After a long day whacking balls on the court, you might want a cold beer. And now there’s a truly appropriate place to grab one, thanks to a tennis-themed taproom scheduled to open soon in Albany.

Match Point Brewing is a local operation started by two tennis doubles partners, Simon Chen and Johnny Weng. The brewery specializes in beers made in Concord with Asian ingredients such as Mandarin Wheat Ale and Jasmine Rice Lager. It also does collabs with Richmond’s Origin Brewer, like a Heritage Five Spice Saison and a Slava Ukraini California Amber Ale (with proceeds going toward aid for Ukraine).

“We are planning on opening a taproom by mid-March in Albany,” emails Chen. “What we hope will help with our opening is a partnership with the 310 Eatery restaurant next door to provide excellent food service and new food-menu concepts. Today, we just knocked down a wall to make the two spaces connected and help develop this craft beer and micro-food hall.”

Like Match Point, Albany’s 310 Eatery has an Asian flair, serving up grub such as a Tokyo Po’ Boy Soft Shell Crab and the 405 Traffic Jam Burger with short rib, bacon, portobello, dipped pastrami and kalbi aioli.

The tennis theme goes beyond the brewery’s name and logo, which prominently features a tennis ball. Last summer, the brewery sponsored an inaugural Match Point Brewing tennis tournament in El Cerrito, and the owners have expressed hope in throwing similar events in the future.

“Through our love of sports, we encourage others to challenge themselves and take pride in their accomplishments,” the founders wrote on their Kickstarter page last year. “Match Point Brewing celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Asian Americans through craft beer. Our beers are inspired by the traditional and modern Asian cuisines and ingredients the founders had the privilege of growing up with in the Bay Area.”

The taproom is taking over the space formerly occupied by the Albany Taproom, which closed last year, after a decade, due to COVID-era economics.

Details: Opening in spring 2024 at 745 San Pablo Ave., Albany, next to the 310 Eatery; matchpointbrewing.com.