Great Beer Bars of California

Posted: 26/07/2010 6:02:19 p.m.

I have just go back from a trip to the USA, primarily to do a collaborative brew with Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery. We have made a beer that will be entered as a Festive Brew for the BrewNZ Beer Awards, and be available for tasting at Beervana 27th & 28th August in Wellington.

Anyway, my travels took me to three major Californian cities that have some really great beer bars. So as a quick guide for others traveling to these cities. This isn't a definitive guide, as there are many more great beer places, but these places were at the top of my wish list, and came with many recommendations from people that know.

SAN FRANCISCO

Zeitgeist - off the plane from NZ at lunch time (NZ8 gets in around midday), check in, quick shower, and head to this bar. It is a "dive" bar, but then again so many bars are dive bars in this city, so it is hardly original. The greatest feature of this place is the massive outdoor garden bar. Good beer in the Californian sun, after 12 hours on a plane, NICE! Last three times I have been there they have had Racer 5 IPA on tap which is always a safe bet for first beer, big hops. Food is good value, if you are into a burger and BBQ'ed potato (not fries) and you will need it after a few hours in the sun drinking big IPA’s

Toronado - if there is only one bar you visit in San Francisco for craft beer then it is this place. If there is only one beer you try there then it must be Pliny the Elder from Russian River brewing Company from Santa Rosa. I have been visiting this bar for over 10 years and it always has new beers that makes me smile(because they are awesome). Always the very best beers available. The staff are so amazingly anti-customer, even a sense of “no service for you”, maybe it is they are just always so busy with a packed bar every day and night. I recommend big tipping the first couple of rounds then their attitude becomes better and you get the service you would expect.Remember everyone in the place is there for great beer and you are sure to make some new friends every time.21st Amendment – brewpub famous for their canned beer and Watermelon beer, located a few blocks up from AT&T Stadium (haven’t seen a game their yet, but I have heard there is an excellent selection of craft beer at the stadium). Solid range of house beers on tap, and food is good. Beers are a little more expensive that the Mission, but you are in the city.

The Mission – if you are at Zeitgeist there are a couple of places to check out on 16th , just a couple of blocks south.

Monk's Kettle – waking in the door of this place from the Mission (not the classiest part of town) is like working in the door of the TARDIS (totally not what you expect from the outside and the neighbourhood). It is very upmarket, packed with 30 somethings, wait for a table can be 45 minutes +, the tap and bottle selection is awesome, and the menu looks amazing, never had the time to eat there yet, but planning to do that sometime. Had my first Old Rasputin on Nitro here - AMAZING.

Kilowatt – another dive bar, with a solid range of craft beers on tap, more of a locals bar. Literally right across the road from Monk’s Kettle (you have a place to go if you can’t get a table, or a seat at the bar)


SAN DIEGO

The Regal Beagle – new bar, only been open a few weeks when I got there, but they had 30 different beers on tap, many IPA’s and Imperial’s, so kept me happy. Staff very willing to help. I wanted to try everything so asked for tasters, they said we don’t do those but can’t see why not, and lined me up with 1/3’s of everything I wanted.

Toronado SD – I missed the opening of this bar in 2008 by a week when I was in San Diego as a judge for the World Beer Cup. It has a bit more openness than the original SF bar, but the beer selection is as awesome, and staff hiring policy is similar. Again a great place to drink some of the best beers in the world, and meet new people. Had a fantastic afternoon here Brett & Chuck from Green Flash.

Hamilton's Tavern - I didn’t make it this trip but visited in 2008 and worth a visit if you have the time. Great selection of beers. Pretty central location.

O'Briens – I didn’t make it this trip either but visited in 2008 and worth a visit. Great selection of beers. "Hoppiest place on Earth". North of the city so ff you are heading North to Stone, then you could swing by here for a quick pint.


SANTA MONICA
Wish I had spent more than a couple of days here, and maybe in August, once the marine layer had burnt off.

Library Alehouse – 20+ taps, of amazing craft beer, long skinny bar, with a bigger area out back for dinning. I was there on a Tuesday night and the place was packed with people both for food and beer. It is great to be amongst a bar of people that are totally excited about drinking different and interesting beers. Food was substantial, I couldn’t finish it, then again most places I ate in the US I found the serving sizes too big.

Father's Office – reminded me a lot of the Toronado format, which seems to work well. Fantastic selection of beers on tap. Only stayed for one beer, but will spend more time there next visit. The staff was really helpful, asking people what they like, and recommending other beers to try. The Daily Pint – this was back to the ‘dive bar’ feel. This bar was less craft beer, but more craft beer than the previous two bars I visited in Santa Monica. It had several imports on tap, but it also had a couple of cask beer on the bar. Also it had the most impressive selection of single malt whisky I have ever seen in a bar before. I visited twice in less than 24 hours. Second visit was with Hallie from the Beer Chicks which was a last minute meeting before I had to head to the airport to fly back to NZ.

So in summary some really great places to drink craft beer in California. Well a couple of extra for SF, which makes up for the two recommendations in SD where I had a couple from 2008 (but I have it on good authority these places are still worthy.) One thing I have learned from this visit is that pretty much everyone in these bars are there for the good beer, and they are fun to talk to, and you will get the inside scoop on the new beers you should be looking out for and trying.