San Jose Beer Events 2018

Meet the Brewers Beer Festival at Hermitage Brewing Company (2013)

Simply visiting your local beer spot can be an event in and of itself. But sometimes there are extra special events – beer release parties, tap takeovers, beerwalks, beer fests, beer weeks, beer dinners, etc. – taking place throughout San Jose and nearby.

These events help to elevate the local beer scene. And I love the fact that we’ve reached the point where it’s very challenging to keep track of all the special beer-related events going on in the South Bay.

That said, many of the San Jose beer events – as well as those nearby – are listed below. Also included are quick news items.

Please contact me if I’m missing any.

If you’re especially excited about an upcoming event, consider checking in with the venue beforehand to confirm that the event is a go.

Keep in mind that local breweries and beer-centric establishments regularly host and feature other ongoing events and specials, not to mention the growing number of stores that sell good beer.

(Archived: San Jose Beer Events 2017, San Jose Beer Events 2016.)

Dec. 2018

  • Sat., 12/1: 2nd Anniversary Celebration at IBU Taproom & Bottle Shop

Nov. 2018

Oct. 2018

  • Fri., 10/5: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company: Seeker of Truth Saison. “This Saison is driven by a blend of yeasts that impart a complex bouquet of flavors and aromas. Subtle spicy phenols dance with fruit notes of apple, fig and raisins…” 6.8% ABV, 12 IBU.
  • Tues., 10/23: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company: Butterfly Wings New England Style Double Dry Hopped Double IPA is back by popular demand. “…you’ll get tropical fruit notes of pineapple, mango and stone fruit.” 7.8% ABV, 28 IBU.

Sep. 2018

  • Wed., 9/5: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company: Sonic Bloom IPA. This beer “bested 60+ entries in Hapa’s homebrew competition to win Best in Show and earn the right to be brewed full scale. We used the best of New Zealand and North american hops with assertive additions of Citra, Waimea and Kohatu, producing a deep and complex flavor profile of tangelo, tropical fruit and pine with a hint of fresh herbs.” 7% ABV, 52 IBU.
  • Sat., 9/8: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company: Experience Idaho 7, the newest of their single hopped hazy pale ales. “The malt bill is kept simple in these beers to let the hop shine through. We don’t add hops in the boil but make up for it with large whirlpool and dry hopping additions. A specialty yeast strain is used to complement and enhance the hop aromas and flavors. We get a heavy dose of pineapple up front and more subtle notes of apricot, mango and orange.” 6.1% ABV, 0 IBU.
  • Wed., 9/26: Double freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company: Galactic Center Hazy Double IPA and Surly Swan Kettle Sour. “We went big on Galactic Center using milk sugar, mango and 4 pounds per barrel of Citry and Idaho 7 hops, resulting in a pillowy brew of amazing aroma and the perfect blend of pineapple, orange and mango.” “Surly Swan Kettle Sour “may be our head brewer’s most creative sour thus far! Throwing in a little lactose into the boil gives this tart beer some sweetness to the finish. We added over 200 pounds of boysenberry and some Tahitian vanilla bean that gives this beer a perfect balance of what we would describe as an adult boysenberry smoothie.”
  • Sat., 9/29, 8-10pm: Comedy Night at Santa Clara Valley Brewing

