21st-Amendment Brewery

8th Annual Strong Beer Month Begins

2010-02-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

It's here folks. You and you liver have made friends. February 1st, marks the start of the 8th Annual Strong Beer Month. The brewers of the 21st Amendment and Magnolia Pub and Brewery once again bring you an astounding range of memorable brews to lift the winter doldrums. Visit both breweries, try all twelve beers and keep the special commemorative glass. Commemorative t-shirts are also available. The festivities begin February 1st, but check back often as special kegs and casks of vintage and barrel-aged beers will appear throughout the month and runs the entire month. These special beers and glasses will be available from February 1st until they run out.

BRU/SFO PROJECT

2009-11-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

THE BRU/SFO PROJECT IS HERE!

After six great Strong Beer Months with our good friends at Magnolia Pub and Brewery we once again team up with them to debut the first of it's kind. BRU/SFO Project. It's an excursion of Belgian-style and Belgian-influenced beers, six from each brewery. Grab a boarding pass and take a trip to Belgium via Magnolia and the 21st Amendment. The first three beers at each brewery hit the taps on Monday, 11/2 and then both breweries will release a new beer every Monday for the rest of the month. Try all 12 and get the special commemorative glass. This is what we have in store for you this month:

21st Amendment
Via - Belgian Single 11/2
St. Martin's Abbey 11/2
Noir de Blanc- Chocolate Wit 11/2
Brew Libre! Ou Mourir - Belgian IPA 11/9
Monk's Blood - Belgian Dark Strong 11/16
Baby Horse - Quadruple 11/23
Magnolia
Deep Ellum Dubbel 11/2
Tweezer Tripel 11/2
Gris-Gris - Belgian Grisette 11/2
Gordo - Pumpkin Wit 11/9
Destiny Unblonde - Belgian Pale 11/16
Paint it Black - Belgian Dark 11/23

MONK'S BLOOD RELEASE BEER DINNER WITH SEAN Z. PAXTON, THE HOMEBREW CHEF - MONDAY NOVEMBER 16TH

Sean Paxton, the HomeBrew Chef, returns to the 21st Amendment Monday, November 16th at 6:30 PM, to create another one of his phenomenal dinners as he's done with us before. Sean's master culinary skills are unique and unlike any other. The real deal. His knowledge of beer, the brewing process and ingrediants leads to some truly amazing things in the kitchen as he works each course giving it a unique, distinctive approach and taste.

Sean and 21A's Shaun (that's two Shawns folks) and Nico collaborated on Monk's Blood Beer this past February for Strong Beer Month, then took the recipe to Belgium where they further collaborated with the West Flander's brewery De Struisse Brouwers, the makers of old world style Belgian beers with a new world approach. They then brought the recipe back to San Francisco this past summer brewing and refining it further before heading out to the 21A production brewery in Minnesota for wider release.

Monk's Blood is the first installment in our new Insurrection Series, a limited edition, four-pack release of a very special beer that rises up in revolt against common notions of what canned beer can be. A Belgian dark-strong, brewed with dried mission figs, Belgian dark candy sugar, vanilla beans and aged over oak chips comes in at 8.3% ABV avaiable later this month in 4-pack cans and on draft at your favorite good beer place. What a fitting dinner event for this well traveled and unique beer. Join the fun with 21A Chef Lorenzo and Sean Paxton as they make culinary history. The price is $95 including tax and tip. Call the 21A today for this will surely sell out. 415-369-0900.

First Course - Fromage & Charcuterie
House-made Pork Pate - Local Sonoma Pig infused with Noir de Blanc and Dried Apricots
Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg and Allspice Corned Pig tongue, Flemish Style Cured Halibut, Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, Old Amsterdam, Chimay Cheese, Spiced Nuts, Local Breads
The Beer Hunter '07
Brew Libre! Ou Mourir
Second Course - Waterzooi
PEI Mussels, Prawns, Pumpkin, Fennel, Purple Potatoes, Cippolini Onions and Herbs
in a Enkel Spiked Cream Broth

VIA -Belgian single
Third Course - Ravioli Filled with St. Martin's Abbey Braised Lamb Necks
Caramelized Shallots, Thyme and Chanterelle Mushrooms and Dubbel Reduction

St. Martin's Abbey
Fourth Course - Monk's Legs
Duck Legs Slowly cooked in Monk's Blood on a Bed of Ginger Butternut Squash Purée
and Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Pomme Frites with Monk's Blood Aioli

Monk's Blood Belgian dark strong
Fifth Course - Belgian Quad Spiked Waffles
With TCHO Chocolate Whipping Cream, Cocoa Nibs, Noir de Blanc Poached Dried Cherries

Baby Horse - Quadruple
Bourbon Barrel Aged Monk's Blood

Stay tuned for special releases in what is shaping up to be an extraordinary month.

Thanks for your support,

Nico and Shaun

21st-Amendment.com

Oregon Brewers Festival

2009-07-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

Well after attending the Oregon Brewers Festival for the past six years it certainly was exciting to finally be at that festival and selling our beer in the Portland and greater Oregon Area.

