San Francisco Beer Week Kicks Off with MUNI Partnership

Local breweries team up with public transit for a fun and safe kickoff event.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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San Francisco Beer Week launched on Friday night with a big event in the Mission District that combined local brews, community, and a partnership with the city's public transportation system, MUNI. Breweries like Standard Deviant used the occasion to release special beers and connect with beer lovers, while MUNI organized a "Hop on MUNI Pub Crawl" to encourage people to explore the city's neighborhoods and businesses without having to worry about driving.

Why it matters

The kickoff event highlights the importance of local breweries to San Francisco's culture and economy, especially during slower months like January. The MUNI partnership also demonstrates the city's efforts to promote sustainable transportation and support small businesses by making it easier for residents and visitors to discover new neighborhoods and breweries during the popular annual beer festival.

The details

Standard Deviant, a brewery that opened almost 10 years ago, went all out with 10 special brews for SF Beer Week. They also collaborated with MUNI on a West Coast IPA called "Hop on MUNI" that matched the vintage colors of the city's buses. Other beer enthusiasts like Jim McCunn and Kim Larsen praised the friendly community and social aspects of the event, where they've met people who have traveled to San Francisco just for Beer Week.

  • SF Beer Week kicked off on Friday, February 21, 2026.
  • Standard Deviant Brewery opened almost 10 years ago.

The players

Standard Deviant Brewery

A local brewery that opened almost 10 years ago, known for its German-style ales. The brewery collaborated with MUNI on a special beer for SF Beer Week.

Mark DeVito

A co-founder of Standard Deviant Brewery, who teamed up with a business partner from the biotech industry to craft local brews.

Jim McCunn

A beer enthusiast who has been attending SF Beer Week for years and enjoys the friendly community and social aspects of the event.

Kim Larsen

Jim McCunn's best friend, who also enjoys the social and community-driven nature of SF Beer Week.

Julie Kirschbaum

The director of MUNI, San Francisco's public transportation system, who organized the "Hop on MUNI Pub Crawl" to encourage people to explore the city's neighborhoods and businesses during Beer Week.

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What they’re saying

“This week is huge for all the breweries in the whole Bay Area. People come out and support us and we're able to showcase a bunch of new beers. We're releasing 10 beers over 10 days.”

— Mark DeVito, Co-founder, Standard Deviant Brewery (cbsnews.com)

“So, we made this in collaboration with MUNI. We made it a nice color to kind of match the old vintage MUNI colors on the buses. Just thought it was a really cool way to get community together. Get out in the city and have fun and kick off beer week.”

— Mark DeVito, Co-founder, Standard Deviant Brewery (cbsnews.com)

“The people who like beer tend to be really nice and friendly. We always have a good time.”

— Jim McCunn (cbsnews.com)

“A lot of times you meet people who have traveled here just for this week. People from the Midwest, California, San Diego. So it's very social and a lot of fun.”

— Kim Larsen (cbsnews.com)

“Daily riders grabbing a friend to come to an event is exactly what we would hope for. We want new people to try MUNI. People that haven't taken it in a while to come out.”

— Julie Kirschbaum, MUNI Director (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The MUNI "Hop on MUNI Pub Crawl" will continue throughout the 10-day San Francisco Beer Week, encouraging more people to explore the city's neighborhoods and support local breweries.

The takeaway

The successful kickoff of San Francisco Beer Week, with its partnership between local breweries and the city's public transportation system, demonstrates the importance of supporting small, community-driven businesses and promoting sustainable transportation options to boost local economies and bring people together.