SF
Beer week is less than two weeks away, so it’s not too early to pencil in your
itinerary. Keep in mind that more events will be added all the way up to, and
even during, Beer Week.
Saturday,
Feb. 8
Double
IPA Festival
Before
the opening night gala, the traditional kickoff of SF Beer Week was the Double
IPA Festival at The Bistro in Hayward. Expect lots of people and lots of hops
as many of the beers surpass the double IPA boundary and stumble into triple
IPA territory, including the legendary Pliny the Younger.
When:
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where:
The Bistro, Hayward
How
much: $50 for a tasting glass and four pours; additional pours for $2.
Best
way to get there: BART
Cask
and Chieso: Triple Fermented
Cowgirl
Creamery and ThirstyBear team up for unlimited tastings of cask-conditioned
ales, from Bay Area breweries such as Magnolia, Sierra Nevada, 21st
Amendment, Speakeasy, Freewheel, Cellarmaker, Anchor and ThirstyBear, paired
with local and Spanish artisan cheeses. The SF Baking Institute will provide
freshly baked specialty breads, including a brewer’s grain bread. This event
always sells out, so get your tickets early.
When:
6-9 p.m.
Where:
ThirstyBear Brewing Co., San Francisco
How
much: $35 advance for unlimited tastings and a ThirstyBear glass; $40 at the door.
Best
way to get there: BART or MUNI
Get
your tickets here.
Pucker
Up
Several
events reflect the Bay Area’s current infatuation with “sour” and barrel-aged beers.
United
Sours of America
The
Monk’s Kettle in the Mission will turn over all 24 of its taps to sours from
American breweries. Among the more than 20 breweries represented will be
Cascade, Prairie, The Rare Barrel, Russian River (Temptation Batch 6, 2011 and
Sanctification 2010, for example), The Bruery, Lost Abbey, Allagash, Boulevard,
Logsdon, Evil Twin, Moonlight, New Belgium, Craftsman, Jolly Pumpkin, Golden
Road, Avery, Crooked Stave and Almanac. Glass pours from bottles will also be
available. Monk’s Kettle will debut its new patio for this event.
When:
11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Where:
The Monk’s Kettle, San Francisco
How
much: Pay as you go
Best
way to get there: BART or MUNI
It’s
a Sour World After All
Around
the corner from Monk’s Kettle, sister gastropub The Abbot’s Cellar will
celebrate imported sours, including Rhubarb Gose and Cantillon Vingeronne, in a
four-course tasting menu.
When:
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8-9, 5:30-10 p.m.
Where:
The Abbot’s Cellar
How
much: four-course meal without beer is $55; with beer it’s $75. You can make
reservations at The Abbot’s Cellar’s website.
Best
way to get there: BART or MUNI
Strength
& Barrels: Barrel-Aged and Imperial Stout Releases
Triple
Rock in Berkeley will feature a flight of barrel-aged beers and its new strong
imperial stout, Mister Stout. Bourbon barrel-aged Dragonaut Barleywine and
barrel aged Ballyhoo Belgian dark strong will also be released.
When:
11:30 a.m.-2 a.m.
Where:
Triple Rock, Berkeley
How
much: pay as you go
Best
way to get there: BART
An
Evening of Barrel Aged Beers
The
Trappist in Oakland will pour The Trappist 50/50, Drakes, Crooked Stave and The
Rare Barrel, among others. Expect funk, flavor and tartness.
When:
6 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Where:
The Trappist, Oakland
How
much: Pay as you go
Best
way to get there: BART
Oregon
Brewers Night
Mikkeller
Bar SF will welcome Logsdon Farmhouse Brewery and David Logsdon, Ben Love and
Gigantic Brewing, and Rick Allen and Heater Allen, among others. Logsdon is
scheduled to pour Cerasus, Far West Vlaming and Seizon Bretta. Heater Allen
will pour Coastal and Schwarz. And Gigantic will pour its Russian Imperial
Stout, Gigantic IPA and Gigantic Pale Ale.
When:
6-11 p.m.
Where:
Mikkeller Bar SF, San Francisco
How
much: pay as you go
Best
way to get there: BART
Sunday,
Feb. 9
Sour
Sunday 2014
Triple
Rock and Jupiter will showcase “all that is wild, barreled and beautiful in
beer.” Featured international breweries at Triple Rock will be Cantillon, To
Ol, Strubbe, Mikkeller, Drie Fontenein, Fantome and others. Domestic breweries at
Jupiter will include Russian River, Drakes, Almanac, The Bruery, Jolly Pumpkin,
Upright, Jester King, Crooked Stave, The Rare Barrell, Sante Adairius and
Logsdon.
When:
11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where:
Triple Rock and Jupiter, Berkeley
How
much: $30 for a glass and five 3oz pours; additional tickets are $4.
Best
way to get there: BART
Sour
Sunday in PA
For
its annual sour beer event, Rose and Crown in Palo Alto will pour sours from
Russian River Brewing, Bear Republic, Palo Alto Brewing, plus many more on tap
and in bottles.
When:
11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m.
Where:
Rose and Crown, Palo Alto
How
much: Pay as you go
Best
way to get there: Caltrain
The
Sycamore: Hitachino Tap Takeover
The
Sycamore will turn over its taps to the Japanese craft brewery with the cute owl on the label. On draft will be
Hitachino Nest White Ale, Hitachino Dai Dai Ale, Hitachino Nest Commemorative
Ale, Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew, Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale and
Hitachino Nest Anbai Ale. The Sycamore will also pour from bottles of Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout and Hitachino
Next Extra High (XH) Sake Barrel Aged.
(Extra
bonus at The Sycamore: kegs from the previous night’s event will be half off
while supplies last.)
When:
5 p.m.-2 a.m.
Where:
The Sycamore, San Francisco
How
much: Pay as you go
Best
way to get there: BART
2 Hop
Collaboration Project
Beer
Revolution will feature beers with two hop varietals from Faction, Kern River, Alpine, Beachwood, Berryessa, Moylans,
Triple Rock, Drakes and maybe Ballast Point.
When:
2 p.m.-midnight
Where:
Beer Revolution, Oakland
How
much: Pay as you go
Best way to get there: BART
