City Beer Store and Tasting Bar

City Beer Store and Tasting Bar– beer store & tasting bar. Obviously.
SOMA
1168 Folsom St @ 7th Street (Google Map)
Official Site | BeerAdvocate | Yelp
Open Tuesday-Saturday Noon – 10p, Sunday Noon – 6p
MUNI/BART: 12, 19, 27, and 47.
MUNI’s F, J, K, L, M, and T lines, as well as BART, will get you to Civic Center station, which is three of SF’s most… let’s say “urban” blocks away.

In researching for this blog- which is oh-so-strenuous- I made a stop at City Beer last night, and asked the owner Craig, shown here with his wife and co-worker Beth, how many beers he has available.  He said he was a bit low at the moment, and he was down to a paltry 375.  He peaks when the winter brews come out at around 450, but it usually holds steady around 400.

Yes, I’m sure that your buddy’s brother Gherkin knows about this place that has 5,000 beers on tap, but I’ll still put City Beer up against any bar in California in not only quantity but quality of beer selection.  And anyway, Gherkin still thinks calico cats are a sign of the devil, so you should know better than to listen to him anyway.

photo by bsii

In the store, you’ll find six refrigerators full of beer (do not be alarmed by the Red Stripe- the people who live upstairs like it), and about eight shelving units, all taller than you.  Behind the bar are six taps, rotated constantly, usually pouring various seasonals or offerings from a featured brewer/style/theme.  Everything is clearly (and fairly) priced, and mixing and matching of six-packs is encouraged by 10% off the whole thing. (Carriers are in the back, near the bathroom.)

Quite niftily, everything in the building can also be enjoyed right there on the premises, for a $1 corkage fee.  The proper glassware is of course employed, and splitting among friends is also welcome.  There’s not a huge amount of seating, but there are a few tables & chairs in addition to the modestly-sized bar.  And yes, if you select something from the shelves, you can get it chilled while you enjoy something already cold.  There’s no kitchen, but simple cheese & meat plates are offered, along with TCHO chocolates.

And if you’re not really sure what you want to try, Craig & Beth are quite personable, and always eager to help you find something new, if you can give them a starting point (and no, Coors Light is not a starting point).  Craig started this business not just to make money, but to finally bring a respectable tasting bar to San Francisco, and his passion for the product shows.

Events of many kinds are regular here.  At the time of this writing, they are expecting Stone’s 13th Anniversary Ale in soon, and will be serving it next week alongside the 9th, 11th, and 12th Anniversary Ales.  During the 2009 SF Beer Week, they hosted a Sour Beer & Chocolate night.  (Mullet night is also on the docket.)

photo by bittermelon

If City Beer could be said to have a downside, it would have to be its size.  While it makes this San Francisco native proud to see people coming out in droves to support beer, they always manage to get to the barstools before I do, and navigating the place can get a bit tricky (especially during special events).  So if you have the opportunity, come before happy hour, when you’ll be able to converse a bit with Craig & Beth, and get the most out of what is among the best beer destinations in the country.

And for you San Francisco transplants who are no doubt wondering- no, not even Craig can get you a sixer of Yuengling.