Mar
8
San Francisco Brew Pub Tour
By Kyle Karraker, Club Member
San Francisco. Home of the Grateful Dead, Alcatraz and Anchor Brewing. Dana and I went out there a couple of years ago to visit my brother, take in the sites and find decent places to drink. Well, I went there to find decent places to drink.
Our flight was delayed, so we didn’t get there until early afternoon. We were staying a few blocks from the Wharf area so we decided to walk around down there. I’d read about a place called Jack’s Cannery Bar that had a good number of taps. We found it down some steps in an old brick building that had been converted into a number of shops. It was nice and dark with an old wooden bar. Definitely well used.
Not a bad crowd for early afternoon but we didn’t have a problem sitting at the bar. Not as many taps as I’d been led to believe, but most were beers we didn’t get here at the time. Got the Speakeasy Brewing IPA. Pretty good. Nice hop aroma with a balanced flavor and crisp finish. Dana probably had a Bud Light. What can you do.
The next day was the beer tour day. After a short bus trip up Columbus Avenue, we wandered around Chinatown and the surrounding area. Just a few blocks away was the E&O Trading Company. A brewpub that also serves excellent Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, they recently dropped the brewpub side of the business to concentrate on the food. It’s a shame, because the house IPA was great complement to some of the spicier plates.
What can you do after a good meal and a refreshing beverage? Go look for more refreshing beverages.
Along a stretch of Columbus Avenue called Jack Keroac Way, is the San Francisco Brewing Company. This place has atmosphere all over it. The copper kettles are seen through the large windows along the side of the bar. On the ceiling is a fan that is actually nine vanes that spin along a pole hanging perpendicular to the ceiling. The building was built soon after the 1909 earthquake and the fan looks pretty original.
Had the ShanghaIPA at SFBC. Not bad. Could have used a little more flavor. Dana had the Emperor Norton Lager and actually said she liked it. Atmosphere goes a long way, but I’m not sure I have to go again. I guess it would depend on my proximity when a thirst hits.
That night we had tickets to watch the Giants beat up on the Cardinals and PacBell/SBC/ATT/WTF Park. A pretty cool place to see a game, no matter what you call it. About five blocks from the park is 21st Amendment Brewing.
It’s an old building that was kind of cramped with the pre-game crowd. They really get into their beers, kicking up the ABV and IBUs whenever possible. The IPA was really well done. My brother enjoyed the Amber while Dana had the Irish Red. The food was also really good. Burgers and such but with decent entrees too.
After the game, my brother took us to the area called Lower Haight. The street was kind of grimy with a few homeless people sacked out in the doorways along the block. We walked about half a block from the bus stop to a bland looking building next to a pizzeria. The entrance was kind of seedy, but once you’re in, everything changes. The bar is about 30 feet long and has taps along the length of wall behind it. We had entered the Toronado. Nearly 50 taps and at least that many bottles. I had a Bombay By Boat IPA from Moonlight Brewing.
The patrons were interesting, the prices were reasonable. Next time in SF, I’d like to see it in the daytime.
The next day, we hung out with my brother at his apartment just a few blocks from Haight/Ashbury. It was a short walk to Magnolia Pub and Brewery on Haight St. As you can imagine from the location, the decor was late psychedelia. Beers have names like Promised Land Imperial IPA, Deep Elem Dubbel, Tweezer Trippel and Weekapaug Gruit.
I tried the Proving Ground IPA. It boasted an 100 IBU and 7.20 ABV. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough malt flavor to balance out the bitterness. After that, I had the Prescription Pale. Much better flavor.
The food at Magnolia is not your average pub fare. The gourmet chef serves up great seafood, pastas and meat dishes you won’t find in many places brewing their own beer. One of the best brewpubs I’ve visited. And, if you are lucky enough to sit by a window, a great place to watch the people hanging out in the hippie mecca.
All in all, I’d deem the visit to San Francisco a success. It is a beautiful city with a lot of cool things to do and good beer to seek out. I was only able to scratch the surface. Next time, I’ll try to dig deeper.