Aug. 2018

  • Wed., 8/8: 7 Stars Bar & Grill officially open for 7 years
  • Wed., 8/15, 3pm: Strike Brewing Company – “Wednesday marks the return of a seasonal favorite, Lucky Bullet, a Belgian style witbier. This beer is light and flavorful brewed with orange zest, coriander and chamomile and is perfect for summer sippin’ (light, dry, yeast-forward and extremely crushable)! We are also releasing 108 IPA, which has a delicious balance between tropical fruit and pine hop aromas and flavors. This is a taproom only draft release that is sure to go fast so you don’t want to wait on this one (108 was a one-off bullpen release we originally brewed over a year ago. We’ve brought back this aromatic West Coast IPA and packed it with even more Citra, Simcoe, and Palisade – this batch is even better than we remember it.)!”
  • Thu., 8/16: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company – Hand of Faith Double IPA. “Named for the largest gold nugget ever discovered with a metal detector, this beer is packed with hop goodness. We blended Centennial, Chinook, Crystal, and Jarrylo hops for assertive pine, apricot, and spicy notes typical of West coast IPAs. Not for the faint of heart at 9.0% ABV and 62 IBU.”
  • Fri., 8/17, 3pm: Strike Brewing Company – “To celebrate our recent bronze medal win at the 2018 U.S. Open Beer Championship in the Juicy/Hazy Pale Ale category, we are re-releasing Major Haze Pale Ale. This awesome, crushable, hazy pale ale is our tribute to Mosaic, one of our all time favorite hops. Don’t miss the release of this wonderfully tropical and citrus forward pale ale because it will go fast!”
  • Sat., 8/18: Loma Brewing Company opened its doors to the public on this day two years ago.
  • Fri., 8/24, 3pm: “…the return of our 2018 World Beer Cup Gold Medal winning stout, Big Wall Imperial Stout” at Strike Brewing Company. “Our big, boozy imperial stout is loaded with roasted grain character and is packed with flavors reminiscent of dark chocolate and espresso.”
  • Thu., 8/30: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company: Thor’s Helmet Hazy Double IPA.
  • Fri., 8/31, 3pm: Double Beer Release at Strike Brewing Company. “Haze on First is making its return to the taproom this Friday. This hazy pale ale is packed to the brim with Citra and bursts with tropical fruit character. Mango, papaya, and guava notes dominate the flavor profile which is complemented by subtle fruity yeast esters.” And “the latest of our kettle-soured creations: San Gose! This mango-margarita inspired gose was brewed with lime, mango and sea salt. Moderate acidity and wonderful citrus character are balanced by light salinity and a hint of mango fruitiness.”

July 2018

  • Fri., 7/6, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Say Haze Kid (Hazy IPA) makes its return to the taproom… This beer is brewed with a ton of oats, wheat, and our expressive house yeast strain. It was finished with a major dry hop of Citra, HBC 342 and Ekuanot for aromas and flavor of pineapple, mango and apricot.”
  • Mon., 7/9: From Strike Brewing Company: “We are on a roll! Major Haze, our Mosaic hazy pale ale, just won bronze at the 2018 US Open Beer Championship in the Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale category. Hazy beers have become a staple in our lineup and we’re stoked to receive this recognition. If you missed it the first time around, don’t worry – you’ll see a rebrew soon!”
  • Tue., 7/10, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “In the wake of our @usopenbeerchampionship bronze medal, we’re tapping two new beers at the brewery today!… We’ve got Bobby Vanilla, a smooth and creamy oatmeal stout conditioned on vanilla and blueberries [and] Golden Sombrero, a Double IPA dry hopped with Azacca and El Dorado boasting wonderful orange zest and lime character. Both are limited, the stout especially so…”
  • Thu., 7/12: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company – Grumpy Gecko Kettle Sour. “48 hours chilling in our brew kettle with some friendly microbes gave this beer a clean and crisp tart character. Then we added just under 300 pounds of raspberry, strawberry, and passion fruit to take things to the next level! It’s hot, this beer is cold and refreshing.”
  • Fri., 7/20, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Join us for the release of Moonshot, a hazy double IPA. This beer is medium-bodied and juicy with a mild, smooth bitterness and a wonderful hop character. An enormous dry hop of Galaxy and Citra hops contributes bursting peach, passonfruit, and pineapple aromas that are complemented by fruity yeast esters.”
  • Wed., 7/25, 6-9pm: Ciderwalk in Downtown Campbell
  • Wed., 7/25: Phantom Streak Hazy DIPA Can Release at Hapa’s Brewing Company
  • Fri., 7/27, 3pm: Strike Brewing Company – Collaboration Beer Release with Hermitage Brewing Company. “Throw Me the Idol hoppy lager was brewed with 100% Skagit Valley Talisman Pilsner malt out of Washington and fermented with a clean German Lager strain. Post-fermentation we dry hopped this crushable summer beer with loads of Citra and Strata hops. The result is a Pilsner/IPA hybrid that is both super refreshing and loaded with fruit and citrus hop character. It will be released on draft only…”
  • Fri., 7/27: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company, a collaboration with Golden State Brewery – “Hapa Bear is a peach and strawberry kettle sour that has that tart punch with a smoother finish for a sour!”

