Fuel up for the day with coffee or tea and a quick home-made bite at Roy's Station - an old gas station transformed into one of Japantown's neighborhood cornerstone. After, take a short walk and hop on a private tour of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company's state-of-the-art brewing and bottling facility finished with a tasting directly from their tanks. Gordon Biersch's first batch of beer was brewed in this very location.
Tip: Private tours are available by appointment only and can be scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesday with either a 10AM or 6PM start time. Private tours are free and typically last one hour.
Head downtown to Uproar Brewing Company and enjoy lunch with a carefully curated beer menu that provides paring options with local craft beers. Continue your quest to sample local craft and make your way south to the confluence of breweries for samplings at Clandestine Brewing, Strike Brewing Co. & Warehouse Taproom and Santa Clara Valley Brewing.
Brew Crawl Idea: If you're up for a Beer Walk, then we've got you covered from the South Side to Downtown, for a total of five breweries in 2.5 miles. Check brewery hours before you go. Recommended for walking after daylight savings for extended sunlight.
Grab dinner at the historic Germania Hall in downtown San Jose for traditional German dishes like Spätzle, Jägerschnitzel and Pfefferschnitzel and wash it down with a proper 2-liter boot of German beer. If you still have room after dinner, continue to enjoy craft beers at ISO Beers Beer Bar & Bottle Shop.
Trip Planning: If you're looking for a tour company to plan it so you can sit back and sip, then here are a couple of suggested tours: