Look out Sake San Jose. Here comes SJ Beerwalk. For the past six years, Japantown has hosted Sake San Jose, a series of sake tasting walks to benefit Yu-Ai Kai Senior Services. The peripatetic tour features sake and small bites of food at Japantown restaurants and stores. It’s become a great local tradition.
Now, the owners of Jack’s Bar and Dishcrawl, a Web-powered food tour company, have gotten together to create SJ Beerwalk. The debut event is Feb. 11. More than 15 varieties of beer will be poured at participating Japantown restaurants and retailers from 2 to 5pm. SJ Beerwalk’s mission is to provide “a social outlet for the community and neighborhood.” The cost is $29, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Japantown Business Association.
SJ Beerwalk isn’t Jack’s and Dishcrawl’s first collaboration. Last month, they hosted Wine Walk Japantown, an event similar to Sake San Jose and SJ Beerwalk that benefited local nonprofits and wineries.
While he enjoyed the wine event, Jack’s Bar partner Charlie Mann says he is more of a beer guy and is looking forward to the brew event. Stone Brewing Co., Anchor Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Blue Moon Brewing Co. and Pabst will be some of the breweries represented.
“Beer is more of our passion than wine is,” Mann says. “Beer is something we’re really into.” At last count, he said, more than 200 people were going to attend.
The businesses will be pouring three ounces of bottled beer at each stop, so even if participants stop at every outlet, they should still be able to walk—not drive—home. “We definitely not encouraging everyone to get hammered,” Mann says.
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