Your favorite SF Beer Week traditions are mostly coming back this month. They’re just differently distributed.
First up, on the traditional schedule, Toronado launched its own Beer Week on Friday 2/7 with the Toronado Gala. (The place was packed at 6:00 for the first tapping of you know what.) Expect old friends and a spectacular and changing beer lineup all through the week to President’s weekend. Because Russian River Brewing Co. has again done a release of Younger for accounts outside their own facilities for February, there’s a strong possibility you will be able to try some when you drop in at “the T” if you ask nicely and they haven’t yet kicked the day’s keg.
The dramatic backdrop this year, widely discussed, is that owner and founder Dave Keene has put his venerable bar, which had a key role in the initial launch of the American craft beer movement, up for sale, including the building. Anything could happen when SF real estate is involved, so expect a lot of pilgrimages to say thanks, and hopefully not a final goodbye to all the Toronado tradition. BART plus MUNI train or bus takes you there. (Cash only, and if the bartender comes to you before you know what you want from the ample board, blurt out “Death and Taxes” and nurse it while you make a plan.)
The Russian River influence seeps through one of the other classic events which preceded the formalization of SF Beer Week. The Double IPA Festival at the Bistro started 25 years ago, (including the debut of Pliny the Elder that year), and it has also stuck with its traditional place on the calendar. Saturday 2/8 is the date. A spectacular lineup of West Coast Double IPAs along with live music and a few select triple IPAs are the main appeal, along with the opportunity to see and meet brewers and beer industry people from far and near. The Bistro is easily walkable from Hayward BART. Tickets are available in advance.
But what of the other joyful traditions of the Bay Area Brewer’s Guild’s annual SFBW? The events listings and official kick-offs support the trade association for craft brewers in the Greater Bay Area as well as providing an annual focus for collaborations and special events. This year the much loved regional week of celebration moves to the end of February, even splashing into the first weekend of March. Another change from last year is the elimination of the one single gigantic opening event. After several years of pivots due to the pandemic, the excessively expensive and preparation-intensive endeavor of the traditional Opening Gala came back last year — but evidently not with enough vigor to make all that investment viable this year. However, many familiar and new events are coming together to delight and intrigue us all.
Top of the list are two official SFBW kick off events — on Friday 2/21, at their spacious San Leandro facility you’ll find an indoor evening gathering, 21st Amendment Brewery’s Brews & Bites @ Nite Fest. This event supports the Guild (think the future of SFBW) and features at least 15 beloved Bay Area breweries plus food pairings and live music. Tickets in advance only through Eventbrite. BART to San Leandro, shuttles or local busses take you to the brewery or very nearby.
And the next day, in a stunning San Francisco outdoor park setting above the Salesforce transit center, is the SFBW Fest, also designed to officially launch the week and support the Guild. Besides being ringed by an impressive botanical garden with a Barebottle Brewing outdoor taproom, this park is notable for a policy where those who don’t drink at the event can mingle for free. Bring a friend who just wants music and a happy crowd on Saturday 2/22, while you explore the exciting beers available from dozens of breweries. Tickets are now on sale, also through Eventbrite. You can walk from Embarcadero or Montgomery BART or take an AC Transit bus from the East Bay directly into the building beneath the sweeping rooftop park.
Why the calendar disruption? There has always been some grumbling about conflicts with the Super Bowl game (already a high volume day for some taprooms) and also about Valentine’s Day (some say no couple does a valentine beer date, though this couple disagrees). This year the pro basketball All Star game comes to town in February as well, and we’ve heard the point of view that there was going to be just too much competing activity early in the month. So the magical week slipped back into the 2/21 to 3/2 slot.
The whole multi-county array of SFBW events are still going up on the list at sfbeerweek.org — in fact, you could create an event now and support Bay Area brewers and independent beer in all its guises. It’s still early, and SFBW has been deconstructed a bit, but the beery beauty of Northern California February is on.
We can’t wait to see how it comes together.
Gail & Steve
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