Two Pitchers Brewing plans Mission District taproom as second San Francisco location

Overview

Updated Sep 22

San Francisco's Mission District could get a new brewery taproom by the end of the year. Two Pitchers Brewing has applied for a state license at 535 Florida St — an application that is pending, not approved.

The Oakland company already runs taprooms in Uptown Oakland and San Francisco's Outer Sunset, where it charges $3 for its Baseline Lager. The expansion comes as beer drinking in America sits at a 90-year low, according to industry data cited by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Why it matters

If the Mission taproom opens, it's a test of whether an affordable, fruit-forward brewery can thrive where the broader U.S. beer market is shrinking.

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Key Indicators

Applied for

California ABC license status

Type 23 small beer manufacturer license — the first public regulatory step toward opening a taproom that sells alcohol.

House lager pint price

Baseline Lager sells for $3 all day at Two Pitchers' existing taprooms.

10%

Distributor sales growth (2025-2026)

Two Pitchers' distributor sales grew 10% year over year, per co-owner Tommy Hester.

Current taprooms

One in Uptown Oakland and one in San Francisco's Outer Sunset; the Mission site would be the third.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Tommy Hester

Co-owner and co-founder, Two Pitchers Brewing Company

Leading the brewery's San Francisco expansion

Wilson Barr

Co-owner and co-founder, Two Pitchers Brewing Company

Co-managing the brewery alongside Hester

Organizations Involved

Two Pitchers Brewing Company

Craft Brewery

Expanding into its second San Francisco location

Oakland-based craft brewery specializing in radlers — beer blended with fruit juice — with taprooms in Oakland and San Francisco's Outer Sunset.

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

State regulatory agency

Processing Two Pitchers' small-brewery license application

State agency that licenses and regulates the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in California.

Timeline

April 2026 September 2026

4 events Latest: September 22nd, 2026 · 2 months ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
California ABC license application appears on state records
Latest Regulatory

Type 23 small beer manufacturer license listed as applied for, not yet issued, at 535 Florida St.
September 22nd, 2026
July 2026
Business registration filed for 535 Florida St
Regulatory

Two Pitchers registers as a San Francisco business at the Mission District address, with location start dated July 14.
July 14th, 2026
Lease and expansion announced
Announcement

Co-owner Tommy Hester tells the Chronicle the brewery signed a lease for 535 Florida St and plans to open by year's end.
July 10th, 2026
April 2026
First San Francisco taproom opens in Outer Sunset
Expansion

Two Pitchers opens its second taproom, in a former grocery store near Ocean Beach.
April 2026

Scenarios

Two Pitchers opens Mission taproom by year's end

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Co-owner Tommy Hester told the San Francisco Chronicle the plan is to open by the end of 2026.

The ABC grants the small-beer-manufacturer license within weeks. Construction on the 8,000-square-foot space — previously a wellness studio and chocolate shop — goes faster than the Outer Sunset buildout, and Two Pitchers opens its third taproom before New Year's.

License or construction delays push opening to 2027

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: whatnow.com noted no official opening date has been announced, and ABC processing times can stretch.

ABC review or permit approvals take months longer than planned, or the kitchen operator — still unannounced — takes time to secure. The taproom opens sometime in the first quarter of 2027 instead of late 2026.

Project falls through

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Observers of the craft beer market point to multi-year declines that have forced other Bay Area breweries to close.

The ABC denies the license, or Two Pitchers pulls out of the lease as beer's downturn deepens. The space returns to market, echoing the recent closure of legacy San Francisco breweries like Anchor.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

July 2023

Anchor Brewing Company shutdown (2023)

Anchor Brewing, San Francisco's 127-year-old craft beer pioneer, announced it would cease operations after more than a century, citing declining sales and rising costs. The company was later revived under new owners.

Then

Anchor closed its Potrero Hill facility and laid off employees; other Bay Area breweries absorbed some of its output.

Now

The closure underscored the precarious economics of craft brewing in a shrinking U.S. beer market.

Why this matters now

Two Pitchers is expanding where Anchor contracted, betting its low-price, fruit-forward model can win in the same tough market.

2010-2019

Craft beer boom amid overall decline (2010s)

Craft breweries grew from fewer than 1,800 to more than 8,000 U.S. operations even as total beer consumption fell, winning share from mass-market lagers with variety and local production.

Then

Craft's share of U.S. beer sales roughly doubled over the decade.

Now

The boom eventually oversaturated markets, contributing to closures in the 2020s.

Why this matters now

Two Pitchers is pursuing a similar win-from-beneath strategy in a down market, focusing on radlers and $3 pints rather than high-cost barrel programs.