Incongruously situated amid the cybertechno startups and established multinational electronic conglomerates of the San Francisco South Bay's Silicon Valley is the new Faultline Brewing Company. Located on Oakmead Parkway one block off the Lawrence Expressway near the 101 Freeway, the new Brewpub offers an oasis of great food and beer set in a large, airy, industrial-looking building. the restaurant is a former Rusty Scupper site, redesigned by owner-architect Steven C. Geiszler. His partner, Mark A. Perry, has a diverse background in restaurant management and naturally oversees operations. The dining area is on several levels, breaking up the sight lines and giving a more intimate feel to the expansive space. Windows along one wall overlook a beautifully landscaped duck pond (with real ducks!) lending a feeling of pastoral country relaxation, belying the intense corporate environment waiting ominously just outside. Seating can accommodate up to 350 for lunch and 290 for dinner (with patio open.) Although the restaurant has been open for several months, the brewery just recently came on-line, featuring 5 regular ales and aving just enough serving capacity for a total of 8 beers. The 20-barrel brewhouse is from AAA Brewing Equipment in The Dalles, OR. Newlands Service Inc. in Canada built the fermenters, and Pride Brothers in Hoquiam, WA, made the serving tanks. The whole package works great, according to Faultline Head Brewer, Greg Friday, who was satisfied with its performance from the first brew. Greg is a graduate of the Master Brewers program at U.C. Davis and was among the last to study under Dr. Michael Lewis at that school before Lewis retired. The Golden ale is the lightest of the five ales, clearly designed to appeal to the novice beer drinker. It has fairly rich malty flavors, is tightly filtered, and the Cascade and Willamette hops let you know that it is not a compromise brew. The more assertive hopped Pale Ale pushes the limit of style guidelines for American Pale and is in fact more an English pale with its deep amber, almost copper-like color. The rich, malty flavor speaks of some chocolate malt in the grain bill. The aroma benefits from a blend of Cascade, Northern Brewer and an English hop variety. The Dry Irish Stout has a beautiful black opaque color with equal amounts of roasted barley and chocolate malt; the nitrogen dispenser does a great job of creating a perfect head. Bullion hops are used sparingly for bittering, and the medium body gives the stout a soft texture (and lower alcohol) for easy drinking. Several specials include and IPA, a Bavarian-style Hefe Weizen and a London Porter. The bar area at Faultline is separated from the dining area and can be quite packed and noisy at 5 p.m. when the neighboring industries shut down. Greg and his assistant brewer, Jason Valley, are hard-pressed to keep all the beers on-line with the intense demand and limited tankage availability. Chef Michael Wilson brings to Faultline an extensive food background , including stints in Cabo San Lucas and various California Cafes. Most recently, he worked as Sous-Chef under Los Gatos Brewing Company's Jim Stump. The food quality goes way beyond "Brewpub gourmet," ranging from oriental-inspired ahi tuna rolls to roasted maple leaf duck, house-smoked pork loin and grilled coriander crusted lamb sirloin. Michael is partial to smoked meats and fish and uses a lot of the house brews in his preparation. Several visits are required with friends who like to share to fully grasp the scope and quality of Wilson's menu. Lunch time can be quite busy, but the dinner service is much more relaxed. Weekends are a great time to visit. Be sure to call for reservations.
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