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17 Hopped Up Breweries in San Francisco

Where to drink craft beer straight from the source

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San Francisco has a strong list of local breweries, pouring everything from classic steam lagers to hoppy and hazy West Coast IPAs. It’s a beer scene that suffered during the pandemic, with a few favorite spots closing, but now the scene is bustling again with some new taproom entrants to San Francisco, including Ballast Point which opens in February 2023. So whether you’re ready to grab a beer and soak in some sunshine, or want to pick up some cans or crowlers to sip at home, here’s how to tap straight into the source.

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Sushi Sato

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Forgive the fact that this is not a typical brewery, but instead, a sushi restaurant serving some stellar beer made in-house. If you’re a fan of brewmaster Dave McLean’s work — or even if you’ve ordered some malt from the company he co-owns, Admiral Maltings — it’s worth a stop to try his latest. All the beers are made to pair with sushi, so go for a sampling of beers alongside maki or sashimi.

Sushi Sato

21st Amendment Brewery & Restaurant

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Best known for its widely distributed cans of seasonal beers like watermelon wheat, 21st Amendment is named for the repeal of Prohibition. The brewery is located near South Park in SoMa, where head brewer/co-founder Shaun O'Sullivan started 21A.

Black Hammer Brewing

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Black Hammer Brewing, a SoMa brewery and tasting room, is suds and pup friendly, with a beer selection focused on American IPAs and some classic German styles like pilsners and bocks. The patio is also fine at sister spot, German-inspired beer garden called Wilkommen at Market and Sanchez in the Castro.

Barrel Head Brewhouse

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Sure you can get a bunch of delicious local beers on draft at Barrel Head (all of which come out of a tap system attached to a World War II–era torpedo), but what puts the brewery on this list are its house brews, which change seasonally, but always include an IPA, a Kolsch, and a sour.

New Belgium Brewing Taproom & Restaurant

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New Belgium Brewing, the Colorado brewery best known for Fat Tire amber ale, has a massive brewery in Mission Bay, just a peanut’s throw away from Oracle Park. Of course, they’re pouring their bestselling Belgian-style brews, but they also hired local brewer Ramon Tamayo (Russian River Brewing Company) to craft a few fresh beers on-site, which is worth a visit on its own. And don’t skip out on the food, while you’re at it.

Dishes and beers from New Belgium Brewery Patricia Chang

Magnolia Brewing - Haight

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Groundbreaking San Francisco brewer Magnolia was founded by Dave McLean in the Upper Haight in 1997, later expanding to include this massive Dogpatch brewing facility and restaurant. Since then, quite a bit has changed: Colorado’s New Belgium took over after Magnolia declared bankruptcy a few years back, and now, after being acquired by a subsidiary of Japanese beer giant Kirin, the brewery has lost its craft status. But fans still drink up Magnolia’s IPAs and menu of elevated pub fare at the original location on Haight.

Standard Deviant Brewing

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Standard Deviant prides itself on pouring “the coldest tasting beer” in the city so stop by the unassuming former garage in the Mission. The brews are more standard than totally deviant: solid IPAs and saisons reign, though you’ll also find more adventurous options like horchata cream ale and Kolsch.

Anchor Public Taps

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San Francisco's oldest brewery is no longer independently owned after it was purchased by Sapporo, but it's still a crown jewel of local brewing with a long, unique history. You might not be able to take a brewery tour to gaze at the beautiful copper mash tuns, but at least you can still drink the goods — in addition to classics like their steam beers and porters, there are seasonal releases to try.

Woods Cerveceria

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This tiny taproom was the start of Jim Woods empire, which now includes taprooms locations in Russian Hill, the Outer Sunset, Oakland, and Treasure Island. One popular IPA is brewed with yerba maté, and during Girl Scout cookie season, don’t miss Woods’ cookie-flavored beers, based on favorites like Thin Mints and Samoas.

Olfactory Brewing & Blending

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Olfactory is one of the newer breweries on the San Francisco block, but they’re settling nicely into the former Triple Voodoo Brewery space on 3rd Street. The space is dog-friendly, so bring your pup to check out the latest releases, while grabbing some food from Guajillo Kitchen or Pizza Squared.

