mitchell Drive home is demolished and rebuilt.
On paper, that sounds like the kind of place you visit once out of loyalty to a beloved local brewery, then wait patiently for the “real” taproom to arrive.
In reality, the temporary setup is much better than that.
The setting is simple, but it is also generous: plenty of room to spread out, linger over a pint, bring a dog (or two!), meet friends after work or settle in with the kids.
That was always part of Calicraft’s identity. Since opening in Walnut Creek in 2012, the brewery has positioned itself less as a formal tasting room and more as a communal gathering place for beer, cider, spritzers, food trucks and local events. The temporary beer garden preserves that personality remarkably well.
In some ways, it may amplify it.
The container bar is an obvious reminder that this is supposed to be a transition period. But it also feels very modern and “industrial chic.” Barebottle has a similar container-based taproom in the City and it’s super trendy.
There is something appealingly unpretentious about ordering a locally brewed beer from a repurposed steel box, then carrying it over to a picnic table beneath string lights and trees.
Local food trucks and food vendors sell pizza and smashburgers on select days.
Calicraft’s larger project is still an ambitious one. The brewery’s plans call for a new 10,000-square-foot, two-story facility with an R&D brewery, winery, distillery, tasting room, restaurant, bar and a covered, heated outdoor beer garden. That future building could become a major destination in Shadelands.
But until then, Calicraft’s outdoor beer garden feels anything but temporary.
It also offers a nice contrast to Calicraft Upstairs, the brewery’s newer rooftop cocktail bar in downtown Walnut Creek. That destination brings house cocktails, food and a more grown-up nightlife feel to Mount Diablo Boulevard–again, the more iconic downtown WC outdoor dining vibe.
For now, Calicraft’s official site lists its Shadelands taproom at 2700 Mitchell Drive, with current hours of 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and noon to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Parking and access for the temporary beer garden have been directed through 390 N. Wiget Lane.