We did a few tastings around the city and sang our Watermelon Wheat Beer song at the festival.

Draft Magazine: 92 Points for Hell or High Watermelon

2009-05-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

Check out this stellar review in Draft Magazine, which named 21st Amendment's "Hell or High Watermelon" their top summer fruit beer.

"It pours light gold and clear, topped with a foamy, white head. Sweet watermelon aromas and soft, tart wheat scents tickle the nose. Wheaty, bready notes greet the tongue before watermelon sweetness steps in. Unlike many fruit beers, this one never becomes overly sweet; the watermelon flavor is crisp and focused... this no-nonsense beer is a pure thirst-quencher." -DRAFT Magazine, Spring '09

The Great Beyond

2009-05-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

Phew, we have been so busy. Just a quick update to keep everyone up to date on what we have been up too. We are set to launch our beer in the Northeast in the near future. You can find our "Brew Free! or Die" and "Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer" on draft and in cans soon in the Boston area, Washington, DC, Virginia, New York City area, New Jersey and beyond. Also, we are in current talks to soon distribute our fine beer in the Northwest in Oregon and Washington.

More to come.

Ok, everyone take a breath.

Shaun

21st Amendment/De Struise Brouwer Collaboration Brewing Project

2009-04-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

What started out as an idea, I guess all projects start out that way, took it's first concrete step on Monday March, 30th in Lo, Belgium where we brewed our collaboration brew with De Struise Brouwers. What will be a dark strong Belgian beer with aggressive hopping found it's beginnings on a chilly spring afternoon at the De Struise farmhouse brewery. Sean Paxton, the Home Brew Chef, was the match maker between the two breweries and was the third axle in designing this extraordinary brew.

Belgium has been the hot bed of inspiration and activity for the American Craft Beer movement where ideas and beer have moved back and forth over the Atlantic. Many American craft breweries have had great success with brewing Belgian-style beers and the American craft beer drinker has benefited from this synergy between the two countries. De Struise Brouwer has seen a lot of attention in the US with their brand of strong Belgian beers with aggressive American hops. At the helm of De Struise is Urbain Cotteau a modern day renaissance man having held title to various occupations as photographer, civil transportation engineer, ostrich wrangler and now brewmaster to one of the most unique Belgian breweries. Not shy about anything including, the idea of collaborating on brewing projects, he dove feet first into this brew with the 21A.

The trip was extraordinary where Nico and I were able to visit some of our favorite Belgian breweries and allowed us an opportunity to get in touch with what inspired us open the 21st Amendment nine years ago. We visited Cantilion, the famed gueuze brewery, De Dolle in West Flanders where we had a private tasting of rare beers with Chis the owner and brewer. We also drank Rodenbach in the town where it is brewed in, Roselare. Tasted many extraordniary beers at 't Brugs Beertje, the "Little Bear" in Bruges and the Hop Duvyl in Gent. An amazing trip. Here are some photos of the infamous brew day at De Struise. Stay tuned.

Twitter Brew - Spring Tweet

2009-03-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

I got this crazy idea about a month ago that with all the Tweetups (that's a meet-up in person for Twitters) that have been taking place at the 21A, why not have a twitter beer. That and the fact that the Twitter headquarters are just a quick walk across the park. If you don't know what Twitter might be, Wikipedia has the elaborate definition, but it is essentially micro-blogging site where users can follow each other and send and receive 'tweets' which are 140 characters or less. Everyday people Twitter, celebrities, companies, spamers and the like. The 21st Amendment has been Twittering since about June of last year and we try to let our followers know about what is going on with the 21st Amendment. I personally feel it's important to put a face, a real person behind the tweets otherwise it comes across as too much of an advertisement. Companies such at VirginAmerica, Southwest Airlines and Ebay come to mind as great twittering companies as they really have fun with the medium.

We tweeted about the idea for the Twitter brew as a lark at first and the response was huge, then we asked what would be a good name and we received more great responses. We then brewed the twitterbrew and tweeted about the whole process. The media got wind of it along with bloggers and all we can say is that we are very excited. What has come out of this is 'Spring Tweet,' a Spring ale, light and floral. We are releasing it at 4pm on Monday, April 6th.

