Pacifc Coast Brewing, Oakland--there is a there there

     Oakland, Calif. is the place Gertrude Stein was talking about when she said "there is no there, there."  She grew up there in the 1880s and 1890s and whether the knock was justified then, it sure isn't today.  Jack London Square is a nice touristy spot on the waterfront, and a few blocks in the warehouse district starts, a lot of it former warehouses that have become trendy lofts. 
     Pacific Coast Brewing is in this district, on the ground floor of the Nicholl Block, a building with an 1876 date and a nice gilded age look.

    The naming trend here goes with whales: they make Gray Whale Pale, Killer Whale Stout, Blue Whale IPA, etc.  I tried the stout, rich and malty with a head that stayed up like a well-poured Guiness. It paired well with the meatloaf. The patio area in the back is leafy and pleasant on a sunny day.

   The bar and side cooler inside are said to be from a saloon known as J.P. Cox', which opened in 1874; the plaque notes extensive restoration work to have it looking as it does today.

(Visited 7/30.12)