CATCHING UP WITH THE 21ST AMENDMENT

When I worked in San Francisco’s South of Market area last year, the 21ST AMENDEMENT BREWERY CAFÉ was my go-to watering hole of choice. Perhaps you dimly recall – there are posts here, here, here and here. There may have even been a handful of lunchtime beers ingested – I will neither confirm nor deny. But I’ve been out of the area for ten months now, and I sort of miss the place. They arguably make the highest-quality beer in the city of San Francisco, though you’ll definitely find some MAGNOLIA partisans and even a few SPEAKEASY (yuk!) fans as well. I got over there the other night before a Giants game, and made my poor light-lager-drinking father sit with me while I tried a new ale I’ve never had there before. It’s called “FRICO NECCIA”, and it’s a dark pale ale. No, seriously – a dark ale that drinks like a pale ale. Hey, that’s what they called it too. There’s an oaked, tannin-heavy quality to the beer, which definitely gives it a bit of a bite. Very interesting use of hops and malts – that is to say, VERY little hops and a TON of malt character, so pretty chewy and robust for the style. I really liked it – super-unique while still being something even my dad might be able to drink. 8/10. 21A’s still got it!