Suds Francisco Tickets Go On Sale Tomorrow! Meet Five Fermentation Masters Who Will Be There!
Last week, we introduced Suds Francisco, a new festival celebrating funk, fermentation, and San Francisco flavor, coming to TJPA's Salesforce Park on Sunday, August 23.
When we began building Suds Francisco, we didn't set out to assemble the biggest collection of breweries and producers we could find. Our goal was to bring together a lineup that celebrates the excellence and diversity of the Bay Area's world-class fermented food and drink culture.
Everyone we've invited has earned their place. Some are among the Bay Area's most celebrated brewers. Others rarely pour anywhere near San Francisco. Others have spent decades perfecting cider, wine, kombucha, sourdough, pickles, or other fermented flavors that inspire us with every taste.
Today, we're excited to introduce the first five of roughly 45 masters of fermentation who will be joining us this August.
Barebottle Brewing Company
If there is a brewery that represents the current state of San Francisco beer, it's Barebottle.
Fresh off another remarkable awards season—including multiple medals at the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival—Barebottle has established itself as the city's standard bearer for independent brewing. At the same time, they're preparing to celebrate an extraordinary milestone: ten years of brewing in San Francisco! (more on that below).
The Barebottle team has spent the past decade helping to prove that San Francisco remains one of America's great brewing cities. We're thrilled to celebrate alongside them.
Mad Fritz
There are breweries that make great beer, and then there are breweries that challenge the very idea of what beer can be.
At Mad Fritz in Napa, founder Nile Zacherle approaches brewing with the mindset of a winemaker. Nearly every ingredient is sourced from California. Grain varieties are selected with the same care a vintner chooses vineyard sites. Long aging, mixed fermentation, and patient craftsmanship produce beers that speak as much about place as they do style.
The result is one of the most distinctive brewing projects in America—and a perfect embodiment of Suds Francisco's celebration of fermentation as both science and art.
Mountain Rambler Brewery
Most Bay Area beer lovers have never had the opportunity to visit Bishop, CA. That's precisely what makes Mountain Rambler Brewery such a special addition to this year's festival.
Nestled in California's Eastern Sierra, Mountain Rambler has quietly built a reputation for beautifully balanced beers inspired by the surrounding landscapes. Mountain Rambler has become a perennial medalist at the industry's biggest competitions. In 2025, they took home gold medals from both the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival. Their appearance at Suds Francisco offers a rare opportunity for Bay Area drinkers to experience one of California's hidden brewing gems without making the drive over Tioga Pass.
Exceptional beer is being made all across California. We wanted to bring some of it to San Francisco.
Gowan's Heirloom Cider
For generations, the Gowan family has cultivated heirloom apple orchards in Mendocino County. Today, they are transforming their extraordinary fruit into ciders that have earned more awards than any other American producer. Their bottles routinely stand alongside some of the finest ciders in the world, yet their work remains deeply rooted in Northern California agriculture.
Their recent major awards include sweeping the 2026 World Beer Cup with three world #1 titles and being named "Cidery of the Year" at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival
Gowan's reminds us that great fermentation starts long before the first bubbles appear. It begins with healthy soil, remarkable fruit, and generations of stewardship.
Volcano Kimchi
Few people embody the spirit of fermentation quite like Aruna Lee, founder of Volcano Kimchi.
Drawing inspiration from her Korean heritage while embracing the extraordinary produce grown throughout the Bay Area, Aruna, a former Buddhist nun, has built Volcano Kimchi into one of San Francisco's most celebrated fermented food companies. Her kimchi isn't simply preserved vegetables—it's a living expression of culture, craftsmanship, and community.
Fermentation has always been about more than preservation. It connects people across generations and cultures—pun intended—while transforming humble ingredients into something vibrant and alive.
We're honored to welcome Volcano Kimchi to Suds Francisco and excited for festivalgoers to discover how naturally fermented foods belong alongside exceptional beer, cider, and other handcrafted beverages.
🎟️ Brew Deck Subscriber Exclusive
These five producers represent just a glimpse of what's to come. By August, nearly 45 breweries, cider makers, wineries, sake brewers, kombucha producers, and fermented food artisans will transform Salesforce Park into one of the Bay Area's most exciting celebrations of fermentation.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, July 1.
As a Brew Deck subscriber, you'll have access to a limited cache of VIP tickets at the Early Bird General Admission price.
TOMORROW MORNING AT 9 AM, ALL BREW DECK SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ACCESS YOUR EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT!
Once those subscriber-exclusive VIP tickets are claimed, they're gone.
We'll have many more producers to introduce in the weeks ahead, along with bands, DJs, and other exciting activations. But we couldn't wait any longer to begin sharing the remarkable people who will make Suds Francisco unlike any beer—or fermentation—festival the Bay Area has ever seen.
See you on August 23.
🍻 Upcoming Events Featuring Our Member Breweries
🎉 Public Events This Week!
Friday, 7/3—Free Day at Discretion Brewing!
(Soquel, CA | Noon-9PM)
Free Day is Discretion Brewing’s annual Independence Day celebration, featuring a new "Free Day IPA" recipe released every year, an expanded beer garden and live music!
More Info –> Free Day Celebration in Soquel!
📅 Save the Dates
Saturday & Sunday, 7/18 & 7/19—10 Year Anniversary Weekend At Barebottle Brewing
(San Francisco, CA)
It is a 2-day-long party at Barebottle Bernal Heights. Multiple food vendors, four new collaboration releases, DJs, oysters, a pig roast, and more!
More Info –> Celebrate in Bernal Heights!
Saturday & Sunday, 7/18 & 7/19—Fruition Brewing 7th Anniversary Celebration!
(Watsonville, CA)
Another 2-day celebration! Starting at noon on both Saturday and Sunday. Expect a special anniversary IPA release, BBQ, live blues, and DJs!!
More Info –> Fruition Anniversary in Watsonville!
Sunday, 8/23—SUDS FRANCISCO - A Funk & Fermentation Festival hosted by Barebottle Brewing at Salesforce Park!
(San Francisco, CA | 2PM-7PM)
A summertime celebration of funk and fermentation held beneath the SoMa skyline!
Tickets and More Info –> Suds Francisco 2026!