Stop by if you get a chance and you can always follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/21stAmendment

William Brand Tribute Rap

2009-03-11T05:59:00.001-07:00

There has been some interest in the Keseyian style rant that I read at William Brand's memorial at the Trappist, Sunday March 1st. The impetus behind this tribute goes back to 1991 when on October 31st Ken Kesey stepped out onto the stage at the Oakland Auditorium during a Grateful Show and voiced a similar read about the great music promoter Bill Graham, who had passed away a few days earlier in a helicopter crash. While the Grateful Dead were chugging through a haunting Dark Star (you can hear it here at Nugs.Net click on Kesey Rap), Ken came out on stage and projected his ode to his friend Bill Graham. I am no poet and I certainly don't put myself in the same vein with Ken Kesey. With that said, when you dig a little there are similarities between Bill Graham and Bill Brand. At Bill's memorial his daughter said that Bill was so Rock and Roll and when you think of it, he really was. He seemed at times in another world, hearing, listening, watching and writing. Another part of this story that not many know and I will divulge now, is that my close friend Dave McLean, of Magnolia Brewery and the Amebic, and I are some what obsessed with the Kesey rap and would quote it to each other whenever it is needed in conversation. In fact Dave was so taken with the Kesey rap that you can find it printed on the inside cover of his menu at Magnolia. Go there and seek it out. Until then, I give you my Bill Brand Tribute Rap. I even messed up the e.e. cummings poem as Ken Kesey had done:

Bill

I woke up a couple of Mondays ago in Berkeley when i got the message about Bill I thought of two things.

I thought how could this happen, how can you have an amazing dinner from Sean Paxton at the 21A homebrewchef dinner, walk outside and then get hit by a train...how can that happen? After a great meal, looking over there and seeing Bill scribbling away on his note pad, like a machine, never stopping. trying the beers and the food, that amazing dinner one of the best. the real deal. epic night.

And I thought of one more thing, it's a little heavy but that's what it's about. Nobody else reaches across the distance and puts their hand on your shoulder about this shit...nobody. In the past when Bill and I were hanging out at Barclays trying beers with his fingers typing away on that Mac writing a story, that slight smile, listening and typing…taking in everything you were saying. Maybe missing a fact or typo here or there, but we are all human.

The last time we were on the Brewing Network together, where Bill told us stories about living in Mexico, riding horses and then moving to the Bay area, starting a family, becoming a writer, becoming one of the first beer writers when good beer was young and so were we...his wide eyed way of tasting beer and writing about beer, it was as big as time as it gets...and ol'Bill knew it, he knew it. we knew it.

And the other thought, the second thought, the warrior thought, the hard thought, the final thought, which is that we ain’t many, in any given situation there is always going to be more dumb people than smart people and we ain’t many. There is always going to be more bad beer drinkers than good beer drinkers….More macro swill, adjunct brewing marketing company breweries than good craft beer breweries…we ain’t many. No, we ain’t many. And ol’Bill knew it, HE knew it…

And the final thought, the last thought is a poem by e.e. cummings an old poem and it goes.

Buffalo Bill is defunct
Jesus he was a handsome man
he used to ride a white horse and shoot

clay pigeons onetwothreefourfive justlikethat

and what i want to know is

how do you like your blueeyed boy now

Mister Death

Recap of the Year (so far)

2009-03-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, where do we begin? A lot has happened in the first part of this year. Strong Beer month celebrated it's seventh year. If you haven't heard what this is all about it's a month long celebration in February where the 21A and our good friends at Magnolia Brewery put on 6 beers of great strength and flavor. We tie in with a theme, this year is was the Grateful Dead's album "Go to Heaven." I'll let you guess who came up with that idea (ah hum..Dave McLean).

Sandwiched right in the middle of the month like lean pastrami was the first of it's kind, SF Beer Week, which was conceived and started by Tom Daldorf (Celebrator Beer News), Jay Brooks (Brookston Beer Bulletin), Bruce Patton (the Beer Chef), Dave McLean (Magnolia Brewery) and I. There were over 150 events throughout the Bay Area and the whole thing really captured what is possible when a community of good beer drinkers get together and plan and conceive these events. We had everything from beer dinners, to tastings, bike and train tours of bay area breweries and beer bars. You name it and it was there. Too many to list. Just Google and you will see what has been said and written about this celebration.

We had four events at the 21A. The week long celebration was not without tragedy. William Brand, Bay area beer writer and blogger was killed after leaving a Beer and food pairing dinner at the 21st Amendment. Most likely the reason I haven't really put fingers to keys about this week as of yet as it has personally been hard to do just that. Bill was a great man, a friend to the craft beer community and the 21st Amendment. His lose hit us all pretty hard. You can't even imagine the feeling that overwelmed me when this happened. I don't want to dwell on it too much, but I will post the my Ken Keseyian tribute that I did at the Trappist in Oakland at Bill's memorial. Also, coming up a recap of the events at the 21A during SF Beer Week.

SF Beer Week Events at the 21A

2009-01-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

“Brewer’s Sunday Tea”

Sunday, February 8, Noon-3pm
This event is a Strong Beer Month Festival at the 21st Amendment with Taylor Boetticher of Fatted Calf and beers from Magnolia Gastropub and the 21st Amendment with a few special surprises. Enjoy Fatted Calf's delicious handcrafted sausages grilled outside in the 21A's beer garden while enjoying great tasting strong beers. The $30 price includes 10 tasting tickets and a yummy sausage with all the fixings, yes fixings. You can purchase tickets in advance at the 21st Amendment for what will surely be a popular event. $30 ( price includes 10 tasting tickets and Fatted Calf sausage )

“A Beer Dinner with the Homebrew Chef”
Sunday, February 8, 6pm-9pm
Sean Z. Paxton, chef and brewer extraordinaire is paring and cooking with the beer Monk's Blood, that he guest brewed at the 21st Amendment for this year's Strong Beer Month. Monk's Blood is an extraordinary brew made with exotic sugars and ingredients and is based on the beer "Saucerful of Secrets" that he designed and brewed at Firestone Walker Brewery with Matt Brynildson. The price is $50 and includes the four course menu and beers. 21st Amendment Head Brewer Jesse Houck is also looking into the great 21A library beer cellar for tasty surprises to be served the night of this amazing dinner.

