Zeitgeist-San Francisco

If you are from Chicago, picture dive bars like Cal’s and Kuma’s coming together with the biker motif of Twisted Spoke, and room for a sprawling beer garden in back and you have the Mission’s Zeitgeist. At least that was my impression after an hour visit. An insider-y friend exposed the awesome bar to me during my last visit to San Francisco, and I was intially obsessed with the place based on the door logo alone (the rest of the joint FAR too dark for a decent photo). But inside the loud, raucous bar adorned with port-o-potties and a tamale lady (much like our very own tamale guy), I discovered a new favorite beer! I craved something wheaty and citrusy and was given Great White Beer from Lost Coast brewery in Eureka, Calif. The brew managed to be both malty and citrus-y, but also had a crisp mouthfeel and smooth drinkability. It reminded me of other favorites, Hitachino White Ale, Blue Moon and Hoegaarden, but fresher, and of course, rocked an awesome label. Zeitgeist, 199 Valencia, San Francisco