The 2026 host window is the last published one
The organiser's site carried the 2026 edition on 17 October 2026. The only host deadline on the pages read that day is end of day Wednesday, 18 February. That date is 18 February 2026, and it falls on a Wednesday. The FAQ frames the date as expected to close. The site carries no 2027 submission date, review window or listing set.
The Guild produces the week
SF Beer Week is a production of the Bay Area Brewers Guild. The site describes the Guild as a nonprofit supporting local craft beer, brewers and community members. The Fest page states that 100 percent of Fest proceeds benefit the Guild. The Guild produces the Fest with Barebottle Brewing.
Licensed premises carry every listing
The FAQ sets the gate. Only licensed parties may submit, including bars, restaurants and breweries. A host needs a licence to serve alcohol or the proper permits. An independent craft brewery has to sit at the centre of any listing. Every submission goes to review and approval.
The terms carry compliance conditions. Every event must meet California Alcoholic Beverage Control rules. Distribution of materials at an event is limited to authorised parties. The organiser bars unauthorised promotion of SF Beer Week and may edit listings for consistency and compliance.
The review week sets the onboarding clock
Processing can take up to a week after submission. Material changes after approval are limited. A host that submits on the deadline day waits up to a week for a decision. The FAQ advises early submission for marketing exposure and placement in the promotional material.
Two listing shapes, two rosters
An Activity carries a scheduled start time, a duration and a location. The guidelines name a beer dinner, a timed tapping, an activity inside a four-hour period, a guided pairing, a tap takeover and a meet-the-brewer session as examples.
A Promotion carries no start time. It runs whenever the venue is open. The guidelines name a pairing menu available all week, a weekday happy-hour special, a recurring offering, a discount on selected beers and a flight available throughout the week.
The Activities page carries 313 cards with a date and a start time, and 19 cards with a date range and no start time, across 128 venues. An Activity needs staff at a stated clock. A Promotion runs inside the hours the venue already keeps.
Where the floor hours land
The noon hour carries 73 starts. The block from 12pm to 2:59pm carries 118 of the 313, and 45 starts sit before noon. The earliest start on any date is 9am, on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 February.
The block from 3pm to 5:59pm carries 94 starts. The block from 6pm to 8:59pm carries 55. One start sits at 10pm, on the opening Friday.
A noon start puts the floor set before midday. Wednesday 25 February carries 14 San Francisco starts, and Thursday 26 February carries 12. Those two dates carry 30 and 34 listings overall.
Two venues carry a listing on all ten dates
Richmond Republic Draught House in San Francisco and Old Caz Beer in Rohnert Park each carry ten listings, one on every date. Paulista in Oakland, Holy Water in San Francisco and Trumer Brewery in Berkeley carry eight each. Six venues carry seven: Foghorn Taproom Divisadero, Liquid Gold, The Crafty Fox Ale House, The Monk's Kettle in Oakland, Park Station in Alameda and The Rake at Admiral Maltings.
Foghorn Taproom runs three San Francisco addresses. Divisadero carries seven listings and Balboa six.
A ten-date host works through two weekends and the four dates between them without a dark day. The roster covers the whole span.
The packages price the roster
The Host Starter Kit costs $200 and carries one listing, or $150 before 23 January. The Single Location Bundle costs $550, or $450 before 23 January, and carries six listings, a participant and venue profile, and two general admission Fest tickets. The Multiple Location Bundle costs $850, or $750 before 23 January, and carries ten shared listings, one participant profile, up to three venue profiles and two VIP Fest tickets. Each bundle adds listings at $50 each.
The Official Sponsor tier costs $1,500. It carries 12 listings, up to three participant profiles, three VIP Fest tickets, 20 percent off up to 20 further VIP tickets, two promotions to feature listings, and additional listings at $35 each.
Two $5,000 positions are marked sold out: the exclusive tasting glass and the exclusive coaster display. A shared coaster display costs $1,000 and takes three to eight participants. Stage sponsorship costs $1,000. Collateral distribution across all participating venues costs $1,000. A $750 add-on puts a host against Guild Executive Director Sayre Piotrkowski in a pairing competition and is limited to four buyers.
Four items a general manager can fix now
The licence and permit file settles eligibility. The listing shape sets whether the room needs a timed shift. The venue profile decides where the guest gets sent. The bundle caps the listings a room can carry.
Hosts also choose the collateral route. The $1,000 Brewery and Taproom Handouts line distributes material across every participating venue, which the page describes as hundreds of locations.
What the 2027 cycle has not published
The site carries no 2027 deadline, price sheet or bundle rate. The 2026 sheet is the last published one. The 18 February date is the last published deadline. A host planning a February 2027 run works from the 2026 ladder.