“Wanna git my Eastern Peanut Butter in yer Western Chocolate”
Monday, February 9, 6pm-9pm
Witness Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head and Shaun O'Sullivan of the 21st Amendment in an East vs. West Coast Slam pairing Dogfish Head beers with West Coast foods and 21A beers with East Coast food. Think Tupac vs. Biggie, Spicoli vs. Sam from Cheers, The Grateful Dead vs. Velvet Underground. It will be a legendary showdown, featuring some of the best craft beer around, no matter which coast you’re from. You won’t want to miss it, and the $50 price includes a fantastic 4 course dinner orchestrated by the 21-A's Chef Lorenzo Kersavan and of course all the entertainment you could possibly stand. Call 415-369-0900 for reservations they will go fast.

“Got Wood?”
Thursday, February 12, 6pm-9pm in the 21A's Brewer's Loft.
"Got Wood?" at the 21st Amendment is an evening featuring wood and barrel aged beers from Elysian Brewing Company in Seattle, Washington and the 21-A served in the Brewers Loft at the 21st Amendment. Enjoy Elysian's Brewing Jackfrost (Bifrost Winter Ale aged in a Jack Daniel's barrel), and OakFrost (Bifrost Winter Ale aged on medium toast French oak). The 21st Amendment will be serving barrel aged Lower De Boom Barley Wine, and an oak-aged cask of Hop Crisis Triple IPA. Join Elysian's Dave Buehler and Shaun O'Sullivan in the Brewers Loft for some extraordinary beers and very good time!

Yes We Can! Inaugural Party and Celebration at the 21A

2009-01-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

Join us all day Tuesday, January 20th starting at 9AM for an Inaugural day party and celebration at the 21st Amendment. $2 canned beer all day. See you here bright and early.

The Homebrew Chef Cooks Up a Beer

2009-01-09T11:21:00.001-08:00

Sean Paxton, the Homebrew Chef came into the 21A last week and brewed with Head Brewer Jesse Houck, a Belgian dark strong beer as part of one of the six offerings we will have on for Strong Beer Month this February. Sean brewed a version of this beer with Matt Bryndilson of Firestone Walker and it was called Saucerful of Secrets. Made with seven different types of sugar, this beer brewed at the 21A will be high in alcohol (hence it's inclusion in Strong Beer Month) and will have a very complex malt profile.

The Session #23 - The New Year

2009-01-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

This month's Session is hosted by Beer and Firkins asking the question: "What will you miss about 2008 and what are you looking forward to in 2009?" Big questions with no small answers.

2008 was in my opinion not a great year. YES, there was great beer made and I certainly enjoyed my fair share, but as a producer it financially sucked the life out of you. 2008 was the year that Nico and I started up our beer packaging enterprise and it was a rough. We started this past May and everything was looking rosy. I had contracted the pre-requisite hops matching up our forecast for the year and subsequent years and at the very least had the supply, but paid dearly for them. With fuel surcharges on shipping, the rise in raw materials and the economy taking a big hit, 2008 was reminiscent of when we opened the doors at 21st Amendment. Back in 2000 with the dotcom bomb fallout, 9/11 and the economic downturn it created some hard times for us. It was probably the worst time in the city of San Francisco to open a brewery/restaurant. But we weathered that storm and have become the wiser for it.

As far as 2009 is concerned, I personally have hung the possibilities that the new president might be able to inject at the very least some stability into our economic situation and maybe make it a little easier for the small business owner to flourish and succeed. With those two things comes opportunity. And as I turn this off-topic rant back toward beer, I think 2009 will be better for us beer producers and the beer drinkers as well.

Looking ahead to 2009 and Beer I am excited about something that we are seeing more and more of in the beer community, particularly the craft beer world, the Collaboration Beer. At the 21A we started what I affectionately refer to as the "Brewer Outreach Program." In 2008 we had Mitch Steele from Stone Brewing come to the 21A and brew the Transcontinental IPA, a version of a beer that he brewed in England at the Shepard Neame Brewery in Kent as part of a collaboration between those two breweries. The Brewer Outreach Program was really conceived years ago with the great iconic brewer Scott Turnidge. Scott was brewing at Wynkoop and the now defunct Broadway Brewery in Denver, Colorado. He went on to start the brewing program at Beach Chalet Brewery in San Francisco and since he was new to the bay area, invited brewers in the City to come into the Beach Chalet and brew their beer on his system. It was a great way to ingratiate himself to the community and I personally have a great memory of the sun setting over the pacific when I brewed out there when I was brewing at Steelhead Brewery. Good times.

