The kickoff to SF Beer Week began in strong fashion at The B Street Bistro in Hayward, California. Their 12th Annual Double IPA Festival featured dozens of doubles from all over the United States, although most were local beers from our rich beer culture here in Northern California. With live music, commemorative glasses, and no rain, the long day of drinking didn’t end until 7 pm. Hundreds of people waltzed through the Bistro’s front door and out the back into a beer haven of hops and caramel-colored heaven. It was the kind of day that makes you realize how great it is to be a lover of beer in the present day.
By the time I arrived, there were only 2 Triple IPAs left. I tried the Sasquatch from Six Rivers out of McKinleyville. It was a great first beer that set the tone coming in at 10.25% ABV. From there on out we spent the next couple hours making our five tickets count by pretending to forget we had them, striking up conversations with the pourers, strategically approaching the drunkest of pourers, and keeping our eyes open for green tickets discarded by those who had had too much. Despite the cost, a veteran of beer festivals could easily get 10-15 pours out of their five tickets. This is another great part of beer culture—the lack of snobbery creates an atmosphere where everyone should get a beer if they have a smile and an empty glass–Socialism at its finest.
The beers I remember trying are listed below based on my imperfect, woozy memory, and the crumpled, stained list from the event left over in my jacket pocket today. Some I had twice as the taps dried up, but I do remember my favorite, which is starred:
Sasquatch, Six Rivers, McKinleyville, CA
Ruination, Stone, San Diego, CA
Hop Henge Experimental IPA, Deschutes, Bend, OR
Denogginizer, Drakes Brewery, San Leandro, CA
*Palate Wrecker, Green Flash Brewing, Vista, CA
Quasar, Jupiter Brewery, Berkeley, CA
Hoptologist DIPA, Knee Deep Brewing Company, Lincoln, CA
Imperial IPA, Lost Coast, Eureka, CA
Steelhead Double, Mad River, Blue Lake, CA
Double Daddy, Speakeasy, San Francisco, CA
