Wunder Brewing Company Review

Location: 1326 9th Ave. San Francisco, CA USA
Type: Brew Pub

In my first Brewery review, we take a quick a look at San Francisco's own Wunder Brewing company. While Wunder was a brewery from 1896 to 1909, series of acquisitions and the prohibition kept the brewery out of sight until 2007 when the name was revived. You can read more about the history at their website or at the San Francisco Brewers Guild.

This brewery does have a restaraunt serving typical pub grub and a few steakhouse dishes thrown in. You can take a look at their menu here. I had my usual fish & chips here a couple of times and they weren't bad at all. But, this is a beer review so lets get on with it. Their happy hour is a great deal with $2.50 pints and $7.75 pitchers.
As you can see from their beer board, a good selection, but the generic names beg for some creativity. You can read more about their beers here, including some beers that are not on the list. I and the recently converted brewery junkie, Los sampled Wunder's selection:

Wheat: Unfiltered, very clean, refreshing, light citrus, but almost tasteless.
Pilsner: One of the smoothest I ever tasted, light hops, finishes with a slight grain/malt taste reminiscent of plain cheerios.
Chili: Although their website says its a Pale Ale, last night it was a Pilsner brewed with habanero peppers. Starts out smooth but finishes a bit spicy in the back of the throat. Interesting to try, but not a drinker.
I.P.A: Ahh, my favorite style and Wunder didn't disappoint. Although not as hoppy as most American IPAs, this brew has plenty of nutty hops and complexity to satisfy me. Finishes really smooth, perhaps due to 6% ABV.
Brown: Really smooth and refreshing , drink this when thirsty! Slight maltiness gives this brew some flavor, but its pretty empty otherwise. I guess I expected more complexity from such a dark brew. Here is a shot of it along with my fish and chips:
Stout: Pours super black but not thick. A very light tasting stout with notes of roasted malts and very light coffee. Not sweet, but not bitter either.
Barley Wine: Here is a gem! Served only in 10oz glasses this brew is as tasty as they come. Floral and fruity aromas balance a 8.25% alcohol rating. Some thickness and natural carbonation makes this one a great sipper especially on a cold night by a fire.

Overall the beers at Wunder Brewery are OK, if not a bit bland. Not much stands out, but all their brews are excellent to pair with food. However, I will definitely be back for the IPA and the Barley Wine especially during the $2.50 happy hour.

Sanoma Farmhouse Saison Style Ale by Lagunitas

Brewed by: Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA USA
Style: Saison
ABV: 5.2%

Scent: 3/5 Taste: 2/5 Finish: 3/5

Pours bright frizzy yellow with a white head that goes away quick. Notes of cloves, banana, some honey, and light spices. On the palate, however, not heavy on flavors or spices so a bit thin and watery for a saison. I do taste honey and hints of tree sap. Although, not a very good representation of the style, still an enjoyable beer.

Moylan's Moylander Double IPA

Brewed by: Moylan's Brewery, Novato, CA USA
Style: American Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.50%

Scent:5/5 Taste:4/5 Finish:3/5

Wow. Have you ever been slapped by a fresh Christmas tree? This is what this beer smells like! Huge aroma of hops, pine, and some honey, HUGE I tell you. They need to make an air freshener out of it - I would buy it. The taste as expected, super bitter and very complex, you can chew the hops in this bad boy. A great strong sipper and would probably go well with some spicy foods. The finish is smooth, but the bitterness stays in the back of the palate for a looong time.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Brewed by: Young & Co's Brewery PLC, London UK
Style: Sweet Stout
ABV: 5.2%

Scent:4/5 Taste:1/5 Finish:1/5

It was on sale at BevMo so I thought I'd give it a try. Pours super black with a light beige head that quickly disappears. The sent is heavenly, definitely dark chocolate, some coffee and caramel. But that's all a mirage, because once you bite into it - imagine eating a piece of moldy chocolate flavored wood. Perhaps it was my mistake to drink this as my first of the night, I hear it goes well with desert. The girlfriend liked it though, but then again she would eat a piece of wood if it was covered in precious chocolate. I won't even describe how it finishes, I need to move on.

Black Butte Porter

Brewed by: Deschutes Brewery Inc, Bend, OR USA
Style: American Porter
ABV: 5.5%

Scent:2/5 Taste:5/5 Finish:4/5

Been eying this porter for a while and finally got a chance to taste it. The scent was a bit weak, hint of burnt wood and roasted grain but not much to grab on to. The taste more than made up for it. Rich and complex, but light and refreshing at the same time. Light hoppiness makes this one an easy drinker that finishes smooth with short, light bitterness.

Racer 5 India Pale Ale

Brewed by: Bear Republic Brewery, Healdsburg, CA USA

Style: American IPA
ABV: 7%

Scent:3/5 Taste:4/5 Finish:4/5

Had to drink this one from a bottle (it's a crime, I know), so not much on the nose except usual IPA notes of citrus and pine. Tasted great even from the bottle, fresh citrus and honey balanced by a good amount of hop bitterness. Not a chewer, but definitely enough complexity to savor. Don't be put off by the funky logo as I was, this is one smooth brew!