The annual SF Week is upon us, that sudsy time of year from January 22 to 31 when breweries across the Bay Area crack open rare or unique brews, and take over taps in with cool pairings, educational classes, and fun events. As usual, the opening gala at Fort Mason kicks it off tomorrow with more than 80 breweries and a slew of bites. After that comes dozens of beer-washed events over the next 10 days. With so much to do and so little time, what is a beer lover to do? Here are our top 14 events to get hoppin'.
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The Best Events of San Francisco Beer Week 2016
There's more than enough to keep the even the biggest beer nerds occupied.

Hong Kong Lounge 穗香酒家
Fort Point Dim Sum Beer Brunch - Gorge yourself on unlimited spoils of fresh dumplings at one of SF’s most famous dim sum hot spots paired with suds from San Francisco brewery Fort Point. Plump steamed pork buns and shrimp dumplings will be served with KSA, Park, Villager, and Westfalia can styles. $50 for general admission. Saturday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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The Trappist
Japan Beer Fest 2016 - So you’ve jumped on the ramen and Japanese whisky bandwagon. How about some Japanese beers? The Trappist in Oakland bands together with Umami Mart for the third time to pump out an array of beers from the land of the rising sun. They’re opening taps from 19 different brews from Shiga Kogen, Baird, Coedo, and Hitachino, and about 11 other beers will be available in bottles from Hitachino, Yoho, Koshihikari, and more. Ramen Shop will be working the patio with servings of fried rice. Sunday, Jan. 24, noon to 6 p.m.
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Red Dog Restaurant & Bar
Chef's Night Out with Almanac Beer - Celebrate beer week with dinner made by a few of San Francisco’s most beloved chefs. Richie Nakano (of the now shuttered Hapa Ramen), Tim Archuleta (ICHI), Lauren Kiino (Red Dog), and more will be whipping up dishes paired with special selections from Almanac beer. Though the menu is subject to change, it hints at squid ink pasta with uni and squid, mapo tofu chili dogs, jambalaya, and more. Tickets are $143.32. Sunday, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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Mission Bowling Club
Ruhstaller Beer & Bowling Competition - Grab a cold beer instead with Rhustaller Beer’s bowling competition at Mission Bowling Club. The Sacramento-based brewery Rhustaller will be pumping out pints and flights. Buying a flight will gain you entry into the bowl off with the chance to win prizes. Bowling reservations suggested. Monday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m to 11 p.m.
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Alamo Drafthouse Cinema New Mission
SF Beer Week Movie and Dinner Nights at the Alamo Newly opened Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a series of events over SF Beer Week that pairs suds from local brewers with a three-course dinner and a movie. Mel Brooks's “High Anxiety” will be paired with Fort Point, “Riding Giants” will be paired with Pizza Port,“The Grateful Dead” will be paired with Magnolia, and “Talledega Nights” will be paired with Bear Republic. Tickets are $70. Check Alamo Drafthouse’s calendar for showtimes and menus.
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The Alembic
SFBW Collaboration Pairings - Get in on the special edition tipples that the SF Brewers Guild has customized for this year’s Beer Week. Grab a pint at Alembic, along with specially paired dishes for each brew. Order ala carte or as a three-course dinner. Sunday, January 24, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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Steep Brew
Bourbon County Night ft. Rare, 2014 Coffee, and More - Cult favorite Bourbon County Stout from Goose Island is opening up its limited supplies and tapping kegs of 2014 Coffee and BCSC, as well as Regal Rye and BCBS. The staff will be cracking open highly coveted bottles of Rare and Regal Rye for tasting, and Brand Stout and Regal Rye will be available to buy to go. Pair it with cheesesteaks from the brewery’s hometown of Chicago. Monday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery
Oyster & Beer Extravaganza - Magnolia Brewery raises a classic pairing to a new, copious level with its sixth annual oyster and beer bash. It will crack open the latest batch of their famous Oysterhead stout, which is—yes—made from four bushels of actual oysters from Hog Island. They’ll be laying out a cornucopia of oysters cooked in all manners, both raw and cooked. Sold ala carte. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Dandelion Chocolate & Beer Pairing - Treat yourself to a sweet pairing of beer and single-origin chocolate from Dandelion Chocolate. With no advance tickets required, you can wander in and order its special SF Beer Week beer flight from local Anchor Brewing. The beermakers will be spotlighting some new and limited releases, and Dandelion will also be offering chocolate making demos. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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Rosamunde Sausage Grill
Nuit de Quebec with Poutine - In addition to its usual servings of brats and wrusts in the beer-garden style patio, Rosamunde Sausage Bar and Grill in the Mission is cooking up five styles of the mother of all french fry dishes, poutine—a heap of crispy fries with cheese curds, gravy, and various toppings. Match it with suds from Montreal brewers. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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Shotwell’s
Anchor Brewing & Humphry Slocombe Beer Float Party - The classic ice cream float goes one up by adding a special ingredient: Surprise, it’s beer. San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing and Humphry Slocombe, known for its unusual flavors, conspire to bring four different kinds of beer floats to sip on throughout the night. Saturday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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Belga
First Annual Sausage Fest - Newcomer Belga celebrates its first SF Beer Week by pouring out a variety of special bottles of beer and four new housemade sausages for just this week. The Belgian Restaurant is cooking off links like Belgium pork sausage and beer beurre blanc to go along with Stone Vertical Epic 8.08.08, Toaster Pantry, Sierra Nevada Barrel-Aged Double, and more. New menu available starting Monday, Jan. 25.
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Triple Voodoo Brewery & Tap Room
Yeast Flavor Profile Demonstration Event - Get into the nerdy details of beer during Tripple Voodoo Brewery's Yeast Demonstration in their taproom. They'll give a glimpse of what beer makers mean when they talk about yeast and how various yeast strains change the flavor. Watch a yeast experiment with two different styles of beer, split into four groups of fermentation. Taster flights will be used for comparison. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m.
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Monk’s Kettle
United Sours of America, an American Sour/Funk Fest - Trendy sours take over the taps at Monk's Kettle, which typically hosts packed beer week events each year with lines out the door. This Saturday, about 20 taps will pour sours from American breweries including The Rare Barrel, Russian River (3 year vertical of Consecration), Upright (Fantasia), Cascade, The Bruery (2013 Tart of Darkness), and more. They will also offer glass pours from bottles and bring out a vintage list from their well-curated collection in the cellar. Saturday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
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Fat Angel Food & Libation
Comfort food beer bar Fat Angel has a whole slew of events to check out, but the one to really note is the "Grand Tasting" on Saturday, January 30 of Orange County brewery The Bruery beers, featuring barrel aged and experimental ales. Tickets are $85 for 21 beers in four different flights; get your tickets here.
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