The History of Mayfield Brewing Company
Mayfield Brewing Company was founded in 2007 by John P. Alderete, Ph.D., M.B.A. John, a passionate beer and wine enthusiast and microbiologist, became interested in brewing through his father, a renown microbiologist. As a longtime home brewer and experienced business person, he sought to create an interesting and unique brewery model in a crowded and highly commoditized field. With his love of both beer and wine as well as the brewing process, coupled with his entrepreneurial spirit and passion to create, he decided to form his own brewery in late 2007.
Initial operations commenced at a state-of-the-art, 5,500 square foot facility located in Belmont, CA. With a unique and flexible brewing system, in which up to eight different styles of beer can simultaneously be brewed, product development and testing has been rapid. Response was so great to the initial product line of handcrafted, wine-barrel conditioned beers — reflecting the hearty beers of England, Scotland, and the Czech Republic and Germany, but with a California flair — that the Company has quickly been forced to re-examine its capital needs for increased production.
The original Mayfield Brewing Company was founded in 1868 by Alsace native Michel Klineclaus. Starting off on the corner of College and Yale streets in the College Terrace neighborhood of the unincorporated community of Mayfield (now Palo Alto), the brewery was later moved to the corner of Lincoln and Second Second streets now California and Birch Streets.
In 1871, Christopher Ducker bought the brewery from Klineclaus and ran the brewery for 35 years. In 1906, Christopher Ducker retired and sold the Mayfield Brewery to Ernest Klevesahl, who continued to run the brewery with his son Carl until the brewery closed due to Prohibition in 1920.
At its peak, the brewery supplied a steam beer to the communities of Woodside, Portola, Redwood City, San Mateo and South San Francisco. 89 years after the Mayfield Brewing Company closed its doors, it has emerged once again to serve the Palo Alto and surrounding communities with premium, handcrafted beers with a modern flair.
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