Drink: Exciting new taprooms are headed for Walnut Creek and San Francisco.
Oktoberfest may dominate the beer world every September. But there’s more happening on the Bay Area’s brewery scene this fall, from exciting new taprooms to variations on the hazy IPA theme. Here’s a quick look at what’s new. NEW TAPROOMS >> There’s happy news ahead for fans of San Diego-based Ballast Point Brewing, which just announced the brewery will open a tasting room and kitchen in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood in early 2019. The stillun-specified location will include a restaurant that will serve Ballast Point’s regular lineup of beers, and a research-and-development brewery for brewing exclusive one-offs.
Also new: With tasting rooms in San Diego’s Ocean Beach, Miramar and North Park, Mike Hess Brewing is now looking northward. Hess is opening a new family and dogfriendly tasting room at The Orchards, 2313 Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek, with a soft opening planned for Labor Day. Why Walnut Creek? It’s a return to their roots. Brothers Mike and Greg Hess both grew up here.
HAZY SIPS >> Bear Republic Brewing is releasing its newest beer, Thru the Haze IPA, which uses Vic Secret, Citra and Hallertau Blanc hop varieties. Master brewer Peter Kruger says the brewery has worked on the recipe for six years. The result has “a tangerine and strong melon character to it with a hint of Concord grape,” he says. It’s available now in six-packs and on draft.
Another new hazy IPA was also just released by 21st Amendment Brewery, in collaboration with Fieldwork Brewing Co. Called A Terrible Idea Hazy IPA, it uses Citra, Mosaic, Ekuanot and Calypso hops.
The beer is 6.8 percent alcohol by volume and weighs in at 55 IBUs, with floral, dank and piney hop aromas. According to brewmaster Shaun O’Sullivan, “We used four pounds of hops per barrel in the dry hop alone, which is twice our typical rate
for most of our 21A beers. At one point, I remember asking Barry and Alex (from Fieldwork) if adding this many hops was a terrible idea, and they just shrugged their shoulders and added more.” The beer’s available right now in 12-ounce cans.
BEERVENTURES >> Head to the state capitol on Saturday for the Summit Beer Festival, the West Coast’s largest. It’s the culminating event of the California Craft Beer Association’s annual conference and more than 160 California breweries will be pouring from noon to 4 p.m. on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall. Order tickets ($60 or $10 for designated drivers) at californiacraftbeer.com.
Taste beer from Sonoma County breweries and enjoy light bites and live music at the annual Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 15 on Water Street
in Petaluma’s historic downtown. Tickets are $40 ($20 for designated drivers); petalumarivercraftbeerfest.org.
Or head for San Ramon that day for the V3 Hopfest, which appeals to both beer and bike lovers. The day begins with the V3, a bike ride of 15, 30, 60 or 100 miles through Mount Diablo’s foothills and the San Ramon and Livermore valleys, followed by a Hopfest from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $35; v3hopfest.com.
You don’t have to go to Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest. There will be dozens of them right here, starting with San Francisco’s Oktoberfest by the Bay, Sept. 21-23 at Pier 48. Tickets are $25-$75; oktoberfestbythebay.com.