Growth of San Jose and South Bay Beer Scene is No Joke

The latest San Jose brewery - Mission Creek Brewing Company, located inside Whole Foods on The Alameda
The latest San Jose brewery – Mission Creek Brewing Company, located inside Whole Foods on The Alameda

It is a great time to be a beer fan in the South Bay, as the local beer scene continues its dramatic rise thanks in large part to the region’s demand for good beer.

Just this past year, the number of brewery tap rooms in San Jose jumped from two (Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant and Hermitage Brewing Company) to five (Clandestine Brewing, Strike Brewing Company and Mission Creek Brewing Company at the Whole Foods store on The Alameda). Another (Santa Clara Valley Brewing) is set to open in the coming months.

When Lagunitas Brewing Company released their well-received Born Yesterday Pale Ale in late October, they also shared a list of many of the South Bay establishments that carried craft beer on tap, in bottles or both.

  • 38 Degrees
  • 55 South
  • The 6740
  • Antipastos
  • BBQ 152
  • Beach Hut Deli
  • Blind Donkey
  • Blue Palms
  • Brittania Arms
  • Cinebar
  • City Tavern
  • Double D’s
  • Fahrenheit
  • Fibbar Magees
  • Firehouse No. 1
  • Good Karma
  • Harry’s Hofbrau
  • ISO Beers
  • Liquid Bread
  • Mohawk Bend
  • Old Wagon
  • Original Gravity
  • Original Nicks Pizzeria and Pub, San Mateo
  • Paper Plane
  • Rose & Crown
  • San Pedro Square
  • Slaters 50/50
  • Smoke Eaters Cupertino
  • Smoke Eaters San Jose
  • Smoke Eaters Santa Clara
  • Spread
  • St. Johns
  • Steins
  • Stuft Pizza
  • Trail Dust BBQ
  • Verdugo
  • Whole Foods Los Altos
  • Wicked Chicken
  • Wine Affairs
  • Ava’s Market
  • BevMo #6, #133, #7, #105, #9, #41 & #49
  • Bobby’s Liquors
  • Cask n Flask
  • Gene’s Fine Foods
  • Kelly’s Liquors
  • Lunardi’s Meridian
  • Royal Liquors
  • Santa Clara Liquors
  • Southgate Liquors
  • Whole Foods Campbell
  • Whole Foods Cupertino
  • Whole Foods Los Altos
  • Whole Foods Los Gatos
  • Whole Foods Palo Alto
  • Whole Foods San Jose
  • Zanotto’s Foxworthy

It was possible in the not-so-distant past for a local beer enthusiast to keep track of most, if not all, of the local businesses that carried craft beer, but that task is now likely too cumbersome for even the most hardcore of beer fans among us.

On a related note, the following is a quick look at some upcoming, local beer events taking place this month:

  • Wed., April 1, 2015, 4:30-6:30pm: Brewery Tour, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant
  • Thur., April 2, 2015, 6pm: Golden Road South Bay Launch, Original Gravity Public House
  • Thur., April 2, 2015, 6pm: Coronado Brewing Night, Harry’s Hofbrau San Jose
  • Thur., April 2, 2015, 5pm: Knee Deep Brewing Company Tap Takeover, Market Beer Company
  • Fri., April 3, 2015, 5-9pm: Firestone Walker Tap Takeover, Whole Foods Market San Jose
  • Sat., April 4, 2015, 12pm: 21st Amendment Evolution of Bitter American, Original Gravity Public House
  • Sat., April 4, 2015, 11am: South Bay Beerhounds Tweed Stagger in downtown San Jose
  • Tues., April 7, 2015, 5-6pm: Brewer’s Happy Hour, Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant Campbell
  • Wed., April 8, 2015, 4:30-6:30pm: Stammtisch – Comparative Beer Tasting, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant
  • Tues., April 14, 2015, Three Pepper Ale Tapping Party, Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant Campbell
  • Wed., April 15, 2015, 5:30-7:30pm: Maibock Tapping Party, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant
  • Thur., April 16, 2015, 4:20pm: Lagunitas Waldo Tapping and Tap Takeover, Harry’s Hofbrau in San Jose
  • Mon., April 20, 2015, 5:30pm: ShakesBEERience: Richard III, Cafe Stritch
  • Wed., April 22, 2015, 6pm-9pm: Beerwalk in Downtown Campbell
  • Wed., April 22, 2015, 4-6pm: Beer & Such, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant
  • Thur., April 23, 2015, 12:30-4pm: Giants vs. Dodgers Tailgate Party, Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant Campbell
  • Thur., April 23, 2015, 6pm: Ballast Point Night with East to West and More, Harry’s Hofbrau San Jose
  • Fri., April 24, 2015, 6pm: Firkin Friday!, Original Gravity Public House
  • Sat., April 25, 2015, 12pm: Pints for Non Profits, Original Gravity Public House
  • Sat., April 25, 2015, 12pm-6pm: Cider Summit Festival, The Presidio in SF
  • Sat., April 25, 2015, 11am-11pm (Movies) and 1pm-5pm (Local Beer Tasting and Artisan Food Showcase): The CineBrew Mart 2015, Camera 12 Cinemas
  • Tues., April 28, 2015, 5-6pm: Bag in the Hole with the Brewer, Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant Campbell
  • Wed., April 29, 2015, 4:30-6:30pm: Learn to Pair Beer and Food, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Restaurant

It is as if someone had declared April 2015 to be South Bay Beer Month. Yet, this events list is incomplete – a number of places that host ongoing events have yet to provide specifics, and there are sure to be already announced events that have inadvertently escaped my radar. And just as important are the many other ways – and places – for local beer fans to enjoy a good beer.

The plethora of choices throughout the South Bay and the greater Silicon Valley is, indeed, no joke, and – as stated previously – is what makes this the best of times to be a local beer fan.

[This post was shared on Examiner.com.]

Related posts:

  1. South Bay Beer Scene Making News
  2. Taking Inventory of the San Jose and South Bay Craft Beer Establishments
  3. A Brief History of Craft Beer in San Jose and the South Bay