Fort Point Valencia

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Fort Point remains a solid beer spot in San Francisco, with outposts at the Ferry Building and a pop-up at the Tunnel Tops, but to get the full deal, head over to the Valencia Street location. And by “the full deal” we mean not just a selection of Fort Point’s beers and guest beers on tap, but also the recently upgraded seafood-forward food menu, with cioppino and crab rolls.

Sarah Chorey

Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company

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This Outer Sunset brewery quickly became a neighborhood favorite thanks to its six rotating house beers ranging from sour wheat to a dry Irish stout, as well as fried chicken sandwiches. Plus, they have a drag brunch on the weekends, which makes for an epic outing.

Beer flight at Sunset Reservoir Michael David Rose Photography

Harmonic Brewing

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Harmonic brews small-batch beer in a wide range of brew styles, from Kolsches and sours to several different IPAs. The original location in the Dogpatch, a taproom and brewery in a large warehouse space next to a metal shop, welcomes a crowd of kids and dogs. And a big second location opened in Thrive City, the area immediately outside of Chase Center, with the added perks of bay views and pizza.

Cellarmaker House of Pizza

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Cellarmaker has become one of San Francisco’s most respected brewers thanks to consistent quality across all sorts of experimental and classic beer styles. Its pale ales are pillowy and soft, and its dark beers like the “Coffee & Cigs,” a smoked porter, are hefty and satisfying. And while you’re at it, don’t skip out on the excellent Detroit-inspired square pizza.

Barebottle Brewing Company

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This large, state-of-the-art brewery in Bernal Heights turns out juicy and hazy IPAs, tea-infused saisons, and competition-winning beers crafted from recipes written by enterprising home brewers. And there’s a rotating calendar of food trucks parked in front, should all those suds leave you hungry.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

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Established in 1997, this San Francisco distribution staple opened its taproom in 2011, featuring rotating taps in flights, pints, bottles, cans, and growlers. Its signature mobster-themed beer, "Big Daddy IPA," is always on hand, but so are more interesting beers you won't find in your corner store.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

Laughing Monk Brewing

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Departing slightly from the hop-heavy ways of local craft breweries, Laughing Monk offers a California-Belgian crossover style, for everything from Holy Ghost pilsner to a Brotha Brotha stout. The Bayview taproom is also a casual spot to grab a beer, with various events scheduled throughout the week like trivia nights or pop-ups.

Laughing Monk Brewing

Sushi Sato

Forgive the fact that this is not a typical brewery, but instead, a sushi restaurant serving some stellar beer made in-house. If you’re a fan of brewmaster Dave McLean’s work — or even if you’ve ordered some malt from the company he co-owns, Admiral Maltings — it’s worth a stop to try his latest. All the beers are made to pair with sushi, so go for a sampling of beers alongside maki or sashimi.

Sushi Sato

21st Amendment Brewery & Restaurant

Best known for its widely distributed cans of seasonal beers like watermelon wheat, 21st Amendment is named for the repeal of Prohibition. The brewery is located near South Park in SoMa, where head brewer/co-founder Shaun O'Sullivan started 21A.

Black Hammer Brewing

Black Hammer Brewing, a SoMa brewery and tasting room, is suds and pup friendly, with a beer selection focused on American IPAs and some classic German styles like pilsners and bocks. The patio is also fine at sister spot, German-inspired beer garden called Wilkommen at Market and Sanchez in the Castro.

Barrel Head Brewhouse

Sure you can get a bunch of delicious local beers on draft at Barrel Head (all of which come out of a tap system attached to a World War II–era torpedo), but what puts the brewery on this list are its house brews, which change seasonally, but always include an IPA, a Kolsch, and a sour.

New Belgium Brewing Taproom & Restaurant

New Belgium Brewing, the Colorado brewery best known for Fat Tire amber ale, has a massive brewery in Mission Bay, just a peanut’s throw away from Oracle Park. Of course, they’re pouring their bestselling Belgian-style brews, but they also hired local brewer Ramon Tamayo (Russian River Brewing Company) to craft a few fresh beers on-site, which is worth a visit on its own. And don’t skip out on the food, while you’re at it.

