San Francisco Brewing Co. “From Grain to Glass” 155 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133 415-434-3344 www.sfbrewing.com

As you walk north along Columbus Avenue from San Francisco's busy financial district modern high-rises give way to the Barbary Coast’s historic architecture. Stop when you reach Columbus and Pacific Avenues. At this hectic corner Chinatown, North Beach, and the Financial District intersect. Chinatown's inhabitants shop and sell. Tourists snap photos. North Beach dwellers and business people navigate determined courses through the bustling crowd. History intersects with the present at this corner, too. It was once the hub of Barbary Coast nightlife.

The 1907 saloon at this corner is the last standing bar of the Barbary Coast (once a playground for San Francisco's rough and tumble gold fevered 49'ers). The saloon first opened its doors in 1907 as the Andromeda Saloon at the location formerly occupied by the famous Billy Goat Saloon that was run by Pigeon-toed Sal. During San Francisco‘s wild Barbary Coast days, angling executives, sharp talking politicians and homesick sailors all rubbed elbows while brazen prostitutes flaunted coquettish charms at the brass rail of the ornate bar.

The 49’ers, and later Barbary Coast inhabitants, were infamous for their general lack of respect, but the Andromeda Saloon earned wide respect in 1913 when Jack Dempsey gained employment there. Mr. Dempsey went on to become World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. The Andromeda was still an exciting place in 1939 when, as rumor has it, the FBI captured public enemy number one, Baby Face Nelson, here.

Prohibition wiped out most of San Francisco's old saloons. The Andromeda survived by serving clams and oysters and calling itself the Andromeda Cafe. (They still served alcohol, but for purely medicinal purposes....) Sadly, during this period too, the bar’s mahogany woodwork received its first of many coats of paint.

In 1977 two local restaurateurs renovated the bar, renaming it the Albatross Saloon. Six months were spent restoring the saloon to its original splendor. Once more, the beautiful stained glass windows flanking the oak doors welcomed all who entered. The original tile floor, now irreparably broken, once matched the tile "spittoon" was covered with antique wood planking. The original ceiling complete with a skylight was discovered and restored.

The most famous feature of the saloon, aside from the beer of course, is the bar, which elegantly balances flame mahogany columns against beveled glass mirrors. These mahogany columns are cut and polished to reveal a flame appearance to the wood grain. The front bar is a solid mahogany plank that runs the entire length of the bar.

Nearly as famous as the bar is the Pukka Walla Fan. Running overhead the length of the bar is this enormous rotating contraption of brass and palm fronds. Run by a tiny motor via leather belts the 1916 Pukka Walla fan rotates lazily stirs the winds of romance and the sounds of laughter.

San Francisco Brewing Company’s Founder and Brewmaster Allan G. Paul, a young North Beach resident with visionary tendencies, kindled two passions while living on nearby Telegraph Hill in the 1980’s: a love of brewing beer and a love of San Francisco's wild and woolly historic Barbary Coast days.

After winning numerous amateur brewing honors, Paul decided to open the first brewpub ever in San Francisco (at the time, only three other brew pubs existed in the United States). By combining his passion for fine microbrewed beer with the Barbary Coast’s spirited history, Allan G. Paul's vision --- and sweat --- gave birth to the San Francisco Brewing Company.

In 1985 Mr. Paul acquired the perfect site to open the San Francisco Brewing Company: the historic, restored Albatross Saloon. A huge basement - part of the famous Chinatown underground - was big enough to hold more than 25 stainless steel tanks and other brewing equipment. The elegant mahogany and mirrored bar provided an ambiance rich with Barbary Coast history and artifacts. Authentic English pub tables contribute to the pub’s warmth and intimacy.

Patrons in a playful mood may enjoy many different activities. They can play darts, chess, backgammon, cards or dice cups. Traditional holiday celebrations such as Christmas, New Years and Halloween are celebrated with spirit. Mardi Gras and Thomas Jefferson's birthday offer occasions for unexpected merriment.

On Monday evenings the brewpub presents the Hal Bigler Quartet. You will frequently find someone playing a variety of music on the piano on Fridays and Saturdays. Every third Sunday of the month Philip Nichols plays classical piano during the afternoon.

For adventurous souls, the San Francisco Brewing Company offers a variety of escapades. Those who love high sea adventure join the salmon fishing trip. One favorite event is the Christmas Ale Beer Tasting.