Flash forward to the Craft Brewer conference in San Diego this past year, late night beers with Mitch and Chuck from Green Flash Brewery and the idea was reborn. In this day of brewery and distributor consolidation and the ever changing market place it's nice when brewers from different breweries can get together and produce some great beer. This year Gabe Fletcher from Midnight Sun Brewery is coming in and maybe Chuck Silva from Greenflash. The collaboration idea is not new for 2009 and we have seen it with the folks at Stone Brewing and their joint effort with Mikkeller Brewing and Alesmith Brewery on a Belgian Tripel. Then there was a group effort with the Belgo-American Rat Pack, Sam-Vinnie-Rob-Ken-Tomme, put out in 2007 the Isabelle Proximus. Melissa Myer's, a long time bay area brewer just came into the 21A and brewed her Scotch Ale. Plenty of inspiration to draw on.

Collaboration = Inspiration.

Shaun

Beer and KFOG Radio

2008-12-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

I've been lucky enough to be part of a great morning radio show in the Bay Area with the iconic leader at that helm, Dave Morey. For the past 4 years I have been allowed to come into KFOG 104.5 FM and talk about beer, taste beer, take listener calls and a have a great time, all at the 8 AM. Going from being a fan of the show to a semi-regular guest and given the label "the KFOG Morning Show Beer Expert" is an unbelievable experience and a bit heady. Even though I have been on the show many times, I still can't sleep the night before, get a little nervous at first when Dave plays my theme song, which he picked, "Beer for Breakfast" by the Replacements, talking a little too fast at first and having Renee giggle as I shake when I pour the crew tastes of beer.

Dave Morey has been with KFOG for the past 26 years and is pulling up stakes, retiring and heading to his hometown in Michigan and he lives behind a huge space in the bay area radio music scene. A lot of people of woken up with Dave and his crew and the radio waves will surely be a little quieter after today. Sure he'll still do his incredible radio show 10 at 10, but not to have him in the same area will be noticeable.

Here is to you Dave, I raise a pint and wish you well.

-Shaun Beer Dude..ah I mean Beer Guy.

Session #22 - The Roundup

2008-12-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the Session community for letting Nico and Shaun host this month's Session #22. It was a great experience and the entries were both entertaining and informative: In no particular order, unless you count the order they were received I present "The Session #22: What Does Repeal Mean to Me?"

Lew Bryson of Seen Through a Glass discussed the historical elements and hypocrisy surrounding the backers and enforcement of Prohibition.

Amy from Amy Mittelman Brewing Battles gives an historical account of Prohibition and Repeal and the economic and social impact.

The Beer Nut, wrote about Prohibition in Ireland and how hard it can be to get a decent beer on St. Patrick's Day in Ireland.

Peter of the BetterBeerBlog cherishes that he can drink beer and writes about the historical significance of the Repeal of Prohibition.

Tom of Yours for Good Fermentables discussed how the history of the national repeal of prohibition still left open the possibility of local prohibitions.

David of Musings Over a Pint discussed how history can repeat itself, and even in his own backyard, by the neo-prohibitionists and religious backed organizations to once again take away our enjoyment of alcoholic beverages.

Al of Hop Talk how important the Repeal of Prohibition is to his everyday enjoyment of his passion - Beer.

Stephen Beaumont's 'grumpy' post on his Canadian perspective on the Repeal of Prohibition.

Chris at Beer Utopia discussed how if it were not for the Repeal of Prohibition we would not have the American Craft Beer movement, nor would we have home brewing.

Sonnett Beer wrote about how his life might of been different without Repeal with maybe better grades, but at the very least he is now drinking better beer.

E.S. Delia writes at Relentless Thirst about our culture of alcohol in the United States and how we respond to such issues.

Alan, a Canadian and of A Good Beer Blog brings up the argument - why are we discussing the 21st Amendment and the transparent tie in with the host blog/brewery? And how Prohibition and the subsequent Repeal had no effect on him.

Rob of PFIFF writes how Prohibition and subsequent Repeal is a reminder of the power of government.

Mario of Brewed For Thought writes how a small moral minority can change the direction of a nation.

Jasmine of Beer at Joe's discusses humorous stories from Prohibition and how people found their drink.

Andy of I'll Have a Beer brings up the point that we have not learned our lessons from Prohibition when we look at the parallel with the United States and international drug prohibition.

Jon of The Brew Site asks the question: where would we be if it weren't for Prohibition?

Marcus of FinalGravity, a pictorial essay of what he can do because of Repeal.

Jay of Brookston Beer Bulletin wrote about how for the past 75 years since the Repeal we have demonized alcohol.

olllllo of the Beer Hack(er) is amazed at how individuals follow their dreams of opening breweries in these archaic post prohibition times.

Captain Hops of Beer Haiku Daily summarizes the history of Prohibition and Repeal in Haiku.