June 2018

  • Thu., 6/7: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company, the 7th beer in the Hapa’s Brewing series of hazy IPAs. “Engraved Hourglass is a planetary nebula in the constellation Musca. El Dorado and Amarillo hops contribute copious amounts of tropical and citrus aroma and flavor. Milk sugar adds a delicate sweetness and pillowy body. We took this beer to the next level with over 500 pounds of strawberry and passion fruit. It’s not called a milkshake IPA for nothing!”
  • Thu., 6/7, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Two Seam is back! After a brief hiatus our award winning West Coast IPA makes its triumphant return to the taproom. Two Seam is fueled by a heavy handed dry hop of Mosaic and Amarillo, which contribute wonderful citrus and pine character. It ferments dry and is super refreshing…”
  • Fri., 6/15, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Lost In the Sun batch two is hitting the taproom in cans and on draft… This hazy double IPA is a brewery favorite, made with loads of oats and wheat then fermented with an expressive yeast strain. Flavors of melon, pineapple, and grapefruit are contributed by a sizable double dry hop of Mosaic, El Dorado, Citra, and Ekuanot.”
  • Fri., 6/22, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “…in the taproom only we’re releasing Single-A, a session IPA brewed for maximum drinkability… we decided it was the perfect time to can another new beer that is big in flavor, yet still crisp and refreshing… Single-A is brewed with a simple grain bill of mostly 2-row barley, which is fermented dry by our house yeast strain. We then dry hop assertively with Jaryllo, Azacca, and Citra to impart wonderful flavors of pear, mango, and melon. It’s easily crushable at only 4.7% ABV… Mild bitterness and a huge dry hop… allow this tasty beverage to achieve IPA level flavor without being too heavy.”

May 2018

  • Thu., 5/3: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company. “It’s back! The first beer in our Nebula Series of New England style IPAs. The Pillars of Creation can be found in the Eagle Nebula. Like the giant clouds of dust in space, this beer is hazy and out of this world! Double dry hopped with Idaho 7 and Bru-1, Pillars is crazy juicy bursting with pineapple, mango, and orange. An expressive yeast strain was chosen to enhance these fruit forward aromas and flavors. No fruit was harmed in the making of this beer!
  • Thu., 5/3: From Strike Brewing Company: “We are thrilled to announce that Big Wall (Imperial Stout), one of our original beers and all-around favorites took home a gold medal in the Export Stout category of the 2018 World Beer Cup. The WBC is one of the toughest and most prestigious beer competitions out there and we couldn’t be more excited…”
  • Fri., 5/4, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “We’ve got some fresh new haze in the taproom when we open at 3pm today. Say Haze Kid is packed to the brim with HBC 342, Citra, and Ekuanot and simply emanates pineapple and melon flavor and aroma.”
  • Tue., 5/8, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Willie Haze (NE Style IPA) was so well loved we decided to bring it back! Our first delicious hazy IPA is back in the taproom… overloaded with Citra, Amarillo, and El Dorado…”
  • Fri., 5/11, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “We’ve got two new beers that will be available on draft in the taproom when we open at 3pm today… we’ve got Czech Swing, a hybrid lager brewed with a blend of Czech and German lager strains and Saaz hops. We’re also pouring Barehand IPA, a citrus and tropical fruit bomb loaded with Azacca, Simcoe, El Dorado, and Citra.”
  • Fri., 5/18: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company. “Introducing Experience Azacca, the newest of our single hopped hazy pale ales. Brewed with a simple malt bill of two row barley and oats along with complimentary yeast, this beer showcases the tropical juiciness of Azacca. Zero boil hops and a generous double dry hopping squeeze out every ounce of goodness with no bitterness. Look for papaya, guava, and citrus notes. 6.1% ABV, 0 IBU.”
  • Fri., 5/25: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company. “Please welcome Hipa Hipa to our taproom. Meaning “cheers” in Hawaiian, Hipa Hipa is our take on a brut IPA. Using magic science we fermented this beer down to a negative gravity leaving an incredibly light and dry beer. Nelson Sauvin hops add ripe gooseberry notes while Galaxy layers in passion fruit and citrus. The result is a crystal clear beer brewed like a champagne! 6.3% ABV, 0 IBU.”
  • Fri., 5/25, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Major Haze is hitting the taproom in cans and on draft… Exclusively hopped with copious amounts of Mosaic and fermented with our expressive house yeast, this single hop hazy pale ale is wonderfully crushable and packed with berry and citrus character.”

