Fieldwork Brewing

[cardinalbruintriton]

Please be near Caltrain

 

[RyanG1]

Please be near Caltrain

Any idea what city?

 

[cardinalbruintriton]

Any idea what city?

No clue Was hoping someone else would know too.

 

[rrryanc]

Please be near Caltrain

Think they could mean Monterey Peninsula? The layout looks similar to the artisan renderings: https://www.facebook.com/Fieldwork-Brewing-Company-Monterey-1080517212031469/

 

[AptosBeerDrinker]

Think they could mean Monterey Peninsula? The layout looks similar to the artisan renderings: https://www.facebook.com/Fieldwork-Brewing-Company-Monterey-1080517212031469/

Similar but different. 520 Munras doesn't have the diagonal street parking like that blueprint to my knowledge. Also, rarely does anyone from outside of Monterey refer to it as the "Peninsula". I could be wrong though.

Edit: They just said this is NOT Monterey in the IG comments. These guys are growing fast.

 

[coldstorage]

These guys are growing fast.

Their original license was for four locations so this was the plan from the jump....

Will be interesting to see if and when #5 comes online though.

 

[RyanG1]

No clue Was hoping someone else would know too.

Friend said Bay Meadows area, so Hillsdale. Right by Caltrain.

 

[AndresR]

Any idea what city?

San Bruno! Or RWC! Or....Foster City?

 

[AptosBeerDrinker]

Their original license was for four locations so this was the plan from the jump....

Will be interesting to see if and when #5 comes online though.

Confused. This puts them at 5, no? Berkeley, Sac, Napa, Monterey and now San Mateo.

 

[coldstorage]

Confused. This puts them at 5, no? Berkeley, Sac, Napa, Monterey and now San Mateo.

Hm, I thought they only had Berkeley, Sac and Napa?
Possible I have the amount of locations they are licensed for wrong.
In any case, you are right... its rapid growth either way.

 

[Oaklandtraders]

Just got this email today. Anybody interested in going? Eat, drink, and touch tips??

inb4: I need to charge my phone

Edit: C&H cook some bomb grub if you didn't already know.

 

[ewwiccc]

San Mateo!!! YAYY!!!

 

[jtmartino1]

I'll be there, all the time, if anyone wants to buy me a drink.

 

[RyanG1]

I'll be there, all the time, if anyone wants to buy me a drink.

Will be there with you! Nice stop on commute home.

I'll buy you a drink sugar pants

 

[AndresR]

Hoping they do crowlers as well. To think I worked a mile away from here earlier this year. Might have to brush up the resume and get back down there.

 

[cardinalbruintriton]

I'll be there, all the time, if anyone wants to buy me a drink.

Will be there with you! Nice stop on commute home.

Same-sies. Hillsdale is 2 stops away from work.

 

[rrryanc]

I'll be there, all the time, if anyone wants to buy me a drink.

Still too far away for me, though they instantly become the best brewery on the peninsula I think. Only Alpha Acid would even be in that conversation I think (and Freewheel if you love english style ales), and even that's likely stretching it.

 

[AptosBeerDrinker]

Still too far away for me, though they instantly become the best brewery on the peninsula I think. Only Alpha Acid would even be in that conversation I think (and Freewheel if you love english style ales), and even that's likely stretching it.

It's crazy with all the $$$ on the Peninsula there's almost nothing from South City to SJ in terms of breweries. I understand commercial real estate prices are pure insanity but still.

 

[stupac2]

It's crazy with all the $$$ on the Peninsula there's almost nothing from South City to SJ in terms of breweries. I understand commercial real estate prices are pure insanity but still.

I mean, even in Oakland/Berkeley there's like Fieldwork and Temescal and a bunch of garbage. I suppose it's nice that we have something, but it's slim pickings if you want something good.

Incidentally, this is why I have always been baffled by the talk about a beer bubble, even in the most-served markets there's still a ton of just flat-out bad beer that could easily be displaced, and of course there's not really any sign anywhere that there are too many brewpubs/tasting rooms. Sure, packaged beer might be at a limit, but there's so much room for more good, local breweries.

 

[rrryanc]

It's crazy with all the $$$ on the Peninsula there's almost nothing from South City to SJ in terms of breweries. I understand commercial real estate prices are pure insanity but still.

It's not just that, it's also about desirability of the workforce. I think a reasonable brewery would actually kill it in north Sunnyvale or Santa Clara - but who wants to actually work there? Everyone wants to open someplace fun, like the city.

 

[rrryanc]

I mean, even in Oakland/Berkeley there's like Fieldwork and Temescal and a bunch of garbage. I suppose it's nice that we have something, but it's slim pickings if you want something good.

It's not as slim pickings as you're making it sound. For example, the Rare Barrel and Sierra Nevada are making really good beer, even if it's not always the type that appeals to us beer nerds. Drakes is also certainly a reasonable step above garbage, and Faction is a solid choice as well (and Alameda is basically Oakland).

The peninsula has Alpha Acid, Freewheel (which I don't like, but some really do) and then??? The other breweries are anachronistic relics of a past time, when making ****** beer was OK as long as you had a local taproom - Tied House, PA Brewing Company, Devil's Canyon, etc.

 

[AptosBeerDrinker]

It's not just that, it's also about desirability of the workforce. I think a reasonable brewery would actually kill it in north Sunnyvale or Santa Clara - but who wants to actually work there? Everyone wants to open someplace fun, like the city.