The Scribe of A Mixed Dram is practicing his right to drink!

Juan of Juan's Home Brewery discusses how with Repeal we have reaped both the good and bad since Prohibition.

Barley Blog writes about how Repeal has afforded him the opportunity to make new friends and share experiences.

Chipper Dave of Fermentedly Challenged opines on what it would be like if Prohibition were to return.

Dan from Beer-O-Vision gives some great information and links for what Prohibition was like in Buffalo, New York.

The Geist of Geistbear Brewing Blog wrote an account of helping people carry on the tradition of brewing at home all part of our Post-Prohibition society.

Beerme at Beer and Firkins talked about the absurdity of an Amendment to the US Constitution that outlawed the consumption of alcohol and how that Amendment effected lifestyles and hobbies.

Brad at La Petite Brasserie wrote about that without Repeal we would of never seen the growth and innovation in the brewing industry that today gives us an opportunity to drink beer from 1440 craft breweries.

Ray of Bath Tub Brewery discussed how in a representative democracy complacency by the American population can allow for the powerful few to outweigh the needs of the many.

Repealebration Celebration Photos

2008-12-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

Rather than write about the parade and party (we're all a little too hung over for that), we thought we'd post some photos. If you were there, thanks for coming! If you missed it, enjoy these photos! (Photos by Anthony Dimaano.)

Front Page News!!!!

Shaun and Nico drink to the 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition outside the 21st Amendment Brewery.

The parade begins...

Our Grand Marshall, Clara Kalin, arrives.

... and dances!

Yeah - what she said!

Getting in on the act.

Nico dances in the street, again.

We stopped frequently for a song or two.

A toast from the crowd.

A brief pit stop at a nearby bar.

Back at the 21st Amendment Brewery, and beer... finally!

The Session #22 The Repeal of Prohibition

2008-12-05T12:14:00.000-08:00

21st Amendment Brewery is thrilled to host The Session in December, and we've chosen a topic that's near and dear to our hearts: the repeal of Prohibition. December 5 is the 75th Anniversary, which brought beer back to the masses.

In 1920, there were thousands of breweries across America making unique, hand-crafted beer. The passage of Prohibition wiped out this great culture. On December 5, 1933, the states ratified the 21st Amendment, repealing the 18th Amendment, thus ending 13 years of Prohibition in America. At the 21st Amendment Brewery, the repeal of Prohibition means we can celebrate the right to brew beer, the freedom to be innovative, and the obligation to have fun.

What does the repeal of Prohibition mean to you? How will you celebrate your right to drink beer?

Here at the 21st Amendment Brewery, the repeal of Prohibition (with the passage of the 21st Amendment) is our national holiday. It is so much more than just the right to brew beer (though we're pretty happy about that part). The repeal of Prohibition was about affirming all that we hold dear as Americans. The right to create, to be entrepreneurial. To be innovative. To choose how to best put to use our own private property. Prohibition, the 18th Amendment, is the only Constitutional Amendment in our nation's history to take away a right of the people.

Before Prohibition, there were breweries operating in neighborhoods across America. They provided jobs, tax revenue and a local artisanal product that was hand-crafted and couldn't be found anywhere else. Many brewers were German immigrants coming to America to fulfill its promise. Brewers were on the cutting edge of innovation, inventing equipment and systems that benefitted many industries. Brewers were the leading citizens of their communities, providing jobs and spending generously on charities. Breweries were gathering places—not just for drinking but for families and social interaction. The German beer gardens of Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis and New York, to name a few, were famous for their Sunday after-church gatherings where men would enjoy fresh old-world lager and children would play in the grass. The first Continental Congress met in a Philadelphia pub to draft the U.S. Constitution and Thomas Jefferson is said to have written the Declaration of Independence in a tavern over a pint (or several) of ale. George Washington brewed beer. Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin and John Adams and many more of our founding fathers brewed beer.

The brewery embodied everything that America was founded on. Independence, creativity, innovation, the right to be original. And Prohibition killed not just the breweries and the beer, but the spirit of America.

At the 21st Amendment Brewery, we celebrate the America that was embodied by the breweries of old. We dare to brew original beer, not just in its uniqueness, but in its spirit. We represent the post-Prohibition journey back to reclaiming the essence of the neighborhood gathering place.

We will celebrate our right to drink beer by marching through the streets of San Francisco, just as they did 75 years ago today. We will celebrate our right to drink beer with a party at the 21st Amendment all day and all night featuring live jazz, our outdoor beer garden and an authentic "speakeasy". We will celebrate by committing to only drink drinking good, local hand-crafted beer made by people, not machines. Will you join us?

Dare to BEER original!

To participate, pen your post on Friday, December 5, 2008, and leave it as a comment here (for quickest results) or email us a link to your post. Stan Heironymous is already waxing nostalgic about prohibition.

Next month's Session #23 will be hosted by Brewmiker.

