booze and the bay

This is my first trip to San Francisco where I am finally allowed to legally drink and let me tell you, I have definitely been taking advantage of it. Here are some of my favorites so far (in chronological order.)

Farley Bar

Bourbon & Branch

The Alembic

Magnolia Pub & Brewery

1. Farley Bar, located at Cavallo Point. This bar is housed in one of the old houses that was used by the U.S. military during the late 1800's to the early 1900's. There's a lot of history here, but besides that, the views are absolutely breathtaking and include the Golden Gate bridge, the bay itself, and downtown San Francisco. We came just a few days before Christmas so there were many wreaths, poinsettias, and other decorations which gave it a very festive feel. There was a bit of a chill in the air that day so my sister Lauren and I opted for warm drinks. She tried the Hot Buttered Rum and I had their homemade Spiced (and spiked) Hot Apple Cider. I definitely recommend what I ordered. We also shared some light things to munch on such as a salad and a hummus plate. Next time I return to Cavollo Point, I hope it's as a guest. The houses can be rented out and there is even a spa on site. 
2. Bourbon & Branch, located in the Tenderloin. As a general rule of thumb, I try to avoid the Tenderloin as much as possible when I am in San Francisco as it is not exactly the nicest part of town. Even just walking the couple of blocks from the ACT after seeing A Christmas Carol, we felt as though we were in the movie 28 Days Later surrounded by real live zombies. My coming up to this place could not have been more perfect...It used to be an old speakeasy and they definitely still play it up. You need a reservation to get in and secret code. Even the outside doesn't say their real name, instead it is a sign for an "Anti-Saloon League." Just as I was finally started to feel sketched out by the Tenderloin I saw a few ladies tipsily stumbling out of the Anti-Saloon League and I thought it looked like fun. They were all dressed up and I could hear old music playing as the door locked behind them. I didn't think this was the place since there was no sign for Bourbon & Branch, but sure enough it was! When you walk in you actually feel like you have been transported back to the 1920's during Prohibition. The hostess, waitresses and bartenders are all dressed up in dresses and suits straight from this period. The menu includes classic cocktails like the French 75, which I ordered and countless others such as an Old Fashioned, Sazerac, etc. As we sat down in our booth we could see people entering another room behind a secret door that looked like a cabinet for storing various bottles of alcohol. It turns out that there are two other smaller sections of the bar (the other includes a library behind a hidden door that looks like a bookshelf.) The whole experience made me feel as though I was a character in the Great Gatsby, which is not only one of my favorite books, written by one of my favorite authors, but it's also during my favorite time period. I was in a state of real bliss. 
3. The Alembic, on Haight. After a leisurely brunch at Zazie's in Cole Valley, Lauren and I went for a walk around the Haight and decided to pop into The Alembic for a drink. I had just been reading an article posted by Food & Wine Magazine on the 50 Best Bars in America and The Alembic happens to be the first one listed. The article raves about their Mint Juleps and even though it's the middle of Winter and Mint Juleps are much more of a summer drink, I decided to commit an act of sacrilege and order one anyway. I had never had one before and was mesmerized by the sweet and spicy bourbon mixed with the refreshing ice and mint. I even got a kick of the silver mint julep glasses that freeze up immediately upon ice entering them. 
4. Magnolia Pub and Brewery, also in the Haight. We stopped by here after seeing the movie Melancholia. It's about the world ending and even though it was absolutely beautiful to watch, we definitely needed a cocktail once it was over. We felt like going somewhere cozy and familiar and we wound up here. As a fellow beer lover, I was astounded by how many beers were on their menu including ones I had never even heard of before. I started with the Kalifornia Kolsch which is served in a half pint glass. The more I drank it, the more I could taste the honey infused within it. Next, I decided I was ready for a big girl beer and was hoping to try their Branthill ESB via cask, which is a wheat beer similar to a Hefeweizen (which I love), but they were all out. Instead, I ordered a similarly tasting Long Break Bitter. I still wanted to try a cask ale. For those who don't know, cask ales are served room temperature and are usually a little flatter, which definitely alters the taste of the beer a bit. Brad, my sister's boyfriend, had order their Cole Porter draught beer first and then the Cole Porter cask ale second. I got to taste test them both and could definitely pick up on the differences between the two. We were a little hungry as well, so we ordered some food too. We had the pickle plate, a cheese plate and I even tried sardines for the first time! All in all, it was a very eventful evening for me.