Not just that but it's pretty much impossible to pay somebody a living wage in this area now.

 

[AptosBeerDrinker]

It's not as slim pickings as you're making it sound. For example, the Rare Barrel and Sierra Nevada are making really good beer, even if it's not always the type that appeals to us beer nerds. Drakes is also certainly a reasonable step above garbage, and Faction is a solid choice as well (and Alameda is basically Oakland).

The peninsula has Alpha Acid, Freewheel (which I don't like, but some really do) and then??? The other breweries are anachronistic relics of a past time, when making ****** beer was OK as long as you had a local taproom - Tied House, PA Brewing Company, Devil's Canyon, etc.

Agree. East Bay is at least respectable these days. Peninsula is just vast miles of nothing with a few rare exceptions beer wise.

 

[rrryanc]

Agree. East Bay is at least respectable these days. Peninsula is just vast miles of nothing with a few rare exceptions beer wise.

I mean, the good news is that the beer bar scene on the Peninsula doesn't suck as much as when I first moved here. At least not if you look between Redwood City and San Mateo (Harrys, GHS, Ale Arsenal, Alpha Acid, Grape and Grain). And there's still K&L, even if Beltramos sadly went kaput.

 

[rcubed1]

Cellarmaker anyone?

 

[AptosBeerDrinker]

Cellarmaker anyone?

SF ≠ Peninsula

 

[pen15clubmember]

A little while ago, I would have been meh about this news. However, I will be working in Foster City starting next month with a mammoth commute back to the North Bay. Will probably hit this place a few times a week to let traffic die down as that sounds way better than going to a gym or any nonsense like that. Yus!

 

[stupac2]

It's not as slim pickings as you're making it sound. For example, the Rare Barrel and Sierra Nevada are making really good beer, even if it's not always the type that appeals to us beer nerds. Drakes is also certainly a reasonable step above garbage, and Faction is a solid choice as well (and Alameda is basically Oakland).

The peninsula has Alpha Acid, Freewheel (which I don't like, but some really do) and then??? The other breweries are anachronistic relics of a past time, when making ****** beer was OK as long as you had a local taproom - Tied House, PA Brewing Company, Devil's Canyon, etc.

I was thinking in terms of going to a random bar or restaurant and seeing the tap list. You might see Fieldwork or Temescal, but you're probably going to see Drake's IPA and Line 51 (and while I like Drake's more than most, their standard lineup is boring). Rare Barrel is stupid expensive for what they are, and I'm frankly kind of shocked that you'd say they're making "really good beer" (though I suppose it's possible that they finally stopped making Bruery-level dreck once I quit the club). SN's taproom doesn't lead to them distributing any more, if you want to find interesting SN stuff you either have to go there or go to an event at Beer Rev or something. Plus we virtually never get anything from SF, I think at least Cellarmaker goes to the peninsula.

So, sure, we have a few more options around here, but it doesn't really trickle down.

 

[rrryanc]

I was thinking in terms of going to a random bar or restaurant and seeing the tap list. You might see Fieldwork or Temescal, but you're probably going to see Drake's IPA and Line 51 (and while I like Drake's more than most, their standard lineup is boring). Rare Barrel is stupid expensive for what they are, and I'm frankly kind of shocked that you'd say they're making "really good beer" (though I suppose it's possible that they finally stopped making Bruery-level dreck once I quit the club). SN's taproom doesn't lead to them distributing any more, if you want to find interesting SN stuff you either have to go there or go to an event at Beer Rev or something. Plus we virtually never get anything from SF, I think at least Cellarmaker goes to the peninsula.

So, sure, we have a few more options around here, but it doesn't really trickle down.

My local bars already get Fieldwork, so them moving to the Peninsula won't affect that in the slightest - I hadn't even thought about your response in those terms. We do get a fair amount of Cellarmaker as well, I really can't complain about the level of access near me.

Rare Barrel is expensive, and largely making the same damn thing masqueraded as different versions, but their beer is consistent, occasionally quite good, and fills the sour niche.

I also think you're confusing boring and good a bit. The local random bar is generally going to have pretty boring ****. That's what sells, still. I'm certainly not finding Cellarmaker on at City Pub. Or even Fieldwork at Martins West.

 

[stupac2]

I also think you're confusing boring and good a bit. The local random bar is generally going to have pretty boring ****. That's what sells, still. I'm certainly not finding Cellarmaker on at City Pub. Or even Fieldwork at Martins West.

Do you mean boring and bad? I might be conflating them a bit, but the local breweries are definitely mostly bad, not boring. Linden Street is mostly boring, as is Drake's, but I'll take them over the bad ones any day, obviously. (I also have no idea what the deal with Linden Street is, since the Dock seems to have taken over their entire brewery.)

Anyway, it depends on what establishment you're talking about. It's actively detrimental if one of the three taps at a local place is Line 51 because their beer is awful. Even places that have 10 or more taps can frequently be filled with absolute garbage out here, only salvaged by something like Death and Taxes, which obviously anyone in the bay can serve. Places clearly want to serve Oakland beer, but this means Line 51 and Ale Industries (and to a lesser extent Drake's), so it's not like there are options around. That's what I mean by slim pickings, I've found myself in situations where I would expect to be able to find something interesting on tap, only to be disappointed, alarmingly frequently for how good the beer scene is supposed to be over here.