April 2018

  • Fri., 4/6: New Beer Friday at Strike Brewing Company – Rainbow Warrior. “… a west coast IPA brewed with lactose and conditioned on passion fruit, orange, and guava. This was brewed on our pilot system, so will be on draft in the taproom only until it kicks…”
  • Fri., 4/6: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company. “Before we knew anything about nebulas we knew storms in the Northern Hemisphere rotated counter clockwise. We brewed our first hazy IPA with ingredients exclusively from the north and named it for this effect. Late kettle hops and double dry hopping combine with oats in the malt bill to create a juicy, silky smooth ale. Amarillo and both pellet and cryo Mosaic hops contribute a floral blend of orange, peach, and melon.“
  • Fri., 4/13, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “… we’re releasing two beers that will be available on draft in the taproom only. First we have Day Game, a Belgian inspired table beer brewed with Pilsner malt, wheat, and oats, then fermented with a clean, fruity Belgian yeast strain. This beer is easy drinking and perfect for pairing with food or sipping by itself. Next, we have Warning Track, a classic West Coast double IPA assertively dry hopped with Citra, Simcoe, and Zythos. We’ve come out with a lot of haze recently, so figured it’s time to get back to our roots.”
  • Thu., 4/19, 3pm: New Beer Release at Strike Brewing Company. “You’re Kettlin Me Sours!, a wonderfully tart and refreshing blonde kettle sour conditioned on heaps of mango purée. Moderate acidity combined with bright mango character…”
  • Fri., 4/20, 3-9pm: 420 Night at Santa Clara Valley Brewing. “…a special limited release brew… Bill’s Excellent Adventure! This super danky IPA was brewed by our assistant brewer Bill…”
  • Fri., 4/20, 4:20-8:30pm: Waldo Walk – Mini Beerwalk Series in Downtown Campbell
  • Sat., 4/21: Freshie Alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company. “Take 101 north, through San Francisco, and turn right on Lombard Street. There you’ll find the most crooked street in the world! Our beer named for this street spent 48 hours in our brew kettle chilling with some friendly micro fauna. The result: a beer with a clean tart foundation. After a boil with a minimal hop addition we layered in a ton a flavor with blood orange and mango puree. Mellow on the sour scale, dry on the finish, and finishing with fruit, this brew is a refreshing sipper for our spring weather. 5.1% ABV, 4 IBU.”
  • Sun., 4/22, 2-10pm: Grand Opening at Uproar Brewing Company. “A Grand Opening after 10 months? Yup, we’ve been operating with both hands tied behind our back since we weren’t allowed to make beer at our own location. Now that problem is solved it’s definitely time to enjoy the great beers Jim is making and the great food James pairs to them. Drop on down and try a SoFA King Good, Mild High, 1st Street Drama, Oat of this World, Sai San Jose or one of our other new beers and help us celebrate the good times yet to come.”
  • Fri., 4/27, 3pm: From Strike Brewing Company: “Two new beers hit the taproom today… First we have the return of Sultan of Swat, a wonderfully creamy “dirty chai” oatmeal stout conditioned on loads of chai tea and coffee from local roaster @cremacoffee.co! We’re also pouring Banjo Hitter, a Belgian witbier that we packed full of guava purée.”

March 2018

  • Fri., 3/2: New beer release at Strike Brewing Company – Lost in the Sun DIPA. “NE inspired DIPA that was double dry hopped with Simcoe, Ekuanot, Citra and El Dorado. Pineapple, mango, and lime hop character defines this deceptively smooth double IPA. We’ve got it on draft and in four packs…”
  • Fri., 3/9: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company – Butterfly Wings Northeast Double Dry Hopped Double IPA, the 7th beer in their Nebula Series of New England style IPAs and second can release. “Copious late addition hops and generous double dry hopping result in an aromatic and flavorful beer. A complimentary yeast strain was selected to highlight and enhance the tropical fruit notes from the hops. This juice bomb oozes pineapple, mango, and stone fruit with very low bitterness… Mosaic and BRU-1 hops give it a very pineapple, citrus, and stone fruit aroma and taste with a substantial yet crisp oat and wheat body to back it up…”
  • Thu., 3/15: New Beer Release at Uproar Brewing Company – Reefer Car IPA. “Our first beer brewed in our facility. Brewed with Green Bullet Hops and dry hopped with Citra. A traditional West Coast IPA with huge citrus aromas and super danky in taste. 6% ABV.”
  • Thu., 3/22: New Beer Release at Strike Brewing Company – Juiced Ball Theory IPA, “a NE style IPA assertively dry hopped with Mosaic, Citra, and Ekuanot. The aroma exudes pineapple, cantaloupe, and lime… 7.4% ABV.
  • Fri., 3/23: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company – Experience Mosaic, “… a single hopped, zero IBU, hazy pale ale. How is this possible? No hops were added during the boil! Zero, none, not even one ounce of hop touched boiling wort. We finally added a bunch of Mosaic during the whirlpool and the aggressively dry hopped — twice. The results: a floral fruity beer with notes of berry, tropical fruit, and bubble gum without any bitterness.
  • Fri., 3/30: New Beer Release at Strike Brewing Company – Angels in the Oatfield. “… a NE style Pale Ale brewed with tons of both malted and rolled oats for a smooth, creamy body. We fermented this with an expressive yeast strain before hitting it with monster dry hop of the @pinkbootssociety hop blend…”
  • Sat., 3/31: First Ever Can Release at Hermitage Brewing Company – Dance in Dirty Pants Hazy IPA

