JAPANTOWN BEER WALK-
LOCATION: SAN JOSE'S JAPANTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
FEBRUARY 8TH, 2014
TIME: 2PM - 6PM
SF
Beer Week is here yet again, starting off its opening Gala on
February 7th 2014, at the Concourse Exhibition Center in San
Francisco. The San Francisco Brewers Guild and associates sponsor this week-long
event as a collaborative effort between local breweries and participating
cities throughout the Bay Area. As it states on their website, “Our purpose is to
restore and preserve San Francisco’s brewing heritage, and unite those who make
local beer with those who love it”; it couldn't be done in a better fashion
than its week’s worth of events and activities dedicated to the craft of
brewing. The contagious spirit of this eventful week and its rising fame--putting together as many as 500 events--has reached into neighboring cities,
and has made its way into San Jose’s Japantown. Participants in association
with the festivities have made this ongoing tradition hit its 6th
year in the Bay Area, and for San Jose’s Japantown Beer Walk it marks its 3rd
year with beer tasting sweetness at every unique destination.
As
it grows in popularity there is an ongoing effort between organizations to bring
awareness to this cool tradition located near the heart of Downtown San Jose. I
had the pleasure of participating last year for the first time. Joining me
was a good friend and we had an inebriating experience walking from establishment
to establishment, tasting what seemed like a good amount of quality beer. Which
now reminds me; it might be his turn to buy the tickets this time around, and I
should recommend dinner a little closer to the event than his house down the street. Not that
the Bar-B-Q was bad (the slow cooked ribs were delicious), but I’m definitely
looking forward to some sushi, or a teriyaki chicken bowl between destinations.
There are a variety of great restaurants, and parlors in the neighborhood in
which to dine and snack at, and it’s a good idea to take a little extra cash
for any on the spot purchases you might have an itch for.
There
are plenty of attractions that bring this beer walk together and if the weather
permits, it should be a great one to join in on this weekend. You can take a nice long stroll with your dog to visit the many Art
Galleries in the neighborhood, and if your sitter isn’t available to watch the
kids; than at least one parent can enjoy the beer while the other shops at one
of the many establishments and boutiques that will be open that day catering to
the event between 2-6pm. Registration starts at Jack’s Bar at 12pm.
Between
the many breweries that participated last year and will be participating this year, I would
have to say it will be hard to predict what will grab my
attention. Many will be participating and there are vast
choices at the local liquor store now; all with
different names, different alcohol content, and cool looking labels. So, what I will do this time around is write down on a Jacks Bar napkin my favorite brewery and the reasons why. I will challenge you all to do the same, and if you can, send it out that
day on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #beerlist, to see if we
all can maybe agree on a favorite to remember for next time we’re at Bevmo.
For the sake of the companies and destinations participating in the Japantown
Beer Walk be sure to hashtag their names on your pictures and posts, and don’t
forget to include cool hashtags like #japantownbeerwalk #sfbeerweek #SJcheckthisout
#thisbeerisawesome….A few hours later… #ilostmyphone #waitimonmyphone #takingacab
But please people, drink responsibly. There is a need for
this city’s citizens to take matters into the hands of sober good friends,
family members, or at the very least cab drivers willing to drive you and your
party around. Also, enjoy the many festivities presented throughout the Bay Area
running until February 16th, 2014. For more information with
locations, events, and activities running throughout the Bay Area go to http://www.sfbeerweek.org/schedule/.
You can find a list of breweries, locations, and buy your tickets in advance for
the Japan Town Beer Walk at www.thebeerwalk.com, or at
Jack’s Bar located at 167 E. Taylor St., San Jose CA for $30 ($35 the day of). Check out http://sfbrewersguild.org for a more in
depth look at what’s brewing around Northern California, and be sure to
remember not to drink and drive.
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