In San Francisco, beer is not exactly what we are known for. Liberal politics, nasty weather in the summer, Barry Bonds and the Golden Gate Bridge would probably all be cited as things that are "San Francisco" before beer was even thought of. While it may not be what we are known around the world for, San Francisco does actually churn out some really good fermented barley beverages and has a handful of brew pubs where you can get in house brewed beers that might just get you in the mood to spread the word about something else SF should be proud of...For those who don't know the difference between a brew pub and an ale house, a brew pub actually brews the beer on site while an ale house can bring in specialty beers from all over. Brew pubs usually serve food and tend to be pretty big places since they need to also house the vats where the beer is made. Let's take a look at some of the places in San Francisco where you can go to get a proper San Francisco beer.Magnolia Brew Pub
1398 Haight St.
Touting itself as Haight Ashbury's only brew pub (which really doesn't seem that strange), Magnolia Pub is a bar/restaurant combo establishment. The place is true to their 'hood from the decor and food menu to the names of the beers themselves (like Weather Report and Ashbury Alt). Since 1997, these guys have been brewing up small batch ales right out of their converted basement.
Must try beers: Weather Report Wheat, Big Cypress Brown.

Thirsty Bear
661 Howard St.
Thirsty Bear is a popular place to hit after work for the SOMA worker bees. It's an absolutely huge place by San Francisco standards and they serve damn good food to go with their top notch ales. With 9 brewed in house beers on tap at any given time, this place is a beer lovers fantasy. Make sure to check what conference is in town before you go because it can get a bit overcrowded when the sessions let out at Moscone.
Must try beers: Brown Bear Ale, Kozlov Stout.

Gordon Biersch
2 Harrison St.
Gordon Biersch has become one of the biggest San Francisco beers over the last 10 years and the brew pubs are largely the reason. At the Embarcadero location, you will find good food, rowdy after work drinkers and world class beer. Just like 21st Amendment, this place is a favorite for Giants fans before and after the games and on nice days, you can kick outside on their patio while you enjoy a frothy one and some garlic fries.
Must try beers: Marzen, Hefeweizen, Pilsner

21st Amendment Brewery
563 2nd St.
Down by the ballpark sits the lofty and noisy 21st Amendment Brewery. The place is busiest before and after Giants games and on nice days when people flock to their outside beer garden. These guys love India Pale Ale's (IPA's) and they let it show! With 3 award winning IPA's on tap including the 21A IPA and Opening Day IPA which they make for the Giants season, the one to make sure to try is the Double Trouble which packs a mean 9.8% alcohol punch!

SF Brewing Co.
155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
The San Francisco Brewing Co. was one of the first brew pubs in San Francisco. For over 30 years, these guys have been serving up their signature ales 7 days a week to the North Beach crowd that it caters to. The ambiance is historic, the food is done well and they feature live music every night. The beer is the champ here though and makes the headache that North Beach inadvertently causes worth it.
Must try beers : Albatross Lager, Shanghai IPA

Beach Chalet
1000 Great Hwy.
Even if these guys didn't brew some of the best beer in town the scenery and the food would still almost be worth it. The Beach Chalet is right on the ocean at the end of Golden Gate Park. Saturday and Sunday brunch are popular times to enjoy one of their signature brews. This is no "peanuts on the floor" kind of place so don't come expecting anything but good food, good beer and killer views of the ocean.
Must try beers : Riptide Red Ale, West End Wheat

Cheers!