Dishes and beers from New Belgium Brewery Patricia Chang

Magnolia Brewing - Haight

Groundbreaking San Francisco brewer Magnolia was founded by Dave McLean in the Upper Haight in 1997, later expanding to include this massive Dogpatch brewing facility and restaurant. Since then, quite a bit has changed: Colorado’s New Belgium took over after Magnolia declared bankruptcy a few years back, and now, after being acquired by a subsidiary of Japanese beer giant Kirin, the brewery has lost its craft status. But fans still drink up Magnolia’s IPAs and menu of elevated pub fare at the original location on Haight.

Standard Deviant Brewing

Standard Deviant prides itself on pouring “the coldest tasting beer” in the city so stop by the unassuming former garage in the Mission. The brews are more standard than totally deviant: solid IPAs and saisons reign, though you’ll also find more adventurous options like horchata cream ale and Kolsch.

Anchor Public Taps

San Francisco's oldest brewery is no longer independently owned after it was purchased by Sapporo, but it's still a crown jewel of local brewing with a long, unique history. You might not be able to take a brewery tour to gaze at the beautiful copper mash tuns, but at least you can still drink the goods — in addition to classics like their steam beers and porters, there are seasonal releases to try.

Woods Cerveceria

This tiny taproom was the start of Jim Woods empire, which now includes taprooms locations in Russian Hill, the Outer Sunset, Oakland, and Treasure Island. One popular IPA is brewed with yerba maté, and during Girl Scout cookie season, don’t miss Woods’ cookie-flavored beers, based on favorites like Thin Mints and Samoas.

Olfactory Brewing & Blending

Olfactory is one of the newer breweries on the San Francisco block, but they’re settling nicely into the former Triple Voodoo Brewery space on 3rd Street. The space is dog-friendly, so bring your pup to check out the latest releases, while grabbing some food from Guajillo Kitchen or Pizza Squared.

Fort Point Valencia

Fort Point remains a solid beer spot in San Francisco, with outposts at the Ferry Building and a pop-up at the Tunnel Tops, but to get the full deal, head over to the Valencia Street location. And by “the full deal” we mean not just a selection of Fort Point’s beers and guest beers on tap, but also the recently upgraded seafood-forward food menu, with cioppino and crab rolls.

Sarah Chorey

Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company

This Outer Sunset brewery quickly became a neighborhood favorite thanks to its six rotating house beers ranging from sour wheat to a dry Irish stout, as well as fried chicken sandwiches. Plus, they have a drag brunch on the weekends, which makes for an epic outing.

Beer flight at Sunset Reservoir Michael David Rose Photography

Harmonic Brewing

Harmonic brews small-batch beer in a wide range of brew styles, from Kolsches and sours to several different IPAs. The original location in the Dogpatch, a taproom and brewery in a large warehouse space next to a metal shop, welcomes a crowd of kids and dogs. And a big second location opened in Thrive City, the area immediately outside of Chase Center, with the added perks of bay views and pizza.

Cellarmaker House of Pizza

Cellarmaker has become one of San Francisco’s most respected brewers thanks to consistent quality across all sorts of experimental and classic beer styles. Its pale ales are pillowy and soft, and its dark beers like the “Coffee & Cigs,” a smoked porter, are hefty and satisfying. And while you’re at it, don’t skip out on the excellent Detroit-inspired square pizza.

Barebottle Brewing Company

This large, state-of-the-art brewery in Bernal Heights turns out juicy and hazy IPAs, tea-infused saisons, and competition-winning beers crafted from recipes written by enterprising home brewers. And there’s a rotating calendar of food trucks parked in front, should all those suds leave you hungry.

Related Maps

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

Established in 1997, this San Francisco distribution staple opened its taproom in 2011, featuring rotating taps in flights, pints, bottles, cans, and growlers. Its signature mobster-themed beer, "Big Daddy IPA," is always on hand, but so are more interesting beers you won't find in your corner store.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

Laughing Monk Brewing

Departing slightly from the hop-heavy ways of local craft breweries, Laughing Monk offers a California-Belgian crossover style, for everything from Holy Ghost pilsner to a Brotha Brotha stout. The Bayview taproom is also a casual spot to grab a beer, with various events scheduled throughout the week like trivia nights or pop-ups.

Laughing Monk Brewing

Related Maps