The Campaign for Real Ale, or CAMRA, was begun in England in 1971 in response to large brewers modernizing their beer by using filtered, artificially carbonated kegs in pubs. CAMRA describes real ale as “a natural product brewed using traditional ingredients and left to mature in the cask from which it is served in the pub through a process called secondary fermentation.” Except for special events, examples of cask-conditioned beer, served at cellar temperature, are relatively rare in the Bay Area. But Thirsty Bear in downtown San Francisco offers $3 imperial pints (20 ounces) of cask-conditioned real beer, served from the keg with a traditional hand pump, every Tuesday. Beer doesn’t get much fresher than this. Thirsty Bear recently poured a dry-hopped cask-conditioned Golden Ale. The brewpub (meaning it brews beer on the premises) also claims to be “the first & only brewery in San Francisco to serve all premium organic hand-crafted ales & lagers! No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in our organic malts.” Food-wise, Thirsty Bear specializes in Spanish cuisine: paella, Spanish-themed sandwiches and small plates, or tapas. Spanish food is generally served with Spanish wine or sherry, but it’s a natural with beer, too. However, except for the cask-conditioned ales, which are generally fine, Thirsty Bear’s beers aren’t as full-flavored or assertive as they should be. Nonetheless, $3 is a small price to pay for a true English pub-style experience.
Thirsty Bear Restaurant and Brewery
661 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 974-0105
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