Prohibition Part II

2008-12-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

The Dark Years

By the early 1930s, Prohibition had been in effect for more than 10 years. The late 1800s had been the golden age for American breweries with close to 4,000 breweries in operation across America. Through the first two decades of the 1900s, the machine gun rat tat tat of the march toward Prohibition mowed down breweries like the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. By 1918 there were about 1,000 breweries left and by the time Prohibition took effect, just two years later, there were half that many.

The remaining breweries survived mostly by making near beer, soft drinks or yeast. For the most part, though, surviving breweries had diversified their holdings and investments prior to Prohibition and they had a cushion of cash. Many of the larger breweries had vast real estate holdings, especially in the form of taverns that they sold off. Anheuser Busch used the refrigerated trucks they had invented for transporting beer to transport ice cream, which they manufactured. Pabst made malt syrup, which was widely purchased in super markets to make homebrew.

Then the crash. In the three years following the great stock market crash of 1929, four thousand banks shut their doors, 100,000 business filed for bankruptcy and eleven million adults lost their jobs. By 1932, there were fewer than two hundred breweries remaining in America and they were fighting for their lives.

A Light at the end of the Tunnel

But there was a light at the end of the tunnel. As the 1920s wore on, the rampant lawlessness spawned by the traffic in illegal booze caused many former supporters of Prohibition to begin to call for repeal. In 1931, the Wickersham Report, commissioned by President Hoover to study the impact of Prohibition, was released. It concluded that the Great Experiment had been a failure and left a nation of drunkenness, crime and outlaws in its wake. Because distilled spirits were so much cheaper to manufacture and especially to transport, people turned to hard liquor like never before. Because the enforcement arm of the Volstead Act (the outline for implementing the 18^th Amendment—Prohibition) was woefully understaffed, incompetent and corrupt, people not only resented the law, but they soon learned that the chances of being caught breaking it were slim to none. After the great crash, the calls for repeal became louder, often under the argument that jobs and vast amounts of tax revenue were being lost. In August of 1932, Democratic Presidential nominee Franklin Roosevelt told a crowd that it was time to correct the stupendous mistake that was Prohibition.

We Want Beer!

Getting the required number of states to ratify an amendment to the Constitution would take time. But Congress realized there was something they could do immediately to stop putting alcohol profits and potential taxes into the pockets of the gangsters and instead put them back into government coffers. The Volstead act had defined an intoxicating beverage as one with an alcohol content of greater than 0.5% alcohol. Congress simply had to modify this definition to get the beer flowing. On March 22, 1933, President Roosevelt signed the modification that legalized 3.2% alcohol beer, and at midnight on April 7^th, beer flowed again.

On the evening of April 6^th, the line of cars and trucks waiting for fresh, legal beer outside the Anheuser-Busch plant stretched for a mile. At midnight, trucks loaded with beer literally choked the nation’s streets. President Roosevelt was hand delivered the “first case of real beer” by a police escort. Within 48 hours, brewers had infused local, state and federal coffers with $10 million in taxes.

By August of 1933, federal taxes on beer had become the U.S. government’s number three revenue producer (after income tax and cigarette tax). And on December 5, 1933, Utah, that great bastion of alcohol tolerance, ironically became the thirty sixth state needed to ratify the 21^st Amendment, and Prohibition was over.

Regaining the Glory

Prohibition dealt a fatal blow to the craft breweries of America. Per Capita beer consumption, despite the population growth, did not reach pre-Prohibition levels until 1970. Virtually all of the small, neighborhood breweries had been wiped out and didn’t begin to reappear until the 1980s. New state laws that differed from state to state made it difficult for small breweries to open and to distribute their beer. A culture had been destroyed.

We opened the 21^st Amendment Brewery in 2000 in a historic neighborhood of San Francisco. A neighborhood that had been home to one of the largest breweries on the west coast in the late 1800s (the Philadelphia Brewery on 2^nd and Harrison streets). A neighborhood that gave rise to the first indigenous American beer style (Steam Beer). A neighborhood where we could begin the climb back to re-establishing the essence of the local brewery—a place for unique, local, hand-crafted beer, quality food and good conversation.

A special shout out to Maureen Ogle, author of the greatest book on beer, “Ambitious Brew” from which I liberally stole for this post.

Prohibition

2008-12-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

How the heck could this happen?

The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect on January 16, 1920. It wiped out the beers, the breweries and the culture that had come to define American social life. We look back on the Noble Experiment called Prohibition today and we

can’t even understand how that could happen. What were people thinking? Well, ironically, things weren’t too different than they are today in a number of ways. Economic turmoil, corporate greed, a widening gap between rich and poor, scandal-filled tabloid headlines, a middle class worried about the direction of the country. Sounds like yesterday’s paper but these were the problems facing American society at the turn of the 20^th century.

Over the last few decades of the 1800s, rapid industrialization and unprecedented immigration in America created a country of big cities and booming growth. Lots of reforms were undertaken in the early years of the twentieth century—the eight hour work week, labor unions, child labor laws, minimum wages—but the times also gave rise to many of the ills associated with poor, underpaid, undernourished workers building the infrastructure of America. Prostitution, gambling, and….saloons.