February 2018

  • Fri., 2/9: Double can release at Strike Brewing Company – Haze of Dreams IPA (“…the next offering in our rotating haze arsenal… our second NE Style IPA… Double dry hopped with Citra and Ekuanot, this oat and wheat heavy juice bomb boasts a wonderful aroma of apricot and mango…” and Quick Pitch Imperial Kettle Sour, a collaboration beer with Alpha Acid Brewing (“… conditioned on strawberries and kiwis – nearly 500 lbs – coming in strong at 8.1% ABV and emanating juicy fruit character.”)
  • Sat., 2/10: Hapa’s Brewing Company 1-Year Anniversary Celebration and freshies alert – Don’t Be Evil Kettle Sour aged on raspberry (“Clean tartness is complemented by the essence of raspberry. Crushable and refreshing at 5.1% ABV, 4 IBU.”) and Suite 90 Belgian Saison brewed with Pilsner and Vienna malts (“This yeast driven beer has notes of tropical fruit balanced and enhanced by Citra hops. 6.2% ABV, 23 IBU.”)
  • Thu., 2/22: New beer release at Strike Brewing Company – Haze on First Pale Ale. “…in 4 packs and on draft… This NE inspired Pale Ale is loaded with Citra and at 5.2% ABV and low bitterness. Oats and wheat give a soft, full-bodied texture, while an expressive yeast strain and the glorious citrus and tropical fruit character of Citra shines.”
  • Fri., 2/23: Freshie alert at Hapa’s Brewing Company – Johnny Rook IPA. “West Coast vs. East Coast. Hazy vs. clear. Johnny Rook can’t be bothered with labels. A malt bill with body inducing oats but kettle hopped like a West Coast IPA. Assertively dry hopped like the hazies, but fermented with a clean yeast strain. A complex malt bill adds depth and balance but make no mistake, hops rule the roost in this beer. Look for mango, peach, and passion fruit.”

January 2018

  • Wed., 1/10: Big Wall Imperial Stout seasonal release (draft and 22 oz. bottles) at Strike Brewing Company. “The 2018 edition is thick and boozy, with aggressive notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and tobacco… The bombers should age gracefully if properly cellared.”
  • Fri., 1/12: 6th New beer release – War and Peace DDH Guava Milkshake IPA – from their Nebula Series of New England Style IPAs at Hapa’s Brewing Company. Collaboration beer with New World Ales and available on tap and in cans (first time). “Nose is pure pink guava with some underlying tropical notes and the taste has minimum bitterness and maximum flavor.”
  • Thu., 1/18: Golden State Brew & Grill in Gilroy open for business
  • Fri., 1/19, 5-10pm: South Bay beer release at Taplands – Hellesexy Chocolate Helles Lager, a collaboration between New Bohemia Brewing, Sactown Union Brewery and Pete Slosberg of Pete’s Wicked Ale
  • Thu., 1/25: 5-8pm: Beer release at Loma Brewing Company – NuLo Imperial Kolsch, a collaboration with New Bohemia Brewing Company
  • Fri., 1/26: Double can release at Strike Brewing Company – Willie Haze NE IPA (“Strike’s first NE IPA… We double dry hopped this oat and wheat heavy IPA with a huge amount of Citra, Amarillo, and El Dorado for an incredible mango/apricot aroma.”) and Triple Play (“IIIPA dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Cascade. This batch of Triple Play is a tribute to our recipe first brewed for the #sfbeerweek opening gala last year, with even more hop character.”)