San Francisco baby!
I’m going to San Francisco! I’ll be there for most of Beer Week (which Ken is covering in his post this week). I’m also heading up to Santa Rosa where I’ll stay while visiting Russian River, Bear Republic and Lagunitas, amongst other places. Right now I’m excited to the point of exploding. This post is asking for any advice on where to go, what to drink, where to eat and what to eat. I need any nugget of information that a beer tourist needs to know; any insider information. Tell me anything that might be useful.
So far I’ve got a loose itinerary and I’ve made a map of the places to visit, so I’ve crossed off the main bars and breweries. I intend to go to the DIPA festival and the Sour Fest at Triple Rock (which is doubling up as a Hop Press event where a few of us will be hanging out – come and say hi!). I’m also doing the Anchor tour where I will attempt to bathe in a FV of Foghorn. The first bar on the first night will be the Toronado where I’ll probably pass out with a combination of travel-exhaustion, jet lag and sheer excitement at seeing so many new beers (it’s my first time drinking in the US and almost none of the beers that’ll be there can be found in the UK). I’ll be hanging out in City Beer Store a lot and I might even see some of the tourist sites, if I can fit them in around the bars. I should watch the Superbowl, although the whole time I’ll be wishing it was the World Series instead (I love baseball; I don’t get American football, what’s with all the stopping, can’t they just play?!). I’ll be bringing some great bottles of British beer and hopefully I’ll get a chance to share a few. Oh, and tipping… what’s the deal with that? I have to buy my beer and then give the server a little extra for doing their job?
Beyond the beer… Best breakfast? Best burger? Best steak? Best place to see the Golden Gate Bridge from?
Anchor Steamed Bath Corporation could be a new busineess venture there mate. I’d get it patented. Have a good trip and write a blog on it.
I’m in San Fran right now and it is awesome. You will pass out after Toronado… another great spot. Have a blast… wish I’d been a week later in getting here.
tdtm, hops are good for your skin and hair so i think it could be a winner!! I will blog on it, don’t worry – I’ll probably add daily updates at http://www.pencilandspoon.blogspot.com and then do something on here when I get back.
Joe, why would you go there the week BEFORE beer week?!
You can get a great view of Coit Tower from La Trappe in North beach. A few blocks away is Rogue Ale House.
Want baseball? SF Giants Fan fest is Saturday Morning at 10am. Hit it before the Double IPA Festival. Not far from BART so you can do baseball and beer.