You may recall a lot of blathering in this space last year about a certain HOLIDAY SPICED ALE from the 21ST AMENDMENT PUB & BREWERY in San Francisco, CA. See, we worked right down the street from said brewery at the time, and until we quit our job in a huff & moved on last August, it was the “go-to” place for lunchtime beer enjoyment. Thus, I got to know their winter beer quite well – and I loved it. Well, this brewery, which never bottles anything, bottles this one in very limited batches during wintertime – two years running! My pal Kyle picked up one for me this year, and I got to compare it to the 2006 edition the other day. These guys really have this one down. I think this year’s version is a bit thinner in body than last year’s, and yet it has this perfect amount of minimal spicing (nutmeg, clove and candy sugar) that just calls up a fantastic flavor. It is, and remains, my favorite beer these guys do, since it appears that the NORTH STAR RED has gone the way of the Buffalo. I was there just this past Saturday evening and all they have left of this ale is a commemorative t-shirt (no, really), but there’s always next year. Plan your December 2008 vacation now. 8/10.
Monday, January 28, 2008
THE RETURN OF HOLIDAY SPICED ALE
You may recall a lot of blathering in this space last year about a certain HOLIDAY SPICED ALE from the 21ST AMENDMENT PUB & BREWERY in San Francisco, CA. See, we worked right down the street from said brewery at the time, and until we quit our job in a huff & moved on last August, it was the “go-to” place for lunchtime beer enjoyment. Thus, I got to know their winter beer quite well – and I loved it. Well, this brewery, which never bottles anything, bottles this one in very limited batches during wintertime – two years running! My pal Kyle picked up one for me this year, and I got to compare it to the 2006 edition the other day. These guys really have this one down. I think this year’s version is a bit thinner in body than last year’s, and yet it has this perfect amount of minimal spicing (nutmeg, clove and candy sugar) that just calls up a fantastic flavor. It is, and remains, my favorite beer these guys do, since it appears that the NORTH STAR RED has gone the way of the Buffalo. I was there just this past Saturday evening and all they have left of this ale is a commemorative t-shirt (no, really), but there’s always next year. Plan your December 2008 vacation now. 8/10.
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2 comments:
suddenly, jive blogger of beeriness-i hear sleighbells ringing in late January and feel a might bit thirsty. Resume of holiday imbibes. good job that.
I tell ya, when I went there, I was upset that there was no North Star Red, but this spiced ale helped soothe my hard feelings immediately.
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