A few days in San Francisco recently gave me the opportunity to visit, or return to, most of the city’s brewpubs.
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company is an unusual combination of Spanish Restaurant and microbrewery. The seasonal was the pleasant multi-grain “Full Belly Ale” (6.7% ABV) which had a nice body, color and taste. Along with a Spanish tortilla (a potato omelet), it made for a quite nutritious breakfast upon arrival in the city. I sampled four of their other beers, including a very drinkable IPA (7.2%), a nice but too-thin brown ale (5.4%), a decent stout (5.6%) and the tasty barley-wine (10% ABV) and I was ready to head on to the next brewpub: nearby 21st Amendment.
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company
661 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: 415-974-0905 Web: http://www.thirstybear.com/
21st Amendment Brewery
This brewpub, named after the1993 amendment, which repealed prohibition (voiding the 18th), has long been one of my favorite San Francisco hangouts. I sampled the South Park Blonde, a crisp, dry and malty, a very nice “yellow beer” brewed with German hops. The Bitter American (3.6%)was probably my favorite this time: a very low alcohol brew, yet a very tasty and well-hopped session beer. 21A also serves a light but pleasant watermelon wheat, elegantly served with a piece of watermelon. This would be a very nice refreshing beer in the summer. I got to meet Jesse Houck, the head brewer, who came to greet me in a Gordon Biersch shirt. He had brewed for GB for a year, prior to becoming assistant brewer, and then head brewer at 21st Amendment.
21st Amendment Brewing Company
563 2nd Street San Francisco, CA 94107
Tel: 415-369-0900 Web: http://www.21st-amendment.com/
Gordon Biersch San Francisco
Even though I was on foot, I had sampled enough beers by then that I had to slow myself down. I sat at the bar and enjoyed a glass of the Schwarzbier (black lager) while chatting with a couple of locals and enjoying the fabulous view of the Bay Bridge. The beer was roasty and quite tasty. Although not as smooth as its German-made equivalents, I enjoyed topping off “Day One” with it. The view of the bridge really would make this a great one to go to for happy hour.
Gordon Biersch San Francisco
2 Harrison Street San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: 415-243-8246 Web: http://www.gordonbiersch.com/
San Francisco Brewing Company
This is a nice low-key place with a nice wooden hundred-year-old bar. I sampled the brews and got to meet both Eric Schiff, the head brewer, and Tom Price, his assistant. Both were home-brewers and had taken over somewhat recently. Eric had taken over as head brewer in November of 2006 and had been there for a year. My favorite brew there was the Earthquake Red (6.5% ABV), a very pleasant ale brewed on the day of a small local earthquake, hence the name. The pale ale was very light but well hopped (arguably more so than the IPA) and made a good thirst quencher.
San Francisco Brewing Company
155 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133
Tel: (415) 434-3344 Web: http://www.sfbrewing.com/
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