Breweries in San Fran and New York

[kalbarluke]

I am going to US next week and am hoping to get to a brewery or two while I'm there. I'm going with my wife so I can't spend every day at breweries (although that would be nice). I am also only going to San Francisco and New York so that limits my options.
I am planning to go to Anchor in SF and Brooklyn Brewery in New York. Are there any others that people know about that I should really try to get to?

 

[fletcher]

Not a brewery but I was in NYC recently and luckily happened upon this place by accident. Great little boutique beer shop/bar - http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/top-hops-new-york

 

[lukiferj]

Lucky *******!

Anchor in San Fran needs to be booked weeks, sometimes months in advance. I got lucky while I was there last year but gets very busy. The Brooklyn Brewery was really cool. From memory Sunday afternoons is when they do tours and the bar is open for business. You can take your own food (or order takeaway from the trucks out front) and make an afternoon of it. If you get a chance to got to Philly (about 2 hours on the bus from New York), there is a brewery called Yards which is also pretty cool. We were in San Fran for 2 weeks and in New York for a month so if you want any details, PM me.

Cheers,
Luke

 

[Charst]

Brooklyn was shut for 4th of july when i was there but Heartland is in Fort Green, but they have heartland bars all over Manhatten.
Check out the Brooklyn ale house for a nice little pub around the corner from the brewery, you'd just about have to walk past it to get back to the train station.

 

[The Balding Bunyip]

Had a great time at the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Fran a few months ago. :drinks:

 

[lukiferj]

There's also a Rogue Ale House in San Fran. They don't brew onsite but 40 odd beers on tap there from Rogue, Russian river, Stone, Ballast Point and a bunch of others.

 

[bum]

If you've got wheels, Moylan's is about 45 min out of town and make great beers. Russian River is a bit over an hour out of town and makes even better beers. Russian River is in the heart of wine country if that'll get SWMBO across the line.

[EDIT: added a cunning plan]

 

[eamonnfoley]

SF: +1 for 21A in SF - great food also. Magnolia & Toranado are greats spots practically opposite each other on Haight St.

NY: +1 for Brooklyn Brewery. Sixpoint is meant to be awesome although I have never been there.

 

[///]

I really liked the food at Magnolia and the beers were ok. Beers were also ok at Toranado, but worst smelling toilets ever! I meet the Head Brewer from Anchor through my brewery supplier and was shown around by Kevin West thier senior brewer. It was a non tour day but the place is awesome, such a brewing museum. Probably favourite brewery I have ever been to.

Scotty

 

[Fourstar]

As stated, russian river/moylans. Bear republic fi you are willing to drive 20 minutes further north. If you want something in the city, 21st ammendment. (make sure there is no baseball on if you want to have a seat AND want a tasting flight (they dont do em if there is a game on.)

As for new york, i dont have much to offer but my plans for when im there later in the year so far will be Brooklyn and Six Point if they have cellar door/bar. There beer was fantastic when i had it in Austin, Tx. Bars: Rattle n Hum and Blind tiger.

 

[kalbarluke]

Thanks to all for your prompt replies. I have managed to book in for an Anchor tour on Monday 1pm and, like lukifer j, I have been lucky. I left it fairly late and they only had one tour available for the week. Apparently they ring people who have already booked in a week before the tour in case of cancellations and some people had pulled out. I can't get too sozzled though because I have to catch the Alcatraz tour boat at 4.20. At least with a few Anchor brews under my belt I won't get sea sick.

Thanks for the heads up about many of the others. We are hopefully going to rent some wheels so Russian River and Moylan's isn't out of the question. Hopefully she will be brave enough to drive (through the SF traffic). Is the blood alcohol limit .08 in California?

 

[lukiferj]

Nice one mate. Well done. Alcatraz is awesome too!

 

[browndog]

If you are driving up to Russian River make sure you stop in at Lagunitas on the way up or back, awesome beers, nearly on par with Russian River.

 

[Bizier]

I am jealous. Nothing really to add to the above. I got to stay close to the Toronado a few years ago and it was great because I got to stop in at all times of the day.

I would seriously be looking at some of the cool bars that you can go to in both of these cities, you can get cool beer from all over the place. Check out The Ginger Man in the middle of NYC.

 

[mackysm]

I was in San Fran in Sept. Locals all raved about Magnolia Brewery in the Haight, never got a chance to make it but could be worth a look. Toronado's and Rouge Ale house are a must. Pliney the Elder off tap at Toronados is delish... Damn I wish I could go back....

 

[Spiesy]

I went to Brooklyn Brewery in September 2011, it was awesome... big beer hall, in the brewery, shared tables - beers purchased with tokens.

GREAT bars that I strongly urge you check out in Manhattan:

• The Blind Tiger, in Greenwich Village. All timber interior, from memory, perhaps 30-odd beers on tap. Awesome.
• McSorley's Ale House, lower east side. The oldest bar in NYC still running, they make a light and dark beer. Sawdust floors. Iconic.
• DBA, East Village (I think). A little pretentious, but a ridiculous beer list, none the less.

In San Fran, Anchor Steam would be awesome to see, but as someone mentioned above - you need to book months in advance, so whilst I've been to San Fran a few times, I've never had the chance to get there. We did go to some Sports Bar in downtown San Fran which had around 30-40 beers on tap, but I can't remember where it was (too many beers).

 

[Spiesy]

I was in San Fran in Sept. Locals all raved about Magnolia Brewery in the Haight, never got a chance to make it but could be worth a look. Toronado's and Rouge Ale house are a must. Pliney the Elder off tap at Toronados is delish... Damn I wish I could go back....

Went to Magnolia. Staff were pricks. Stood at the bar waiting for service, nobody else at the bar - bar-staff talking amongst themselves, so we left. Terrible service for a country where service is usually very good (they largely work for tips).

 

[Spiesy]

Thanks to all for your prompt replies. I have managed to book in for an Anchor tour on Monday 1pm and, like lukifer j, I have been lucky. I left it fairly late and they only had one tour available for the week. Apparently they ring people who have already booked in a week before the tour in case of cancellations and some people had pulled out. I can't get too sozzled though because I have to catch the Alcatraz tour boat at 4.20. At least with a few Anchor brews under my belt I won't get sea sick.

Thanks for the heads up about many of the others. We are hopefully going to rent some wheels so Russian River and Moylan's isn't out of the question. Hopefully she will be brave enough to drive (through the SF traffic). Is the blood alcohol limit .08 in California?

Yep, 0.08.

Alcatraz tour is cool - literally... if you're doing the late one, which I did, rug up.

Another cool thing to do in San Fran is hire a bike from Fisherman's Wharf, ride over the Golden Gate Bridge into Sou Salito (sp?), and then take the ferry back to the wharf. Unique, rewarding way to experience the Bay City, and you get to drink Anchor Steam on the ferry on your way back.

 

[Mattress]

A pity this article didn't come out before you left.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/heres-cheers-to-brooklyn-20130214-2eeav.html

 

[kalbarluke]

One thing I'm finding is that the US pubs have a healthy list of standard draught beers. In SF every pub had Anchor Steam, Lagunitas IPA, Widmar hefeweisen, Speakeasy Prohibition IPA along with the regular Bud Light, Stella, etc.

Just got to NY last night. Will keep a lookout for changes in beers on east coast.