SAN FRANCISCO — Independent craft breweries throughout the greater SF and Monterey Bay Areas are joining forces to create ten special beers in the spirit of local community and cooperation, and to celebrate the 10th SF Beer Week, February 9-18. The beers will debut at the SF Beer Week Opening Gala, Friday, February 9, at Pier 35 in SF — one of the very few places all ten will be poured.
The annual collaboration tradition, initiated by the San Francisco Brewers Guild and a hallmark of SF Beer Week, returns with a radical spin: five brews from areas across the region — SF, East Bay, North Bay, South Bay and Monterey Bay — and five hyper-local SF neighborhood beers — Bayview, Dogpatch, Haight, Mission and SoMa — providing a nod to a remarkable ten year milestone and honoring the Guild’s past and future.
Dozens of breweries have been contributing ideas, ingredients, muscle and know-how to make these beers possible. For each group of brewers in each distinct location, the challenge was straightforward: come up with a beer that reflects the personalities and characters of their communities — and they did so with keenly playful results.
The Bay Area Collabs – The Future Is Here
The introduction of the five regional collaboration beers symbolizes a more unified craft beer landscape, as the SF Brewers Guild evolves into a regional trade association. At the same time, these beers showcase flavors and approaches that express the identities and creative impulses of their individual brewing communities.
North Bay – Instant Classic IPA – West Coast IPA, brewed at Henhouse Brewing Co. (Santa Rosa)
Brimming with Cascade and using local craft malt, this beer is a homegrown West Coast IPA at its most classic — a fitting homage to an area known for reintroducing the IPA to the world, American style. Grain: Admiral 2-Row, White Wheat, Light crystal malt, Admiral Red Seven; Hops: Cascade, Chinook, Centennial and Simcoe.
Monterey Bay – A Bay of Our Own – Salted Caramel Stout, brewed at Discretion Brewing Co. (Soquel)
Brewed with Monterey Bay sea salt. CA-grown craft malt and rich, dark caramel enhance this stout, brewed with local sustainable ingredients and the efforts, ideas and camaraderie of Monterey Bay breweries. Available in cans as well as draft. Grain: Admiral ‘Maiden Voyage’ Malt, Caramel Malt, Carafa, Roasted Barley; Hops: Golding; Other: Caramel made by Uncommon Brewers, Monterey sea salt. This dark treat will come in at 7% ABV, 33 IBU.
South Bay – Locally Grown – India Pale Lager with Citrus, brewed at Hermitage Brewing Co. (San Jose)
Loaded with crowd-sourced fruit, and hops that heighten those natural aromas, this crushable India Pale Lager showcases the local citrus that abounds in South Bay. Malt: Admiral base & specialty malts; Hops: Mandarina, Citra, Mosaic and El Dorado; Other: Local oranges, tangerines and grapefruits.
San Francisco – #10 Foggy IPA – Hazy IPA, brewed at Speakeasy Ales and Lagers (SF)
Bursting with pine, floral and citrus aromas, with local craft malt lending honey and fresh baked bread notes, and wheat, oats, rye and rice flakes for added depth and a juicy mouthfeel, this SF fog is one you’ll love tripping through. Available in cans as well as draft. Grain: Admiral pilsner, Wheat, Oats, Rye, Flaked Rice; Hops: Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook. This hop-hazed brew will finish at 6.5% ABV, 63 IBU.
East Bay – Smoke & Coffee Break – Coffee Smoked Porter, brewed at Shadow Puppet Brewing Co. (Livermore)
Some of the malt was carefully hand-smoked using whiskey barrel chips. Select local cold-brewed coffee put an indisputable East Bay stamp on this smokey, robust, chocolate-tinged coffee porter. Malt: Rahr 2-Row, German Smoked Malt; Hand-smoked Pilsner Malt, Munich Malt, English Chocolate Malt, Crystal 40 & 120 Malts; Hops: Bravo; Other: Cold-brewed coffee. Coming in at 8.4% ABV.
Five SF District Collaboration Beers – History Meets Hyper-Local
A nod to the origins of the San Francisco Brewers Guild, these next five district collaborations draw from the Guild’s roots as a city-based association and from some of the culturally rich San Francisco neighborhoods that are not only part of our collective history but the world’s.
Bayview Haze – Hazy IPA with Pomegranate
By Barebottle Brewing Co. plus Ferment.Drink.Repeat, HolyCraft Brewery, Laughing Monk Brewing Co., San Francisco Brewing Co. and Seven Stills Brewery & Distillery
Dogpatch Saison – Saison with Terpenes [Disclaimer: not psychoactive]
Brewed in three versions at Harmonic Brewing, Magnolia Brewing Co. (Smokestack), and Triple Voodoo Brewery, with participation from Headlands Brewing Co., Speakeasy Ales & Lagers and Sufferfest Beer Co.
Mission Clarion Lager – Vienna Lager
By Fort Point Beer Co. plus Almanac Beer Co., Old Bus Tavern, Standard Deviant Brewing Co., Southern Pacific Brewing Co., Southpaw BBQ and Woods Beer Co.
Haight Pink Fog – Hazy Pink IPA
By Sunset Reservoir Brewing Co. plus Barrel Head Brewhouse, Beach Chalet Restaurant & Brewery, Black Sands Brewery, Magnolia Brewpub and Social Kitchen & Brewery.
SoMa Sparkler – “SoMa Stylish” (experimental Sacc. Trois beer.)
By Local Brewing Co. plus 21st Amendment Brewery, Bartlett Hall, Black Hammer Brewing, Cellarmaker Brewing Co., Pine Street Brewery and ThirstyBear Organic Brewery.
Because California liquor law prohibits certain breweries from purchasing beer from other breweries, many of those participating in these collaborations are also brewing their own variations of the same recipes to tap in their own tasting rooms. This will provide exciting chances to experience how the same beer differs when executed by different brewers. Events featuring official SF Beer Week collabs — including these simultaneous re-interpretations — will be posted on the SF Beer Week website in the runup to SF Beer Week.
SF Beer Week Opening Gala Showcases Hundreds of Special Beers
These 10 new brews provide only one of the highlights at this year’s SF Beer Week Opening Gala on Feb. 9, where 120 independent craft breweries will present over 300 special, rare, one-off and seasonal releases, showcasing both traditional and experimental beer making. Patrons will also be able to enjoy conversations and stories from some of the Bay Area leaders who put craft beer on the map, led by San Francisco Chronicle journalists. Or peruse the SF Beer Week design gallery. The brewery participation list is available at the ticket page, http://bit.ly/sfbw18GalaTix. Tickets for the SF Beer Week Opening Gala are available in advance only (VIP access: $120/GA: $80).
SF Beer Week comes together each year via the schedules at sfbeerweek.org. After the Opening Gala on Feb. 9, hundreds of events will follow daily through Sunday, Feb. 18.
About the San Francisco Brewers Guild
Founded in 2004, the San Francisco Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization for the region’s independent craft breweries. Our mission is to preserve the Greater Bay Area’s brewing heritage; advocate on behalf of our members; partner with artisan producers in the food, beverage, hospitality and agricultural industries; educate the greater public; and unite those who make local beer with those who love it.