After years in the making, Black Sands Brewery is now fully open in the Lower Haight, offering beer brewed in-house, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and cocktails. Oh, and a homebrew supply store next door.
The multi-pronged concept comes from a passionate crew of makers that includes partners Robert Patterson (Ken Ken Ramen, Voyager), Stefan Roesch, Cole Emde and Andy Gilliland.
Emde and Gilliland are heading up the brewing operation, using their 10 plus years of homebrewing experience to create an approachable beer selection that simultaneously functions as an educational tool to help customers learn more about beer (both drinking and making it). To further that goal, Black Sands also sells homebrew equipment and supplies, teaches monthly classes and provides all of their beer recipes as open source.
New brews will be constantly in the works, implementing a three barrel system that puts out about 100 gallons of beer with each brewing. The shiny beer-making operation is located right on site, where beer is brewed at least once a week and sent straight to the taps; unfortunately the beer is only available for drinking onsite at the moment, but the crew hopes to implement a growler program in the very near future. Also of note: Die-hard beer fans can taste their beers at any point in the day, breakfast through dinner.
On the food side, chef Eric Ehler is leading the kitchen, offering an opening menu with influences from around the globe, all of which are intended to play well the beers and cocktails. A grilled corn dish is an interesting take on the Mexican street food eloté, but including quinoa seasoned with furikake in addition to the traditional spicy, lime-spiked mayonnaise element. Additionally, Breakfast and coffee is a crucial component that was incorporated with the brewery's close proximity to bike commuter route,The Wiggle, in mind. A slim menu includes cold brew and espresso drinks from De La Paz alongside fancy toast, granola and a chorizo-filled breakfast torta. Lunch will follow with an even more curated offering: a vegan kale salad and Korean fried chicken sandwich. For a more robust midday offering, stop in for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Check out all their menus here.
And, not to be overlooked is a cocktail menu from bar director Nicolas Torres (Lazy Bear, Dalva Hideout). Rather than provide an alternative to beer, the spirits are intended to complement them, including drinks like the Nana Knows Best, composed of peated malt infused bourbon, chinato, banana and coffee bitters. A carefully chosen wine list includes cult-favorite small-producers like Scholium and Broc Cellars.
Black Sands is open Wednesday-Sunday (they're closed Monday-Tuesday to make beer). Breakfast goes 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and lunch is 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. The brewery and bar is open from 5 p.m.- midnight, with dinner offered 6 p.m.- 11 pm.
