Bacon and Beer Festival Comes to San Francisco

Bacon and egss. Bacon and orange juice. Bacon and beer?

That's the idea behind the first-ever San Francisco Bacon and Beer Festival this Sunday, Aug. 25 at The Fairmont Hotel on Mason Street. There'll be beer (naturally) from 25 breweries and bacon-themed food from 25 restaurants. Aaron Cohen, the organizer, said previous festivals in Denver and Boston have included bacon cotton candy, bacon ramen, and one restaurant said they'll be making bacon marmalade this weekend.

"It's really a chance for the chefs to get creative with a pretty standard, at this point, recipe item and make something that shows off their restaurant," said Cohen.

Restaurants participating will include Bay Area staples like Nojo, Tacolicious, Haven, the Girl and the Fig, and Memphis Minnie's, said Cohen. The event is being co-sponsored by Cohen's event company and by Bison Brewery, which will also be one of the breweries serving beer, along with Drake's Brewing, Green Flash Brewing Company, and others.

The festival may be odd, but it's certainly not complicated.

"The bacon and beer festival is a celebration of bacon and beer," said Cohen. Of course it is.

Coen, an event organizer, wedding band manager and marketing consultant, first conceived of the idea when he wanted to put on a big food event in an amazing building across the street from his office in Boston. Bacon and beer seemed like the perfect thing to attract crowds.

"I couldn't imagine what could sell more tickets than a beer event that had bacon involved with it," he said.

The first festival was held in Boston four years ago. The last three Boston festivals sold out, most recently within three minutes. Cohen then expanded to Denver this past December and now to San Francisco. San Francisco, he said, seemed logical both because of the Bison Brewery connection and because it's a "great food city" -- though, not necessarily one known for its bacon.

Cohen said they expect to get around 1,000 people at this Sunday afternoon. The nice thing about the festival, he said, is that it doesn't just attract beer lovers and "foodies," but also those people who would usually skip a food or beer festival, but "are attracted by the bacon," he said.

Tickets, which cost $50 (or $65 for the "baller" ticket), are still available, but Cohen's not sure how many there will be the day of the event. Proceeds for the festival will go to the Sprouts Cooking Club.

"This is actually the only bacon and beer fest that we've done where there's been tickets the week of the event," said Cohen.

So, if bacon cotton candy with beer sounds like something that can't be missed, then we know where you'll be this weekend.

San Francisco Bacon and Beer Fesitval
Aug. 25, 2:30 to 5 p.m.
The Fairmont Hotel SF
950 Mason St.
www.baconandbeer.net