Somewhat under the radar, a culture of excellent
craft beer has been slowly brewing in the South Bay of late. Arguably the
catalyst was the success of Hermitage Brewing Co., a brewing company and contract brewing facility in
San Jose that has attracted some of the Bay Area’s best brewers, including
Almanac and Calicraft. Original Gravity in San Jose has also become a good destination for South Bay beer
drinkers.
Some of that craft beer love also seems to have
trickled into downtown Campbell, an area not previously associated with great
craft beer. Nestled among frozen yogurt shops, Starbucks and boutiques along
Campbell Avenue is possibly the South Bay’s best gastropub and craft beer bar. The
Liquid Bread Gastropub not
only fills an obvious niche for craft beer in Campbell, it does so in the best
way. Rather than cater solely to craft beer drinkers whose only desire is to
quaff bitterly hoppy beer, Liquid Bread gently encourages drinkers to explore
and re-imagine what beer can be.
Lovers of the hop certainly will not be disappointed
with 21st Amendment’s Hop Crisis Oaked IPA, Drake’s Alpha Sessions
Norcal Bitter or Green Flash Hop Odyssey Citra Sessions IPA on draft, but beer
drinkers will also be challenged by some unexpected diversions, like Dogfish
Head Sixty-One IPA with Syrah Grapes, Deschutes Black Butte XXV Birthday Porter
and The Bruery’s Bois Bourbon Barrel-Aged Ale.
Beverage Manager Larry Hoang is clearly passionate and
knowledgeable, and seemingly relentless in his pursuit of extraordinary beer.
He is also eager to educate newcomers and craft beer veterans alike, and
introduce them to his discoveries. The kitchen staff is equally adept and
adventurous, and Executive Chef John Burke and Sous Chef Tyler Graham are
thinking way beyond pub grub with items such as Rabbit Meatballs, Bavette Steak
Bites, Scallops with a Chilled Soba Noodle Salad, 38 North Chicken Breast with
Waffles, Pea Tendrils, Maple Syrup and Garlic Emulsion.
For Silicon Valley Beer Week, Liquid Bread turned the
beer over to Anchor Brewing: Breckle’s Brown with Braised Pork Belly, Fort Ross
Farmhouse with Tea-Smoked Tuna, Old Foghorn with Braised Strawberries and so
on. Breckle’s is not a complex beer but it was a nice complement to the pork belly.
So the next time you’re in the South Bay and you feel
like a beer and food adventure, give Liquid Bread a try. Or you’re in Campbell
before Liquid Bread opens at 3 p.m., check out their recently opened sister gourmet
deli, Spread Deli and Bottles,
where among scores of bottles of beer and several sandwiches you can try the
Gandolfini: coppa, prosciutto, sopressata, burrata and olive spread.
Liquid Bread Gastropub
379 E. Campbell Ave.
Campbell CA
95008
408-370-3400
Spread Deli & Bottles
193 E. Campbell Ave.
Campbell CA
95008
408-340-5549
