Gearing up for Beer Week

The first time I heard of Beer Week I was squeezing into the tiny bar at City Beer to order my draft.  The usual bustle of this great bottle shop and tap room was exponentially busier and the number of brewery T-shirts and ballcaps in the room was noticeably larger.  A couple sitting next to me from San Diego clued me in.  It was the final days of San Francisco Beer Week (SFBW) and visitors and locals alike were stocking up on limited releases and rehashing the last two weeks of beer-bliss.  

Fast forward a year and I again stumbled upon SFBW while looking for a post-hike brew in Pleasanton at Hopyard Ale House. Hopyard's 30 taps were humming with beers from all over the Bay area, a fantastic treat they are again featuring this year.

Fast forward two years and I'm finally getting smarter. No more happenstance this time around.  I'm strategically plotting my two-week itinerary and watching the schedule updates with excitement and anticipation.  Starting Feb.10, if you need to find me, check the SFBW schedule.

To prepare for a fortnight of suds intake, I made my way to the newest San Francisco brewery to open its space.  Southern Pacific Brewing officially opened for business this past weekend and the Mission District/Potrero Hill neighborhoods have their latest gem in the space and ambiance alone.  In a converted warehouse with reclaimed wood backing the bar and Johnny Cash carrying the tunes, it felt like I stumbled into a bit of a time warp, taking all the Mission hipsters with me.

Flight at Southern Pacific

The beer on tap is both house and guest brews. A flight of the house beers was $7. The Pale and Blonde Ales were the two I liked most. I really wanted to like the IPA, Extra IPA and Porter, but they each lacked a bit of staying power for me. However, I do appreciate an Extra IPA that doesn't tip the alcohol scales (this one clocked in under 7%) and pints were a reasonable $4 or $5. Next time I may stick to some of my old favorites from the guest list, but I will continue to give the house beers a try in hopes of finding a favorite.   

As with any new restaurant, there are some kinks to work out in service and staffing. That being said, the welcoming bright space and option for outdoor seating in this typically less-foggy neighborhood will definitely bring me back. 

Bring on the real test of my tasting power - I'm officially ready for Beer Week!  Check back later this week for some of my top picks from the SFBW schedule.