Tractor Brewing and Broken Bottle Brewery both went before yet another set of city officials in a final effort to obtain the right to sell growlers.

The verdict? Wait two more weeks.

Yup, two more weeks. But at the end of those two weeks both breweries should learn their respective fates.

The amendment to the Nob Hill sector development plan is in place, but it is still up to the (interim) Zoning Hearing Examiner, Stanley D. Harada, and Ombudsman Andrew Garcia to render a final verdict for Tractor. They will send a written response of ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ to Tractor within two weeks, so it could actually be sooner that growler sales will begin again at the Tap Room.

With no neighborhood or public opposition, it seems like fait accompli for Tractor. Now we all just have to hope that the Mustachio Milk Stout does not run out between now and then.

Broken Bottle, in the meantime, did not receive support from the Riverside Estates neighborhood association, but in the end its protest was relatively minor. (It also does not hurt that technically B.B.B. is technically within the Paradise Hills neighborhood, which did not voice any dissent.) As with Tractor, B.B.B. had to make a point that it will not encourage drunk driving or any other negative actions by selling growlers. Co-owner Chris Chavez made his points clearly and concisely with no opposition at the hearing.

The final brewery to come before the committee to apply for a conditional use permit for off-premises liquor sales was Bosque Brewing Co., which has yet to open on its location near the intersection of San Mateo and Alameda. Their brewery did face a voice of dissent in the audience from the president of the nearby Wildflower neighborhood association. The WNA shared its concerns about public drunkeness, increased traffic in the area, and other issues. Many of the WNA’s concerns were aimed more toward the city than Bosque, and the brewery’s representative, Jotham Michnovicz, said the brewery will work with the WNA on all of the matters of concern.

In the end, much like the breweries, the beer lovers in this town will have to stay patient. The Crew will stay on top of this issue until the breweries have the letters in hand. And then we will zip over to fill our growlers.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister