One of Berkeley’s most recognizable green bottles is about to lose its local address. After 22 years in the East Bay, Trumer Pils, the German-style pilsner brewed in Berkeley since 2004, is set to leave the Bay Area. Firestone Walker has acquired the brand’s U.S. operations and plans to shift brewing to its Central Coast facility, and the Trumer taproom on Fourth Street will pour its final pints in late May. The move closes a rare chapter in which a European pilsner was brewed within walking distance of Berkeley’s retail corridor, capping a two-decade run that began when the Austrian original opened a sister brewery in town.
Firestone Walker “has reached an agreement to assume stewardship of Trumer Pils’ U.S. operations” and will brew the beer at its Paso Robles campus, the trade outlet Brewer Magazine reported. The publication quoted Nick Firestone calling Trumer Pils “a sensational beer with a deep lineage,” and noted that Brewmaster Matt Brynildson will oversee the brewing transition to preserve the beer’s character rather than put his own stamp on it.
The sale itself was confirmed by Gambrinus Co., which has operated Trumer in the United States. Longtime brewmaster Lars Larson provided the Berkeley taproom’s final day of service, May 29, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. In a company announcement cited by the paper, CEO John Brozovich said that entrusting the brand to “a family brewery that understands this responsibility” was a key factor in the decision.
A Beer With Deep Austrian Roots
Trumer’s story starts far from the East Bay. The beer traces back to a family brewery in Obertrum, Austria, whose brewing rights date to 1601, according to the Trumer Privatbrauerei history page. The Berkeley sister brewery opened in 2004, bringing that lineage stateside. The brand’s American site leans heavily on that heritage and on the idea that the Berkeley taproom has been the place to taste the beer at its freshest, as highlighted by Trumer Pils.
Why The Shift Matters
This move is not happening in a vacuum. Craft beer production fell roughly 5% in 2025, a slide noted in broader market coverage by the San Francisco Chronicle. That pullback, combined with several recent Bay Area brewery closures, has pushed some brands to consolidate production with larger regional players rather than hold on to higher-cost city facilities. For Trumer, folding brewing into a larger, family-run operation may be a pragmatic way to protect distribution while trimming local overhead, even if it means the hometown brewhouse goes quiet.
What Comes Next For Berkeley Drinkers
Firestone Walker has said it will work with Trumer’s U.S. team to smooth the transition and that “consumers should expect uninterrupted availability” of Trumer Pils, according to Brewer Magazine. The beer will be produced at Firestone Walker’s Paso Robles brewery and taproom, which the company lists at 1400 Ramada Drive on its site, per Firestone Walker. Brynildson has been tasked with managing the technical side of the move rather than reworking the recipe…