What better way to celebrate your failed New Year’s resolutions than to attend one of the many incredible SF Beer Week events coming up in February? The 2020 schedule is of course packed with some amazing opportunities to brush up on your hops IQ, taste special brews and enhance your palette with some creative food and beer pairings. Beyond the Opening Gala and Russian River’s Pliny the Younger release, here are a few other buzz-worthy Bay Area events you should add to your calendar…
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
NorCal vs SoCal : Round 3 at The Rare Barrel in Berkeley
Will NorCal take the title for the 3rd year in a row? We’ve got 15 breweries from NorCal matched up by style against 15 breweries from SoCal in this friendly competition. Customers will blindly taste beers side by side in each style and select what beer they favor more. Cost: Pay as you go.
7 Deadly Sins: Has Craft Beer Gone Astray? at Woods Cerveceria
Sample Fermented Pilsner, Tiramisu pastry Stout, Chocolate Fizz Hard Seltzer, Mango Lassi Milkshake IPA and more bandwagon beers.
Slice Beer Co. Dog Day Afternoon at Lucky 13
Slice is a new up-and-coming brewery out of Lincoln, CA brought to you by former Moonraker head brewer, Zack Frasher and Old Town Pizza’s Russ Yeager. Outside of visiting them in Lincoln, this will be a rare chance to try their beer in the Bay area.
Dim Sum Beer Brunch with Fort Point at Hong Kong Lounge
Come hungry for dim sum classics served alongside cold fizzy cans of Fort Point beer. Hong Kong Lounge will be serving up soup dumplings, Peking duck, pork siu mai, and much more.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9
Coast Side Brew Bus
Pacifica Brewery along with Pedro Point Brewing Co., Hop Dogma Brewing Co., and Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. are coming together to bring you the first annual brew bus down the coast.
Michelada Madness Pt. 1 at Paulista in Oakland
A Beer Week hangover cure, or a Beer Week hangover prolonger. That’s up to you!
Pinball and Pints at Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda
Taste 20+ beers from some of Bay’s best breweries. We’ll have yet-to-be-released beers from some up-and-coming breweries alongside some of the best established breweries. You get a nifty Pacific Pinball Museum tasting glass and unlimited tastings with all the brewers.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12
Flight Fight IPA: Blind Tasting & Competition
Participating breweries will submit an IPA into 1 of 4 categories. Competition takes place between 5-9p and all winning beers will be $1 off the rest of the night. This is a blind tasting.
Comedy Night at Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
The headliner will be Ryan Goodcase (@Ryangoodcase) with Kervens Joseph, Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, and two or three more Comedians in the house!
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13
SFBCo Dim Sum & Beer Dinner at Palette Tea House
9-course tasting menu.
3rd Annual All-Oakland Brewers Tap Takeover
24 taps with beer brewed right here in Oakland!
SF Beer Week NightLife
Taste NightLife’s signature craft beer, made with plant types found on the Academy’s living roof.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14
Almanac & Friends Night Market in Alameda
Everything from snacks, to skincare, to art prints, to sustainable fashion. There’s something for everyone at this one night only extravaganza.
Bay Area Hazy IPA Competition at Richmond Republic Draught House20 Bay Area breweries competing in a blind taste.
Valentines Day Pig Roast at Tiger’s Taproom
Producer Dinner: Fort Point Beer Co. at 18 Reasons
Inspired by some of his favorite flavors around the world, 18 Reasons’ Chef Mike Weller will pair six of Fort Point’s latest beers for SF Beer Week 2020.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15
Celebration of Craft at Trumer Brewery
The festivities will be held at Trumer Brewery in Berkeley with more than 700 beer lovers and industry professionals attending the party, and over thirty California breweries pouring their favorite beers and Beer Week special releases. Unlimited tastings and dinner included with entry. A free shuttle bus from the North Berkeley BART Station to the Trumer Brewery in Berkeley will be available to all attendees the day of the event.
Cornhole Tournament of Champions at Laughing Monk Brewing
Brought to you by Broke Ass Stuart and Play in the Bay.
A Very Viking Valentines at Armistice Brewing in Richmond
Viking helmet, commemorative glass, five-course meal, and bottomless beer pairings, as well as plenty of Viking activities.
Wild and Weird at Rosamunde
Try Elk Andouille, Rabbit & Rattlesnake, Pheasant & Wild Boar sausages paired with beer.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 16
Ceviche and Beer Brunch at Tiger’s Taproom in Oakland
Tank To Table BBQ Fest at Barebottle Brewing
Barebottle will host Pomponio Ranch for a Tank-To-Table BBQ to highlight the vital connection that brewers have with the local farming community.
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Main photo by Gabriella Gamboa for SF Station