Summer Travel - San Francisco

As we continue our Summer Travel series, I can’t help but think about how many great beer destinations there are out there and how we could spend lots of weeks talking about where to go to drink great beer. But, I digress…we are looking at locations that meet several criteria, not the least of which is somewhere for Arizonans to go to get out of our summer heat. Last week we looked at San Diego with their wonderful beaches and year round moderate temperatures…and we found some wonderful beer. This week we head up Interstate 5 to the city by the Bay, San Francisco. Of course, if you prefer the more romantic route, a cruise up the Pacific Coast Highway will get you there as well with much better scenery. Regardless, we are not here to talk about the trip, but about the destination. San Francisco, from Gold Rush times until Prohibition was the brewing center of the West Coast. Whether it was the malting houses on Fisherman’s Wharf or the hop fields in the North and East Bay, beer was intertwined with San Francisco’s history.


My first stop in San Francisco is always the Toronado. This is the original and it looks it. Located at Haight and Fillmore, it is found after a fairly long climb up one of San Francisco’s infamous hills…take my advice and get a cab or bus to get there. Once inside, you will be greeted by approximately fifty taps, all flowing with fantastic craft beer or some high end specialty import. Last time I was there, there were no less than four of the highly sought after Russian River beers on tap, as well as other local gems like Moonlight Brewing, Marin and Drake’s. There will also be plenty of beers from places that we in Arizona are more familiar with like Anderson Valley, Bear Republic and North Coast Brewing. Take your time and enjoy, this is the place that celebrated its 20th anniversary with beers brewed especially for the event by brewers like Vinnie Cirluzo and Tomme Arthur. Examine the lists carefully and choose wisely, you will never get through all the goodies you will find here.

Another fine local beer bar is City Beer Store and Tasting Room. Get something to take home, but by all means, enjoy a few beers while you are there. It’s more central to the main hotel areas, situated on Folsom, just a couple of blocks off Market. There is also a different vibe, and it can sometimes be a gathering place for the professional beer community in San Francisco after their workday is over. You never know what you will find on draft, so enjoy.

There are some fun breweries in the area, most with pubs attached so you can eat while you drink. 21st Amendment Brewery celebrates the repeal of Prohibition daily at their restaurant. In keeping with that theme, enjoy the Brew Free or Die IPA or the Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Ale. A great variety of classic pub food prepared in some interesting ways provides a complete experience at 21st Amendment. Before the 21st Amendment was passed, speakeasy bars were rampant across America. These small clubs that were carefully guarded quenched the thirst of Americans for the almost fourteen years that we were, legally anyway, a dry country. Not far from 21st Amendment is the Speakeasy Brewery. Open to the public only on Friday afternoons, and only to those who know the secret password (don’t tell anyone I told you, but it’s “good beer”) there is always something special on tap.

Just outside of the city lies an assortment of great beer in any direction. If you are heading north across the Golden Gate Bridge, a stop in Novato will take you to Moylan’s. Moylan’s head brewer Denise Jones is considered one of the finest brewers in California and her beers are crafted so well they leave you wanting more. Whether you order the hop bomb they call Hopsickle or one of the more traditional Irish or English style beers, be sure to try the food as well. You can also stop at their sister brewery, Marin Brewing in Larkspur, south of Novato. This is a brewery that does fruit beers very well, try the Blueberry Ale; the natural blueberry flavors are just enough to give you the taste without overwhelming the taste buds. If hops are your thing, go for the White Knuckle Double IPA. It won’t take long to figure out where they got the name from.

Pyramid Brewing Company has two Alehouses located to the west of the city, one in Berkeley and one in Walnut Creek. Treat yourself to one of the favorites available here, or explore some of the beers that are only available at the Alehouses. If you’re looking for a brewery tour, the Berkeley Alehouse is also home to one of Pyramid’s two production breweries (the other is in Portland) and is a great experience if you have never seen a larger brewery in action. It includes samples and for the under 21 crowd, they have plenty of their Thomas Kemper sodas available. Plan about 45 minutes for the tours a some time after that to enjoy a pint or two along with a snack at the Alehouse.

This is just a small bit of the great beer available in and around San Francisco. Check out Beach Chalet Brewery, Anchor Brewing, Iron Springs and Magnolia as well. Other great beer bars include The Alembic, The Bistro and British Bankers Club. There are, of course, many more great places in a town with a beer tradition as rich as San Francisco’s. And we haven’t even touched on wine country yet, look for that in the fall, just before many people are making trips to Napa and Sonoma. As always, you can pinpoint locations by checking out www.beermapping.com.