# San Francisco - Where To Visit?



## mobrien (13/6/07)

Hi guys,

I'm about to spend a month in San Francisco with work, and obviously I need to know what and where I need to visit (beer related!)

Any suggestions?

M


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## kook (13/6/07)

One answer : Toronado.

It is a cool bar with a simply awesome range of beers.

I'll edit this post soon with more recommendations when I unpack my notes from last year.

Oh, one question, how far are you willing to travel? If you've got a car, do you mind taking weekend day trips out to say Santa Rosa? Would even driving down to LA or San Diego be an option? Let me know....

edit:

Ok, heres the places I visited. I only had 3 nights there and my fiancee was injured, so we didn't get a chance to visit many:

*21st Amendment (Brewpub)
http://www.21st-amendment.com/*

I really enjoyed this place. Really tasty double IPA, some good canned beers (suprising!) and the food wasn't bad either. Laid back, though I have a feeling it could get pretty college-like on a game day.

*Jacks Cannery Bar (Bar)
http://jacksbarsf.com/index.html*

Ok, this place was crap. Not only were the beers sold in plastic cups, but the range of "110 beers" was mostly macro lagers. We ordered food, waited half an hour (watching the chef chat with the barmaid) then cancelled our order and left. Worst service I recieved in the US during 4 weeks in 5 states.

*Thirsty Bear (Brewpub)
http://www.thirstybear.com/*

I was a bit dissapointed with this place. Overpriced food and some pretty boring (and in some cases shoddy) beers. If you're in the area i'd still drop in though as they do make a good Stout.

*Toronado (Bar)
http://www.toronado.com/*

This place was simply awesome. Ok, it's pretty dodgy looking, but the beer more than makes up for it. One of the best beer lists in the US, with some awesome micros and rare belgians too. I wouldn't be suprised if this becomes your "local" over there even if it's nowhere near where you're staying 

Less than an hour north of San Francisco:

*Bear Republic Brewery (Brewpub)
http://www.bearrepublic.com/*

Friendly bar staff, brewers willing to chat and damn good beer. We had a lunch here too and it was pretty good. Recommended.

*Bottle Barn (Bottle Shop)
http://bottlebarn.com*

Pretty good range at this Santa Rosa bottle shop. Well kept beers, and some raritys from places like Hair of the Dog and other cool micros.

*Lagunitas (Brewery)
http://www.lagunitas.com/*

You'll need to call ahead to book a tour, but this is a cool brewery. Very laid back staff. We had a private tour of about an hour just chatting about beer & brewing. Oh, good beer too 

*Russian River (Brewpub)
http://www.russianriverbrewing.com*

I don't really need to say much. It's Russian River. Definately in my top 5 personal US breweries. Amazing range of beers from hoppy double IPAs through to barrel aged flanders reds and beers brewed entirely with brettanomyces! Also worth checking out 3rd Street Aleworks, which is a few doors down. I didn't make it as it was too crowded the night i visited, but it's supposed to be an awesome beer bar.



Some other recommended places that I haven't been to:
Amnesia (San Francisco) - Bar with a good reputation, short walk from Toronado
Anchor (San Francisco) - Well, it's Anchor! They don't do tour on weekends though  Book in advance.
City Beer (San Francisco) - Supposed to be a really good bottle shop
Marin Brewing (North of SF) - Good reputation, I tasted some of the beers they produced in bottles and they were good)
Plumpjack (San Francisco) - Another recommended bottle shop
Speakeasy (San Francisco) - Another cool brewery, once againt tried their beers in bottles. They aparently do tours

Also, any Whole Foods Market is usually a good place to pick up beer. They're a specialist chain grocery store.

You should be able to google all the location for those ones


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## lonte (13/6/07)

21st Amendment BrewPub, 563 2nd Street two blocks from Giants Stadium.


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## Doc (13/6/07)

You need to listen to this episode of BeerSchool http://www.beerschool.com/45/touring-san-francisco-beer/ and checkout this google map http://tinyurl.com/39exjl

I'll be up there myself in just over a week.

Book yourself a tour of Anchor now before you leave. They only do week day tours at 1pm, and you need to book weeks in advance.

I'll also be getting up to Lagunitas and Russian River (a drive out of SF) with a mate while I'm there. You can get some RR beers in SF.

Second the Toronado/21A and I'll also be looking to get to numerous others that have been mentioned on TBN http://thebrewingnetwork.com/

Beers,
Doc


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## kook (13/6/07)

Doc said:


> I'll also be getting up to Lagunitas and Russian River (a drive out of SF) with a mate while I'm there. You can get some RR beers in SF.



If you have time it's worth dropping into Bear Republic while you're up that way too Doc. Marin is a bit more out of the way, but if you've got time once again why not! :chug:


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## Tony M (13/6/07)

This has nothing to do with beer but---
1. You must dine at the Garlic Rose. I counted 23 cloves of garlic on my plate and that was only the entree!
2. You gotta drive your car down those city hills and the zig-zag where innumerable Hollywood car chases have been filmed.
3. I also remember Fishermans wharf, the tram rides up and down the streets, and Chinatown. As a pipe smoker, the tobacco shops were Alladins caves, but that is just an aside.


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## Pumpy (13/6/07)

Parade time Starts 10:30 am on Sunday, June 24. 

Pumpy


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## Jye (13/6/07)

lonte said:


> 21st Amendment BrewPub, 563 2nd Street two blocks from Giants Stadium.



LOL :lol:


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## Andyd (13/6/07)

I keep hearing about the 21A... if you do drop by, how about catching a few pics & posting a reiview?

Andy


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## Lukes (14/6/07)

Not beer related but get a ferry out and do the alcatraz island tour.
When I was there over a decade ago you were given headphones and did you own personal tour.
Again might need to book as it sells out.

- Luke


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## berazafi (14/6/07)

If your there for a month, you should take the long trip and visit portland, endless great microbrewaries


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## kook (14/6/07)

berazafi said:


> If your there for a month, you should take the long trip and visit portland, endless great microbrewaries



It's not that long on the train from SF, and Portland has pretty good public transport too.


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## sinkas (14/6/07)

Definitly listen to the beerschool podcast that Doc reccommended, but beware, its one of the most sycophantic and pretentious diatribes ive ever heard, yet the contect is actually interesting. 
I beleive the presenters are probably wearing tangerine kashmir sweaters.


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## Doc (14/6/07)

Andyd said:


> I keep hearing about the 21A... if you do drop by, how about catching a few pics & posting a reiview?
> 
> Andy



Their website has some pics, as does Google Maps (Street view), but I'll be visiting and will take some piccies.

Doc


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## mobrien (16/6/07)

Thanks everyone - lots of great suggestions there! I'll have to try as many as I can in the time I am there - although the course I am doing is for 5 days a week, so I'll be limited a little...

Thanks again!

Matt
(about to hit google maps and google earth to see where all these places are in comparison to my accomodation!)


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## leeboy (16/6/07)

I loved
1) Anchors - try the liberty ale its fantastic
2) Bear Republic Brewery
Both were awesome with good beer. Pretty much can go wrong over there. Most nice pubs have a fair few taps devoted to local microbreweries.
Have fun!!! You'll love it. That is the one reason I'd live in the states..


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