From Honey Bees to Honey Beer at The Fairmont San Francisco

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

After Fairmont Hotels & Resorts introduced Lifestyle Cuisine Plus – a gourmet menu for the guests with various dietary restrictions – it came as no surprise that The Fairmont San Francisco’s Executive Chef jW Foster “invited” a colony of resident bees to the hotel’s patio garden.

Four Fairmont beehives, installed in partnership with Marshall’s Farm, house up to 50,000 bees each, and besides bringing honey to the guests’ tables, help support the rapidly decreasing population of these most useful insects.

The honey has been working its magic in the hotel’s Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar as a great addition to salad dressings, afternoon tea honey-baked scones, and house-made pastries and ice creams.

Now it found yet another use in the hotel’s very own The Fairmont San Francisco Honey Saison beer created in partnership with the local microbrewery Almanac Beer Company.

Light, fragrant, and refreshing, this golden Belgian-style ale pairs nicely with Chef Foster’s honey-inspired creations, like sea bass in honey beer dough or honey beer-steamed mussels with jalapeno relish.


Honey Saison Beer is also good with an assortment of soft cheeses, dry fruit, and pure Fairmont bees’ honey.

The hotel’s culinary garden – home to busy bees – now measures 1,000 square feet and grows herbs for the kitchen – rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, chives, cilantro, and lavender. It can be seen through floor-to-ceiling windows in the foyer leading to the hotel’s Pavilion Room in the lobby level.
“The cultivation of honey beehives marks the latest step in The Fairmont’s history of environmental stewardship,” said Regional Vice President and General Manager of The Fairmont San Francisco Tom Klein. “Our hotel has been part of the fabric of San Francisco for more than a century and its success can be attributed to an enduring commitment to the local community and environment,”
Last year, The Fairmont San Francisco beehives produced approximately 800 pounds of honey, which has been served to the guests as part of the hotel’s commitment to offering local, organic, and sustainable cuisine.
The Fairmont San Francisco Honey Saison beer is now available on draft at the Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar in the lavishly decorated historic hotel lobby.
The Fairmont San Francisco is located at 950 Mason St., SF. More information and reservations at 415-772-5000 or www.fairmont.com.