By Kathy Chouteau
On your next trip to Napa, you just might find a little sip of home, as Richmond’s Armistice Brewing Company is opening up a second location in the city’s downtown.
Armistice’s co-owners—siblings Alex and Gregory Zobel—plan to open a Napa taproom at 1040 Clinton Street before the end of the summer and harvest rush. The duo said the new location was the onetime home of both the Napa Barrel Project and Uva Trattoria.
Why Napa? It’s not only where Gregory currently lives, but also where the siblings jumpstarted their brewing venture together, following a collective move to Napa to care for their ailing mother. According to the Zobels, the move saw them join a local homebrew club and convert their family’s Napa Valley barn into a brewery.
Gregory said they scouted the space for their new Napa taproom once before—when Uva was still open—and it was familiar since their parents used to listen to jazz there. At the time, the rent was prohibitive for a budding brewery. With his sister previously having lived in El Sobrante and being familiar with the Bay Trail, she advocated for Richmond because she had deep love for it.
The two set their sights on Richmond—setting up a brewery and taproom in 2017 at 845 Marina Bay Pkwy., Suite 1, in Richmond. “We really feel like Richmond took a chance on us. They were thirsty for beer and we were hankering to find a space that wanted us,” said Gregory.
Alex also shared her Richmond love, underscoring that Armistice is never leaving Richmond. “It’s the best kept secret in the bay, and we love our community here. It’s Armistice’s home.” She added that the duo is excited to bring their beer back to some of their original fans in Napa, who have been drinking it long before they opened their first taproom.
The Zobel siblings think Napa is also thirsty for beer, with Alex noting that they believe you can’t make great wine without drinking a lot of great beer.
She added that they’re in the business of creating welcoming community spaces for enjoying the freshest, best beer possible. “We want to bring that casual, public house atmosphere to Napa.”
Learn more here or call 510-230-4966 with questions. Check out the new location on Instagram at @armisticebeer.napa.
