Bay Area Thread

[AndresR]

I'm also a fan of Beer Rev, do to the fact I work 1.5 blocks away. Yeah biased. Plus them tots from Annex got me main lining them.

 

[coldstorage]

IMO, Beer Rev seemed to take a dip in quality around the time fraggle "left". Take that for what you will. I don't politicize the issue and will still go if I'm at a show at the metro (so.... Once every other year) but it's glory days are behind it.

I get burned out at reclaimed wood bearded date picnic joints that are open 4 hours a day three days a week.... Toronado is more or less the same no fuss place it always was. For a guy like me that thinks craft has gotten a little too "precious" and streamlined, Toro really hits the spot. The bottle list isn't as good and is more expensive but whatever. I don't go there for a 4 oz pour of vanilla bean stout I go there for **** like moonlight on cask or blind pig.... maybe a cable car if I won at poker the other night. Solid tap list, clean lines (the place where cleanliness counts) and good ol fashion blue collar watering hole ambiance.

Wanting a new place to come in and put toronado out of business just seems like a bizarre perspective. Toronado is an institution. Hallowed ground. 29 years.

 

[tosh1]

IMO, Beer Rev seemed to take a dip in quality around the time fraggle "left". Take that for what you will.

100% agreed on this point.

 

[rrryanc]

clean lines (the place where cleanliness counts)

I will say that the smell emanating from the bathroom is an area that counts as well, unfortunately in the wrong direction.

I'm not after Toronado being replaced, I definitely appreciate the historical aspect of it and it's fun to get a drink there (every year or so), but I'm certainly not seeking it out when I head to the city. I'll head to reclaimed wood and limited hours (Sante) any day of the week (except Monday) over heading up to the city - they're pretty close to the same level of hassle for me when you include parking.

 

[Sage1]

No love for Zeitgeist? I imagine it’s the kind of place I wouldn’t like to go to when it’s busy (well, okay, that’s ALL places for me), but I’ve always gone during “off”-hours and have enjoyed myself. Although hell, I’m happy anytime I can drink Moonlight beer on a patio. That’s really all I care about.

 

[RyanG1]

No love for Zeitgeist? I imagine it’s the kind of place I wouldn’t like to go to when it’s busy (well, okay, that’s ALL places for me), but I’ve always gone during “off”-hours and have enjoyed myself. Although hell, I’m happy anytime I can drink Moonlight beer on a patio. That’s really all I care about.

Lucky 13 is a great spot too

 

[rrryanc]

No love for Zeitgeist? I imagine it’s the kind of place I wouldn’t like to go to when it’s busy (well, okay, that’s ALL places for me), but I’ve always gone during “off”-hours and have enjoyed myself. Although hell, I’m happy anytime I can drink Moonlight beer on a patio. That’s really all I care about.

The ****** bro dive bar that always has like 8 people around you smoking weed? And besides having 20 beers on tap, has the worst taplist ever besides Moonlight? It does have a "beer garden", unlike most of the other closet-sized spaces in the city, but no, no love.

 

[brokensail1]

I guess I'm an ******* because I like all three of those places. I do wish that Toronado and Zeitgeist weren't cash only, though.

 

[BrandoSF]

IMO, Beer Rev seemed to take a dip in quality around the time fraggle "left". Take that for what you will. I don't politicize the issue and will still go if I'm at a show at the metro (so.... Once every other year) but it's glory days are behind it.

I get burned out at reclaimed wood bearded date picnic joints that are open 4 hours a day three days a week.... Toronado is more or less the same no fuss place it always was. For a guy like me that thinks craft has gotten a little too "precious" and streamlined, Toro really hits the spot. The bottle list isn't as good and is more expensive but whatever. I don't go there for a 4 oz pour of vanilla bean stout I go there for **** like moonlight on cask or blind pig.... maybe a cable car if I won at poker the other night. Solid tap list, clean lines (the place where cleanliness counts) and good ol fashion blue collar watering hole ambiance.

Wanting a new place to come in and put toronado out of business just seems like a bizarre perspective. Toronado is an institution. Hallowed ground. 29 years.

 

[rrryanc]

I guess I'm an ******* because I like all three of those places. I do wish that Toronado and Zeitgeist weren't cash only, though.

Not sure how this would make you an *******? I'd love to like all those places, visiting somewhere other than just Cellarmaker when I'm in SF would be nice occasionally.

 

[AndresR]

I guess I'm an ******* because I like all three of those places. I do wish that Toronado and Zeitgeist weren't cash only, though.

 

[brokensail1]

Not sure how this would make you an *******? I'd love to like all those places, visiting somewhere other than just Cellarmaker when I'm in SF would be nice occasionally.

It's a joke. Because, ya know, you're only cool if you hate everything (that's also a joke...kind of).

 

[tosh1]

I enjoyed Saturday afternoon drinking with Rebecca and Fraggle back whenever. I also enjoed Sunday mornings at Commonwealth Cafe with Ross.

Places got popular, ***** happened I retreated to drinking at home.

Coming on 13 years in Bay Area, never set foot in Toranado.

 

[BrandoSF]

Coming on 13 years in Bay Area, never set foot in Toranado.

When you & Oaklandtraders come over to drink sanctification we can stop in for a few pints. It's a great bar, you would dig it.

 

[coldstorage]

It's a joke. Because, ya know, you're only cool if you hate everything (that's also a joke...kind of).

