BEST BEER FROM 21ST AMENDMENT SINCE LAST HANNUKAH

For 8-10 hours a day, I sit two blocks from the 21ST AMENDMENT BREWERY in San Francisco, CA, often wishing that rather than slumping in front of a computer screen, I was lounging upon their premises quaffing every last beer they’ve brewed. Sometimes I even make it over there to sample their wares, as was the case last week when I lunched there and tried out the NORTH STAR RED. Wow! Best 21A beer since their HOLIDAY SPICED ALE threw me for a loop late last year – and this after a string of so-so Belgian-style beers that won lots of E’s For Effort but that, at the end of the day, were just OK. Well, this North Star Red is the best amber/red I’ve tried in a great long while.

Why I’ve ignored it to this point in favor of their limited-edition seasonal stuff is I guess easy to understand, but sometimes something simple & fantastic is just sitting there under your nose while you’re out there trying to be all “completist” like a dork. I love its sort of bubbling effervescence, and the rich, deep, malty character that also includes a roasted taste. I could totally gulp this one, it’s so good. I suspect there are quite a few North Star Reds in my near future – it’s light years ahead of both the Watermelon Wheat and the 21A-IPA, the brewery’s two flagships. Hey, get this one in cans, too! 9/10!