Bay Area (SF) Beer Week Thread

[stupac2]

is the Gala really worth 75+?

Two years ago it wouldn't have been worth going to if it were free. I've heard that it was better last year, but I've gotten really skeptical of those huge beerfests.

 

[beerandraiderfan]

Anyone able to chime in on food options at/around Rare Barrel on a Sat night? Food truck best option?

Thanks for the refuge tip, but I'm coming over from the other direction. Was thinking of hitting Drake's on the way down Fri afternoon. Been to Sharks games before, but haven't really found a reliable dinner place with good beer options within walking distance of the Shark Tank? Are there any?

Still trying to find an early Sunday beer option too.

 

[tosh1]

Anyone able to chime in on food options at/around Rare Barrel on a Sat night? Food truck best option?

Thanks for the refuge tip, but I'm coming over from the other direction. Was thinking of hitting Drake's on the way down Fri afternoon. Been to Sharks games before, but haven't really found a reliable dinner place with good beer options within walking distance of the Shark Tank? Are there any?

Still trying to find an early Sunday beer option too.

So far on my trips to The Rare Barrel I have parked over by Berkeley Bowl, mainly because I end up doing some shopping afterwards, Mint Leaf is a decent Vietnamese restaurant just down the street from BB.

 

[drgarage1]

is the Gala really worth 75+?

Last year wasn't bad, but I didn't think it was worth the same amount of money as Firestone Invitational, for example.

 

[stupac2]

Anyone able to chime in on food options at/around Rare Barrel on a Sat night? Food truck best option?

They serve paninis there that are decent but overpriced!

 

[beerandraiderfan]

Last year wasn't bad, but I didn't think it was worth the same amount of money as Firestone Invitational, for example.

Nothing is. Nothing.

 

[drgarage1]

Last year wasn't bad, but I didn't think it was worth the same amount of money as Firestone Invitational, for example.

To expand, here are the breweries worth going for:
Almanac Beer Co.
Bear Republic Brewing Company (Tartare almost guaranteed)
Berryessa Brewing Co.
Cellarmaker Brewing Company
Drake's Brewing Co.
Faction Brewing Company
HenHouse Brewing Company
Mill Valley Beerworks
Moonlight Brewing
Russian River Brewing (if you like long lines to drink Blind Pig after Younger kicks in the first 15 minutes)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (last year, they brought barrel-aged Narwhal)
The Rare Barrel

Everything else is boring or bad. If drinking unlimited rare-ish beers from the above for $75 appeals, you might enjoy the gala.

 

[drgarage1]

Nothing is. Nothing.

Culmination has me green with envy...
https://www.theculminationfestival.com

 

[mjl21]

To expand, here are the breweries worth going for:
Almanac Beer Co.
Bear Republic Brewing Company (Tartare almost guaranteed)
Berryessa Brewing Co.
Cellarmaker Brewing Company
Drake's Brewing Co.
Faction Brewing Company
HenHouse Brewing Company
Mill Valley Beerworks
Moonlight Brewing
Russian River Brewing (if you like long lines to drink Blind Pig after Younger kicks in the first 15 minutes)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (last year, they brought barrel-aged Narwhal)
The Rare Barrel

Everything else is boring or bad. If drinking unlimited rare-ish beers from the above for $75 appeals, you might enjoy the gala.

MV Beerworks? Yikes. Agree on everything else.

 

[tosh1]

MV Beerworks? Yikes. Agree on everything else.

Foods decent and they have got an okay bottle list, but I don't think I'd seek their beer out at a festival (or even at the pub)

 

[RyanG1]

MV Beerworks? Yikes. Agree on everything else.

Double yikes. Their beer and food are sub-par.

 

[RyanG1]

Everything else is boring or bad. I

Forgot Headlands Brewing Co!

edit: Sarcasm. I tried their stuff, but was not a fan. And one of the owners was a total dbag when we chatted.

 

[drgarage1]

Forgot Headlands Brewing Co!

Everything Headlands I've had has been much worse than from Mill Valley. To each his own, of course.

 

[mjl21]

Forgot Headlands Brewing Co!

edit: Sarcasm. I tried their stuff, but was not a fan. And one of the owners was a total dbag when we chatted.

Probably went to ASU.

 

[drgarage1]

Forgot Headlands Brewing Co!

edit: Sarcasm. I tried their stuff, but was not a fan. And one of the owners was a total dbag when we chatted.

I have a friend who runs a beer bar on the Peninsula who agreed to a tap takeover -- two of the kegs were so infected he had to cancel the tap takeover, and the "good" one was undrinkable.

 

[matedog]

Russian River Brewing (if you like long lines to drink Blind Pig after Younger kicks in the first 15 minutes)

The other kegs are usually a sour, I believe. I want to say it was Temptation a year or two ago, which yeah, not as special as Younger, but still more interesting than Blind Pig.

The Rare Barrel

I didn't see RB on the list that was sent out.

As for value, I bought the early bird tickets for $60 which is a bit more palatable. With no food, it's hard to argue that $75 is worth it, but I went with a ton of friends last year, so it was more than just a beer event, and had a blast.

 

[drgarage1]

The other kegs are usually a sour, I believe. I want to say it was Temptation a year or two ago, which yeah, not as special as Younger, but still more interesting than Blind Pig.

I didn't see RB on the list that was sent out.

