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My sisters and I had to part ways on Monday morning, so we checked out of the hotel and said our goodbyes. With some rainy weather in front of me and a few ideas how to spend the day, I checked to see what time City Beer Store would open. And go figure, they were closed on Monday. Such a disappointment - that was the one place I wanted to go most. Next time, I guess. After a quick call to Shmaltz Brewing, I learned that they don't yet have a tasting room in San Francisco - strike two. And Anchor Steam's tours are booked solid up through November - strike three. What to do with the last day in San Francisco?
Stretching my legs and getting some fresh air seemed like a good idea, so I walked up Sacramento Street from the Financial District back to Polk Street. Lavande Spa has always been a favorite mani-pedi place of mine, and I'm glad I stopped in. A tiny woman scrubbed and buffed my feet to perfection, and with her miniscule hands somehow crunched and manipulated my tired, half-marathon pounding feet into relaxed mush. No sooner than when I left Lavande, the rain had stopped and the day was beautiful again.
After a quick browse through a bookstore, I grabbed a seat at Swan Oyster Depot for a bit of lunch. I love sitting at the crowded counter and watching the guys who work there laugh and joke with each other and entertain the customers as they go about their business day.
In chatting with one of the men behind the counter, I learned that Swan has been open since 1912, but in 1946, upon returning from the war, this guy's dad (Sal Sancimino) bought the place, and it has been family run ever since. (Which isn't suprising - there is a striking family resemblance in many of the guys who work here). The choices are many - fresh lobster, crab, clams, oysters, salmon, squid, shrimp - they've got it all, but the menu is far from complicated. I knew exactly what I wanted, though, and my meal couldn't have been more fitting for this drizzly, sleepy day in San Francisco. A big bowl of creamy clam chowder, a hunk of fresh sourdough bread and butter, and a pint of beautiful, amber-hued Anchor Steam.
Anchor Steam is the quintessential San Francisco beer. Their website gives an interesting and detailed history of the brewery's beginnings, the obstacles they faced, and the manner in which they have risen to prominence today. Steam beer is faily unique as well, and according to their history, Anchor "inherited a long tradition of brewing that had come to be known as steam beer, one of the quaint old nicknames for beer brewed along the West Coast under primitive conditions and without ice. Today "steam" is a trademark of Anchor Brewing." I really wish I could have toured their facility on Potrero Hill, but I suppose there always has to be a reason for a return trip to San Francisco.
Another reason to return would be a visit to the City Beer Store. In thinking back over my trip, I was pretty bummed to have not seen it, and realized that I'd also be sad if I completely missed Toronado, as well. I grabbed a cab and in a few minutes, I was standing on Haight Street, outside of the legendary beer bar.
I'm so glad that my trip crescendoed with a visit to Toronado. When I walked in, the bar was fairly populated for a Monday afternoon. Choosing a seat at the counter, the bartender asked me for my selection, and I whispered those three magic words: Pliny The Elder. This Russian River brew is not available where I live, and I couldn't wait to take a sip.
The bartender checked in with me as my glass slowly emptied, to see if I liked the beer. I said I did, and that since I lived in DC, I'd like to taste the beers that I can't get out East. He responded, "DC, huh. I think the best thing about DC is (insert name of beer bar here)." When I mentioned that I worked there, I'm pretty sure my credibility as a bar patron suddenly rose like a stock ticker in a bull market. He introduced himself as Stephen, and we started chatting about delicious beers and the adventures of working in a beer bar. He brought me a taster of Epiphany Ale next -- the product of Iron Springs Brewery in Fairfax, California.
As one does in a bar on a Monday afternoon, I started chatting with my neighbor* to my right, and beer conversation turned in to running and biking conversation. We compared notes on the ales we were sipping, and enjoyed the quiet day in a musty beer bar.
Next in line was a pint of the Port Brewing Company "High Tide" Fresh Hop IPA. Not my favorite of fresh hop ales. This must be a hard beer to brew (I haven't yet tried) because so far, I have only found one fresh hop style that I truly love, that being the Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere. But the ambiance and the company at Toronado was fantastic, so who's gonna complain about one less-than-memorable taste?
Yep, there was even more beer. But c'mon...they were little! Sort of. The next beer was from Drake's Brewing in San Leandro, California. The Drake's Quasar Imperial IPA was delicious. Very sweet and bitter at the same time. I could have had another glass, but Steven had different things in mind for my lineup.
Death & Taxes Schwarzbier is brewed by Moonlight Brewing Company in Fulton, California. This beer gets high marks by some serious beer heavyweights in the tasting world, but it's just not my cup of barley. In fact, at the risk of offending my new friend, I had to push it away. Way too smokey and tobbacco-y for my tastes.
It was nearly time for me to head to the airport, and start the long trek home to DC. I picked up some Toronado souvenirs, a Rosamunde sausage, and waved aloha to my new friends. Another great visit to my favorite city on the planet, and a few delicious beers along the way. Until next time, San Francisco.
*My neighbor at the bar, though I didn't know it at the time, was Gary Fisher, one of the major influences in modern mountain biking and an all around genius pioneer in cycling. Steven kept saying "hey Gary, can I get you anything?" but I had no clue, even though we talked a lot about biking. He was a super cool guy though, with some amazing ideas about the future of our youth and their influence on the globe. What a trip. Great to meet you, Gary!
Ohhh... Pliny! We just got back from Colorado, and I was so hoping to find Pliny, but no dice. We did, however, have plenty of Stone IPA and Arrogant Bastard, which was a real treat for us Chicagoans.
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