Toronado: San Francisco Beer Institution Is Up for Sale | Eater SF
"A Lower Haight beer legend at 543-547 Haight Street is being sold after 37 years; the Compass Commercial listing offers the bar, its Type 42 license, and the building — which includes the adjoining space that once housed Berliner Berliner and Rosamunde — for $1.75 million. The team confirmed via Instagram that owner and founder Dave Keene is retiring and selling the business, writing, "This marks the end of an era for the generations of beer drinkers that have shared lives with us." Keene, who opened the bar in 1987, built a reputation by seeking out "extreme beers," as the coverage puts it, and the spot became a rite of passage for breweries aiming to land a beer on its coveted menu. In keeping with those "extreme beers," Keene founded the Barleywine Festival, devoted to his love of the strong English ale made with extra malt; the festival grew from just four types in its first year to prompting brewers to add barley wine to their lineups for the November event, which has run for more than 30 years. The 50 taps rotate favorites, newcomers, and rarities and have included the cult-favorite Pliny the Younger from Russian River Brewing Company, which is only poured annually at Russian River taprooms and a small handful of bars. The business expanded to Seattle in 2014 under Matt Bonney (previously of Bottleworks and Burgundian), though that outpost closed in March 2020. The team is planning a blowout for their Beer Week, running Friday, February 7, to Sunday, February 16, and wrote: "In true [the bar] fashion we plan to celebrate Dave’s innumerable contributions to the world craft beer scene with 10 days of great events, great beer and great people," adding, "Please join us as we regal 38 years of hazy memories and prepare for many more. As Dave says, 'It's the people that make [the bar]' and you are our people." Eater SF reached out to the business and the listing agent for more details and will update the story when they hear back." - Dianne de Guzman