As for value, I bought the early bird tickets for $60 which is a bit more palatable. With no food, it's hard to argue that $75 is worth it, but I went with a ton of friends last year, so it was more than just a beer event, and had a blast.

Yeah -- I guess I just mean that what RR brings other than Younger is exciting if you have no regular access to RR, but nothing exciting relative to the kind of stuff Bear Republic breaks out, for example.

 

[matedog]

Yeah -- I guess I just mean that what RR brings other than Younger is exciting if you have no regular access to RR, but nothing exciting relative to the kind of stuff Bear Republic breaks out, for example.

I guess it's possible they'll do Beat.

 

[drgarage1]

I guess it's possible they'll do Beat.

This is very true. That would be cool.

 

[oddapter]

I have gone the last 3 years, and every year it has gotten a little worse in terms of ratio of attendees to number of brewers. The ones a few years back had no waiting for any beer except for Younger. If I was going to go this year, I'd forgo Younger and rush to all the empty booths while everyone waits in line!

 

[jtmartino1]

Two years ago it wouldn't have been worth going to if it were free. I've heard that it was better last year, but I've gotten really skeptical of those huge beerfests.

Huh? Two years ago was awesome, except for the bathroom situation. It gets better every year - one of the best events during Beer Week, IMO. There may be better beer at other events, but they're all more of a clusterfuck than the Gala. As long as you don't stupidly rush the Younger line, there's very little wait everywhere else.

I have gone the last 3 years, and every year it has gotten a little worse in terms of ratio of attendees to number of brewers. The ones a few years back had no waiting for any beer except for Younger. If I was going to go this year, I'd forgo Younger and rush to all the empty booths while everyone waits in line!

Not sure this is true - the coordinators said they haven't increased the number of tickets since the new venue, and I'm pretty sure the number of breweries is not decreasing.

It's the best large-scale event outside of FW.


Speaking of which, anyone have any extra VIP tickets? I need 1 more.

 

[stupac2]

Huh? Two years ago was awesome, except for the bathroom situation. It gets better every year - one of the best events during Beer Week, IMO. There may be better beer at other events, but they're all more of a clusterfuck than the Gala. As long as you don't stupidly rush the Younger line, there's very little wait everywhere else.

The bathroom situation was such a clusterfuck that it made everything else pretty horrible. But, regardless, the beer wasn't all that impressive anywhere, and there were enough lines at random places to make it all annoying (and that's even with 1/3 of the people being in line for the bathrooms at any given time).

 

[jtmartino1]

But, regardless, the beer wasn't all that impressive anywhere

Yeah, this is where we're gonna disagree. Just about every Northern California brewery, most of whom bring one-offs, seasonals or special beers. Tons of double and triple IPAs, BA beers, sours, etc. Nothing else compares during beer week.

 

[matedog]

The bathroom situation was such a clusterfuck that it made everything else pretty horrible. But, regardless, the beer wasn't all that impressive anywhere, and there were enough lines at random places to make it all annoying (and that's even with 1/3 of the people being in line for the bathrooms at any given time).

God I remember waiting 45 minutes (no exaggeration) in line for the bathroom two years ago. Last year was like a 2 minute wait.

 

[RyanG1]

Yeah, this is where we're gonna disagree. Just about every Northern California brewery, most of whom bring one-offs, seasonals or special beers. Tons of double and triple IPAs, BA beers, sours, etc. Nothing else compares during beer week.

Get lost

 

[stupac2]

Yeah, this is where we're gonna disagree. Just about every Northern California brewery, most of whom bring one-offs, seasonals or special beers. Tons of double and triple IPAs, BA beers, sours, etc. Nothing else compares during beer week.

The fact that they're one-offs doesn't mean that they're good. That's my problem with the event, nothing that I had was actually worth the effort to get there. If you're really like going to a giant beerfest with a few thousand other people to scarf down samples of beer that are, at best, moderately better than what you'd get in literally any bar but with a "BEER WEEK ONLY OMG GUISE!!!!" tag on them, then knock yourself out. I would rather be at home drinking beer that I know will be good.

 

[Rizdac]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm planning on flying in one of the two weekends during SF Beer Week. Which weekend would you guys recommend coming in on? I'm also planning on hitting RR for some PtY and thinking the 7th is going to be insane, right?

 

[RyanG1]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm planning on flying in one of the two weekends during SF Beer Week. Which weekend would you guys recommend coming in on? I'm also planning on hitting RR for some PtY and thinking the 7th is going to be insane, right?

Both weekends should be quite busy. As far as events, I would plan to come either the first weekend and extend my time if possible into Monday and/or Tuesday or the following weekend and come in Thursday and/or Friday. There are tons of great events mid week.

 

[Rizdac]

Both weekends should be quite busy. As far as events, I would plan to come either the first weekend and extend my time if possible into Monday and/or Tuesday or the following weekend and come in Thursday and/or Friday. There are tons of great events mid week.

Plan is to fly in on a Thursday night and out on a Sunday. Can't afford anymore days off of work. When are Toronado's events? Apparently they hate the internet.

 

[RyanG1]

Plan is to fly in on a Thursday night and out on a Sunday. Can't afford anymore days off of work. When are Toronado's events? Apparently they hate the internet.

You will be sufficiently hammered and will have your choice of events.

They should be posting them very soon. Usually they have a print out of the week's events right before than update their Geocities site shortly after, but it is pretty standard with the Barleywine Fest, Russian River Night, and other random brewery nights

http://www.toronado.com/events.htm