Down in the Bay View District of San Francisco, Laughing Monk Brewing goes beyond being just a community hub, they make you apart of the family.
Since opening back in 2016, Los Angeles born Andrew Casteel moved up to Northern California to originally start a teaching career. It wasn’t until six years later of teaching, and a few other passion shifts, that he decided to finally pull the trigger and start his brewery. Especially since he was a home brewer for the past fifteen years.
Casteel has brought his extensive knowledge of Belgian style beers, along with his love of hoppy West Coast ales, to the Bay View District. As you listen to this episode, you’ll hear not only the history of Belgian Monasteries and their process of creating their beer, but a brief history of yeast as well. Even the name, Laughing Monk, came from the ancient fasting practices when monks would just have beer to curve the hunger – don’t worry, it was allowed during the fasting season. You’re in for some real good beer nerding out this episode!
Aside from the incredible selection of beers, know that there is a story that goes with pretty much all their beer names. Like “Sister this” or “Brother that” is actually named after a few of their regulars. Yup that’s right – hang out long enough and you too just might get initiated into the Laughing Monk family with your very own beer. That said, his beers are unique not only in name but occurrence as well. Andrew shared that when they brew a beer and name it, it will never be reprised or brewed again! Don’t worry – they have about four staples rotating year long and up to six seasonals including those unique speciality one-time only blends!
Between you and me, there are a few breweries that I am overly excited to talk about – and this is one of them. Laughing Monk has a selection of beer that is always ever changing but the taproom is family. Which if you had to ask me, is truly the theme behind this brewery.
