It’d be a decent question for a Bay Area beer trivia game: name all the bars Chuck Stilphen owns or co-owns. The Trappist, Mikkeller Bar SF, Trappist Provisions, and ØL (where I work), right? Get ready for a fifth one.
Downtown Berkeley’s already good beer options are going to get even better when Chuck and Mikkeller SF executive chef Mike O’Brien open Perdition Smokehouse. It’ll be at 2050 University Ave, which has seen several businesses come and go (Amadeus, Zaika, Meridian…) since I moved to the Bay Area in 2009. The new building owner has already taken a step towards breaking the curse by fixing up the previously unused outside space. Perdition will be installing outdoor seating for about 50, on top of the indoor capacity of about 80.
Expect forty taps, mostly American craft (this ain’t the Trappist) and some serious BBQ. They’re having a smoker built in Texas and Chuck is in Austin and Lockhart this week checking out the local flavor. The space has two kitchens, and one of them will be a commercial kitchen for making Mikkeller sausages and hot sauce to sell to other retailers.
Like all businesses involving alcohol, delays are inevitable, but with any luck Perdition will be open by June. You can follow its progress at its Facebook page.