SAN FRANCISCO – Five never-before-tasted Bay Area Brewers Guild official collaboration beers will be tapped for the first time at the SF Beer Week Opening Gala on Friday, February 7. For SF Beer Week 2020, local craft breweries joined forces to design and brew five unique one-off beers. All five recipes included freshly kilned California-grown malts from Admiral Maltings, in Alameda, one of the nation’s few traditional artisan floor-malting facilities.
These Bay Area Brewers Guild collaboration brews are an annual hallmark of SF Beer Week, expressing the brewers’ collective state of mind each February, and honoring the cooperative and creative spirit of the craft beer community.
The 2020 official SF Beer Week collaborations will offer an exhibition of the bright, hoppy, drinkable beers brewers love to make.
Rice Stratasphere
Rice IPA
7% ABV
Rice Stratasphere delivers an aromatic explosion: tropical, dank and onward into the strata. One of the best new hops to hit the tanks lately is Strata, a monster of a hop with huge aromatics of citrus, indica, and guava. Citra and Denali hops add further layers of complexity, while a dry and clean body from extra pale Pilsner malt, Admiral Pils and puffed Jasmine rice give these hops room to shine. From the East Bay brewers of the Bay Area Brewers Guild.
Common Dreams
California Common
5.3% ABV
This modern SF lager is a nod to one of the original SF beers – updated with vibrant hop varieties developed in New Zealand and America. With an underpinning of flavors from two craft grain products, Admiral Maltings Feldblume Malt and Canadien Maltings Oat Malt, Common Dreams ties brewing heritage to the 21st Century delights of Motueka, Nelson Sauvin and Strata hops. From the San Francisco brewers of the Bay Area Brewers Guild.
Cloud Based
Oat Cream Pale Ale
5.8% ABV
Upload a fluffy tropical Cloud Based Compression IPA – delivering those big hop flavors – all dialed in. It’s a collaborative venture from – who else – the Silicon Valley brewers. Engineered from 2-Row malt, Admiral Maltings Gallagher’s Best malt and the pillowy contributions of Admiral Maltings Clipper Oats, Cloud Based is powered by Strata and Galaxy hops. From the Silicon Valley brewers of the Bay Area Brewers Guild.
Surf ‘n Burps
West Coast Double IPA
9.0% ABV
This is an exceptionally bright, true-to-form West Coast Double IPA, Bay Area-style.Surf ‘n Burps features exciting new hop varieties that include Cashmere and Sabro, along with the always popular Mosaic. Strong citrus notes of lemon and lime combine with peach, pineapple and coconut flavors and aromas from this blend of hops. A firm, but smooth bitterness follows before finishing bone dry, without the faintest kiss of alcohol from this 9.0% beast. This coastal classic is crafted on a base of Admiral Maltings Pilsner and American 2-Row malts. From the Coast Chapter of the Bay Area Brewers Guild,
North Bay Nexus
Pale Ale
6% ABV
This contemporary Pale Ale is new beer at the balancing point: crisp, balanced, citrus, tropical and subtly spicy. Brewed with Admiral Maltings Pilsner, Wheat, Oats, and Rye malts and utilizing old and new brewing techniques to deliver a crisp, balanced brew, North Bay Nexus is infused with brightness from Citra, Amarillo, Saphir and Mandarina Bavaria hops. Nuanced spice notes from the grain bill combined with citrus and tropical notes from the hop additions result in a refreshing beer suitable for any drinking occasion. From the North Bay brewers of the Bay Area Brewers Guild.
At the SF Beer Week Opening Gala, participants will have a chance to compare all five beers and choose a favorite. After the Opening Gala, the five collab beers will be available on draft or in cans at different locations during SF Beer Week as supplies last.
In addition to Admiral Maltings, these releases came together with help from Guild trade partners White Labs and Custom Label.
SF Beer Week is produced by the Bay Area Brewers Guild, a non-profit trade association whose mission is to promote local, independent craft beer and breweries throughout the greater Bay Area. Stay on top of the region’s craft beer scene year-round at DrinkBayBeer.com.