Picture by Sam Durbin
The Bernal Heights Beer Week Survival Guide: Cortland & Beyond
Bernal Heights isn’t just a neighborhood with a hill; it’s the unofficial headquarters of SF Beer Week 2026 (Feb 20 – Mar 1). Between hosting the festival’s primary partner and housing some of the city’s most respected taprooms, we don’t even have to leave the 94110 to get the best of the week.
Here is your hyper-local itinerary for the neighborhood’s “Big Three.”
Barebottle Brewing Co.: The Hometown Hero
As the official host partner of Beer Week 2026, Barebottle is the sun that the rest of the week orbits around. Their Bernal taproom will be the site of high-energy releases and quirky competitions.
Doomsday Release (Friday, Feb 20): Start the week with a bang. Their annual Doom Bloom Triple IPA (this year featuring Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit) drops in cans and on draft. It’s a Bernal tradition—get there early before the line hits the sidewalk.
Trivia Tuesday (Feb 24): A special Beer Week edition of their famous trivia. Expect deep-cut questions about hops and local brewing history.
Disc Golf Tournament (Friday, Feb 27): Only Barebottle would set up a literal disc golf course inside the brewery. Test your aim while sipping on their official collaboration brews.
Salesforce Park Fest (Saturday, Feb 21): While not technically on the hill, Barebottle is hosting the “tentpole” rooftop festival. Grab a MUNI and support our local crew at the Salesforce Park Beer Garden.
Holy Water: The Curated Gem
If Barebottle is the festival, Holy Water on Cortland is the after-party. Known for having one of the most meticulously curated tap lists in the city, this is where you go for rare, “blink-and-you ’ll-miss-it” kegs.
The Cellar Raid: Holy Water is famous for dusting off vintage bottles and rare kegs specifically for Beer Week. Look for vintage stouts and small-batch sours that have been aging in the back just for this week.
Bernal “Locals Only” Pours: Expect several of the official SFBW collaboration beers to be on tap here throughout the week. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet pint after a long day of “marathoning.”
Cellarmaker (The Neighborhood Satellite)
While their main brewing hub has moved to the East Bay, Cellarmaker’s DNA is still firmly rooted in the SF scene, and their presence in Bernal-adjacent circles is massive.
Hazy Domination: Keep an eye out for Cellarmaker’s special SFBW releases like Smell The Colors (Hazy IPA) or their high-octane Barleywines.
The Pizza Connection: If you find yourself heading toward their Mission or SoMa-adjacent spots, remember that Beer Week isn’t just about the glass—it’s about the pairing. Their Detroit-style pizza remains the gold standard for soaking up those double IPAs.
Pro Tips for Bernalites
The Cortland Crawl: You can easily start at Barebottle for a flight, walk up to Holy Water for a rare pour, and end at United Dumplings or Vega for a base layer of carbs.
The “Hop on MUNI” Route: Standard Deviant in the Mission is the official kickoff for the MUNI pub crawl (Feb 20). It’s a short J-Church or 14-Mission ride away, perfect for Bernal residents to join the fray without a car.
Clear Your Calendar: SF Beer Week 2026 is Here!
Mike Doherty serves as Chief Experience Officer at Greening Projects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming underutilized urban spaces into vibrant green areas
