Dust Bowl Brewing Co.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. produced its first beer in May 2009. The company is owned by Brett and Karen Tate and Brett and Camy Honoré, who became the Tate’s business partners in 2010. The company built and moved its production to a 30,000 sq. ft. brewery and taproom, located in Turlock, California, in June 2016.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. beers are available in 5.2 and 15.5 gallon kegs along with selected styles in 22 oz. and 12 oz. bottles and 16 oz. and 12 oz. cans. Distribution includes Central and Northern California, parts of Southern California, Nevada and Oklahoma.

The craft brewery showcases a wide variety of its beers at its two Turlock, California taproom locations, the Brewery Taproom and the Downtown Taproom, and in Monterey, California at its Tap Depot.

History

The tale begins back in the 1930s. The Tate family loaded their Model A and left Oklahoma for a journey that would prove fruitful for generations to come. The Great Depression coupled with life in the Dust Bowl corridor had nearly dried up everything the Tate family had – except, of course, their thirst for success and love for each other. Determined to thrive, Grandpa Tate became a real-life hobo, riding the rails in pursuit of work and a few dollars to feed his family. Ultimately, the Tates survived and settled in California, where they raised their children to appreciate hard work, love for family, a hearty sense of humor, and a craving for new frontiers.

Fast forward to 2006 and Turlock, California, a small community located in the agriculturally rich Central Valley and home to Brett Tate, a third generation Tate family member. A retired high school teacher and coach of 20 years, Brett was cultivating a passion for brewing and searching for a way to make his dream a reality. His good fortune came in the way of the morning paper, which seemed to deliver just the news he needed.

Tucked between Sports and Weather was an article featuring a young brewer named Don Oliver, winner of the 2006 Samuel Adams Longshot Homebrew competition. Not only was Don an experienced home brewer, he shared Brett’s desire to start a brewery. Pioneers in their own right, Brett and Don came together determined to craft some of the finest brews ever to emerge from Central California.

In May 2009, Dust Bowl Brewing Co. produced its first beer known as Hops of Wrath IPA.

In 2010, Central Valley native Brett Honoré joined in partnership with Brett Tate, and in August 2011 the company opened the Downtown Taproom in the heart of Turlock. After several years of steady success and growing demand, the need for a larger facility and expanded production was clear. The Dust Bowl Brewing Co. team embarked on a new adventure, building a 30,000 square-foot facility to house a new brewery and restaurant to compliment the downtown location. The Brewery Taproom opened in July 2016, and features two 20 tap towers, a full-service restaurant, indoor and patio seating, brewery views, Beer Garden, corn hole, bocce, tours, special events and more.

Today, the company’s third taproom, known as the Tap Depot, is located in Monterey, California and opened in June 2019. Situated next to the world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf, the stand-alone building was originally built in 1874 as a train depot. The decor plays into the rich Monterey references of acclaimed author, John Steinbeck, which ties back to the Dust Bowl Brewing brand story. The Tap Depot offers 24 taps, indoor seating and an outdoor patio with a communal fire pit, heaters, corn hole, and easy access to the resident food truck.

More information may be found at dustbowlbrewing.com.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. is an independent craft brewer.

Inside the Tap Room of Dust Bowl Brewing Co. in Turlock, California