Ah man, in the waking world im a terribly unpleasant and hateful person who went out of his way to be pleasant on the beer board. Talk about an all time backfire. Cant win for losing on TB.

Coming on 13 years in Bay Area, never set foot in Toranado.

First date?

 

[jtmartino1]

I've been steadily tagging it, not lifting the seat and smoking weed in jtmartino WC.

And I upper-deck my own toilet, just to surprise guests.

Plus, I don't take cash. Only ass. That's why Ryan_G and grrrah drink for free.

 

[RyanG1]

I enjoyed Saturday afternoon drinking with Rebecca and Fraggle back whenever. I also enjoed Sunday mornings at Commonwealth Cafe with Ross.

Places got popular, ***** happened I retreated to drinking at home.

Coming on 13 years in Bay Area, never set foot in Toranado.

Go next door to Noc Noc. Proper olde English pubbee

 

[BrandoSF]

If you want to have a beer on the set of Beetlejuice, Noc Noc is definitely your spot

 

[tosh1]

Go next door to Noc Noc. Proper olde English pubbee

I Understood less than half of this post.

 

[RyanG1]

If you want to have a beer on the set of Beetlejuice, Noc Noc is definitely your spot

Ancient Aliens meets Japnese anime techno from the 90s

 

[stupac2]

Beer Rev definitely took a dive in quality for a while, but I think it's mostly back. Part of the problem, I think, is that people got really spoiled when there wasn't much competition, so the few bars we had were packed with great beers. But now there are more breweries and beer bars than ever, and the number of rare kegs/bottles is staying flat or even declining, so you can't just wander into to Beer Rev and find loons on tap any more. But this is true everywhere, and I think it's part of the same "lol RR sucks now", no they don't, it's just that you have way more options than you used to.

Beer Rev did kind of suck for a year or two after Fraggle left, but I think the state it's in now is the state it was always going to be in now given the realities of craft beer in this area in 2016. Oh, and if you have an issue with Beer Rev's bathrooms just go next door.

Haven't been to Toronado in ages so can't really comment there.

 

[matedog]

I never understood the strong reactions to places like Toro, Mikkeller, and CBS get. Their taplists are sufficiently interesting, generally (though Mikkeller's gradual emphasis on Mikkeller beers is a step in the wrong direction). That's like 95% of what I need in a beer bar. Ambiance, credit cards, not assholish staff, a crazy bottle list are all great, but not essential for me. Plus what place is going to have a reasonable bottle list in 2016?

 

[stupac2]

I never understood the strong reactions to places like Toro, Mikkeller, and CBS get. Their taplists are sufficiently interesting, generally (though Mikkeller's gradual emphasis on Mikkeller beers is a step in the wrong direction). That's like 95% of what I need in a beer bar. Ambiance, credit cards, not assholish staff, a crazy bottle list are all great, but not essential for me. Plus what place is going to have a reasonable bottle list in 2016?

CBS is run by overcharging ******** who only got where they are because they piggybacked off of (read: took all the good stuff from) their relatives' distribution network. The hate for that place is reasonable.

 

[matedog]

CBS is run by overcharging ******** who only got where they are because they piggybacked off of (read: took all the good stuff from) their relatives' distribution network. The hate for that place is reasonable.

I don't remember their taplist being particularly unreasonable. I haven't bought bottles from them in ages and even when I lived in the city, would stick to Whole Foods for most bottle buying.

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

Wanting a new place to come in and put toronado out of business just seems like a bizarre perspective. Toronado is an institution. Hallowed ground. 29 years.

The bartender was a total **** hat to my mother, I hope they go out of business.

 

[mrpeterandthepuffers]

So many opinions on Toronado..

I'm coming out for my honeymoon in late September and I get to choose a couple of beer things to mix in to tourist/winery stuff. I was gonna go with Russian River and Toronado but now I'm leaning towards jtmartino's with a side of tosh.

 

[jtmartino1]

So many opinions on Toronado..

I'm coming out for my honeymoon in late September and I get to choose a couple of beer things to mix in to tourist/winery stuff. I was gonna go with Russian River and Toronado but now I'm leaning towards jtmartino's with a side of tosh.

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

Beer Rev definitely took a dive in quality for a while, but I think it's mostly back. Part of the problem, I think, is that people got really spoiled when there wasn't much competition, so the few bars we had were packed with great beers. But now there are more breweries and beer bars than ever, and the number of rare kegs/bottles is staying flat or even declining, so you can't just wander into to Beer Rev and find loons on tap any more. But this is true everywhere, and I think it's part of the same "lol RR sucks now", no they don't, it's just that you have way more options than you used to.

Beer Rev did kind of suck for a year or two after Fraggle left, but I think the state it's in now is the state it was always going to be in now given the realities of craft beer in this area in 2016. Oh, and if you have an issue with Beer Rev's bathrooms just go next door.

I agree with this.

 

[BrandoSF]

I love the Toronado & have never had a bad experience there. I understand that some of you have, and that sucks. If anybody ever wants to give it another chance I'd be happy to buy you a few beers. Same goes for those who haven't been, or plan to visit.

 

[coldstorage]

Defenestration bottles released at RR.
(I know, I know. RR sucks now, why didn't they bottle a good beer, i don't wait in lines for beer, etc etc.)