This Friday, February 7 marks the kickoff of SF Beer Week, the city's annual celebration of craft beer. Set to run through Sunday, February 16, Beer Week will feature hundreds of events at breweries, bars and restaurants around the Bay Area, spotlighting the contributions of local, national and international players.
To help you plan your Beer Week itinerary, we've chosen events that will resonate with all walks of life, from vegans to animal lovers to advocates for cancer research. Or if you've resolved to try something new in the new year, check out events dedicated to sour beers or kölsch-style ales.
SF Beer Week Opening Gala
If you're looking for a single event to showcase the breadth of Beer Week, look no further than the Opening Gala, featuring over 120 brewers from every corner of the Bay Area. Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass and the opportunity to sample unlimited small pours of more than 300 brews — including Russian River's coveted Pliny the Younger, which always draws big lines.
When: Friday, February 7, 6 – 10 p.m.
Where: Pier 35, 1454 The Embarcadero
Price: $80 general admission, $125 VIP (gets in at 5 p.m.).
Dog Day Afternoon
Lucky 13 is joining forces with Lincoln, CA's Slice Beer Company for the eighth edition of this dog-centric event, benefiting Rocket Dog Rescue and featuring a dog adoption fair. A portion of proceeds from Slice's pours of hazy IPA, double IPA, blonde ale and more will benefit Rocket Dog, and dogs will get free bandanas (while supplies last).
As event founder Tiffany McFarland Olcese put it in 2015, it's an event for those who want to "help the community, adopt a dog, or just be able to bring your dog and not leave him or her at home while you’re out drinking beer.”
When: Saturday, February 8, noon until supplies run out
Where: Lucky 13, 2140 Market St.
Price: Pay as you go
Chocolate-Making and Beer Pairing for Charity
For Beer Week, SF's TCHO Chocolate Company, ThirstyBear Organic Brewery and Pete Slosberg (of Pete’s Wicked Ale fame) have teamed up to teach the art of chocolate-making and beer pairing, all to benefit the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research. Sip ThirstyBear beers and snack on savory bites and chocolate while you craft the candy of your dreams — with prizes for the top two creations.
When: Saturday, February 8, 6 – 9 p.m.
Where: ThirstyBear, 661 Howard St.
Price: $50 per person, limited to 36 people
Sour Sunday at Noc Noc
Need a spot for a Sunday sipping session? Head to Noc Noc, "the Lower Haight's most unusual bar," to sip flights of sour beers from the likes of De Garde (Violet Premier), Bare Bottle (TBD), New Belgium (La Folie), Almanac (Bourbon Barrel Peche) and Calicraft (2019 Passionfruit Sour).
When: Sunday, February 9, 4 p.m. - midnight
Where: Noc Noc, 557 Haight St.
Price: Pay as you go
Pier 23 Cafe's Plant-Based Beer Dinner
Heavy beers often translate to meaty dinners, especially for a wintertime celebration. But Pier 23 Cafe Restaurant & Bar is taking a different tack, hosting 47 Hills Brewing Company for a plant-based "Pier & Beer Dinner" from chef Bryan Baker, formerly of Lazy Bear.
Dishes on the four-course prix fixe menu will include roasted cauliflower and herb spaetzle, Thai red curry with butternut squash and pineapple, and sticky date pudding, all paired with 47 Hills brews like pilsner and farmhouse ale.
When: Tuesday, February 11, 7 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Pier 23, The Embarcadero
Price: $55 per person, all-inclusive
KSA Day at Fort Point Valencia
Kölsch is the maverick of the beer world — fermented like an ale, but with many of the visual and flavor characteristics of a lager. Get to know this unusual beer style at Fort Point Valencia, where both the house KSA and a slew of kölsches and kölsch-style ales from other breweries will be on offer.
Alongside your kölsch, enjoy a special menu of "party bread" with toppings like Dungeness crab and fermented chile; roast beef, horseradish, jus and provolone; and peanut butter, jelly and roasted banana.
When: Monday, February 10, 11 a.m. – midnight
Where: Fort Point Valencia, 742 Valencia St.
Price: Pay as you go
For a full list of SF Beer Week events for 2020, visit the event's official website.