Hosting private events is one of the brewpub's proudest specialties. A catered menu is available upon request (or menus can be tailored to suit particular preferences). Two rooms are available for private parties. The Brewhouse Room seats thirty and the Dempsey Room cozily seats ten.

Staff upon request gives tours of the San Francisco Brewing Company. Curious guests are never disappointed. The tour begins with an explanation of Brewmaster Allan Paul's approach to the making of fine beer.

"The San Francisco Brewing Company takes a traditional approach to brewing. The use of time and gravity are important elements in the ancient art and mystery of brewing. Our very slow brewing process and our gravity-flow brewhouse distinguishes our brewing process from that of other breweries. From grain to glass, these beers are handmade using only the finest hops, barley malt and yeast available. We purchase ingredients from as far away as England and Germany when local sources are unable to provide the high quality which we require,” Allan Paul explains.

A tour of the brewery starts in the Brewhouse Room. The Brewhouse Room captures the essence of the brewpub and provides an opportunity for beer enthusiasts to enjoy fine beer in the very room where it is made. The San Francisco Brewing Company was the first brewery in the United States to offer this combination that was only made possible after a historic battle with the Federal bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. The room is a small, charming dining room on one side. Mahogany woodwork frames mirrors, beveled glass and picture windows. On the other side of the room is the Brewhouse. The Brewhouse, a fully functioning manufacturing area where the beer is actually “brewed,” is a modern adaptation of an ancient tower brewhouse design that was used centuries ago. The tower brewhouse elevates one vessel above another and harkens back to the time before pumps and electricity. The brew starts at the top and the liquid flows by gravity downward from one vessel to another. Patrons are often treated to a show as busy brewers scramble up and down a steel ladder, which spans the brewhouse tower. On brewing days the comforting scent of hops and barley warms the air.

The focus of the Brewhouse Room is the handmade, copper brew kettle, which merrily reflects glittering city lights and the laughing banter of happy patrons. The sight of the bright, shiny copper kettle makes a striking contrast to the antique setting. The nation’s foremost coppersmith, Fred, handcrafted the copper kettle. H. Zaft. Brewmaster Allan G. Paul designed and installed the custom-made brewing structure.

Both the copper kettle and mash tun are heated by fire, the source of which is natural gas. The heating of the brew kettle with an open flame produces fire-brewed beers. The direct flame on the kettle produces a boil more quickly and provides greater control over the brewing process. The unique properties of copper in the kettle contribute a special richness to the color and flavor of the beer.

The fermentation and aging cellars, again following tradition, are located in the basement. The beer, which ferments in three to nine days, is naturally carbonated. After aging anywhere from several weeks to several months, the beer, unfiltered, flows directly from the cellar into your glass.

The San Francisco Brewing Company produces approximately 200 gallons per batch, or six barrels of brew at a time. Annual capacity is nearly 1000 barrels of beer. Brews are sold primarily at the brewpub. Select local bars and restaurants carry the beer on draft. Beer to go is a available in ½ gallon beer growlers, 1-gallon brew cubes, and in 5 and 15.5-gallon kegs.

Paul's love of Barbary Coast history (and his sense of humor) find a vent in the colorful names of his brews such as the classic Albatross Lager, a pilsner style lager, and the Emperor Norton Lager, a Munich style lager. In 1993 the Company completed construction of a new ale cellar expanding the capabilities of the brewery. Since then, in addition to the lager beers, Mr. Paul serves true ale beers such as Gripman's Porter, Pony Express Ale, Shanghai India Pale Ale, Andromeda Wheat Beer, Alcatraz Stout and Oofty Goofty Barley Wine.

Tasteful cuisine rewards the pub’s frequent diners. The kitchen, which is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, offers international pub fare. They feature smoked baby-back ribs and pork loin. Other favorites are the grilled chicken sandwich, San Francisco’s best hamburgers, fried calamari and spicy gumbo.

The San Francisco Brewing Company's excellent brews, rich historic location, music and events are no secret. Since 1985 the brewpub has been featured on MTV, ABC World News, Mission Impossible, and Tokyo TV. It has been written about in or appeared on the Food Channel, the History Channel, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times and the World Guide to Beer. Mr. Paul’s pioneering efforts helped spawn a nationwide industry of brewpubs.

The San Francisco Brewing Company offers a warm ambiance where locals come for the beer and return for the company. Tourists come to savor world class microbrewed beer ... and go home to tell their friends about it. The best way to find out about the San Francisco Brewing Company, however, is to come by and try it out for yourself.