Powerful Women and Sleeping Brewers

There were a number of factors that contributed to Prohibition, but perhaps the most important was the rise of a few powerful, well organized and well funded groups with a single minded purpose—the elimination of

alcohol. The two most prominent were the WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) and the ASL (Anti-saloon League). In the face of a growing and changing society, these groups saw alcohol as the primary factor in the degradation of society—particularly in the cities. And it was true—saloons were everywhere, often four or five on the same block, and many were rowdy, unruly places. Over the course of almost 40 years, beginning in the 1880s, these groups

worked to affect public opinion, elect local politicians who helped turn their counties dry, and eventually elect Congressmen who supported their cause. Through their efforts, by late 1914, 50% of the America people already lived under total Prohibition.

Another major factor was that brewers were asleep. They didn’t see Prohibition as a significant threat and so they mounted almost no opposition. Taxes collected on beer, wine and spirits (with beer by far the biggest contributor) made up 20-40% of the federal government’s income. The Brewers just assumed that neither the people nor the government would ever be able to give up the revenue.

And then, a different Amendment changed the game. In early 1913, Congress passed the Sixteenth Amendment, introducing the income tax, and suddenly brewers were vulnerable. Alcohol tax revenue was no longer necessary for the government to function.

Game Over

In January 1917, the 65th Congress convened, in which the dries outnumbered the wets by 140 to 64 in the Democratic party and 138 to 62 among Republicans, thanks largely to the efforts of the WCTU and ASL. With America's declaration of war against Germany in April, German-Americans--a major force against prohibition, and many of the prominent brewers of the day--were widely discredited and their protests subsequently ignored.

A resolution calling for an amendment to accomplish nationwide Prohibition was introduced in Congress and passed by both houses in December 1917. On January 16, 1919, the Amendment was ratified by thirty-six of the forty-eight states. Prohibition began on January 16, 1920, when the Eighteenth Amendment went into effect. And a nation of criminals was born.

Coming Soon:

Part II: WE WANT BEER!

Repealebration Celebration

2008-12-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

December 5 is almost here! Join us in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition.

Friday, December 5, 4:00 pm REPEALEBRATION CELEBRATION (aka We Want Beer! March) begins at Justin Herman Plaza (1 Market Street) with a full marching band and a gang of revelers in 1930’s garb. Parade ends at 21st Amendment Brewery (563 2nd Street, San Francisco) with a Repeal Prohibition celebration featuring a three-piece jazz band, special menu items, and a password-only speakeasy. Password retrieval instructions are being twittered starting today. Admission is free: 415-369-0900.

Psst! The Password Is...

2008-12-01T13:15:00.001-08:00

Want access to the VIP speakeasy at our Dec. 5 Repealebration Celebration? You'll need a password. Lucky for you, it's easy to find. We've posted the password in six "secret" locations around San Francisco. Find the password, and we'll let you in the speakeasy on Dec. 5:

http://geohash.org/9q8yysb5bkguv
http://geohash.org/9q8yy648gbjh0
http://geohash.org/9q8yvv5j7cmdk
http://geohash.org/9q8ywxk44csff
http://geohash.org/9q8yvmy672kx8
http://geohash.org/9q8yypnc93qpm

Have fun geohashing!

The 21st Amendment Story

2008-11-29T16:04:00.000-08:00

Part 1: What's in a Name?

This coming Friday, December 5^th, marks the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition (with the passage of the 21^st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution). Here at the 21^st Amendment Brewery, this is our “national holiday.” This year marks the 75^th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition, and we have a whole week of Repeal Prohibition events to help us celebrate.

So what is it about the 21^st Amendment that makes it so special for us that we took the name? Of course there is the obvious: the 21^st Amendment made brewing beer legal again, and we really like to brew beer. But there is a more important philosophy behind the name. A philosophy about how good, hand-crafted beer plus fresh, quality food and a welcoming atmosphere bring people together and make a neighborhood great.

You see, around the turn of the 20^th century, in the year 1900, there were thousands of small breweries operating across America. When we were researching old San Francisco breweries (trying to find a cool name for our new brewery), we found some good ones, like the Phoenix Brewery, the United States Brewery, the North Star Brewery and the Blue and Gold Brewery. In fact we ended up naming a lot of our beers for these great old breweries - try our North Star Red, for instance. But what really made an impact was the discovery that there were about 40 breweries operating just within the city limits of San Francisco in 1900. By comparison, though the city's population is more than double what it was in 1900, today there are eight local breweries. We realized that the brewery captured the essence of the neighborhoods of San Francisco. They were the local gathering places. Places to exchange ideas, debate politics and philosophy. Places for families to come together on weekends. Places that provided something unique: hand crafted beer that was different at every brewery and that defined the taste of a neighborhood.

In 1920, Prohibition wiped out this culture and put the “local” out of business. For 13 years, social interaction was largely driven underground, to the speakeasies, where regular citizens became a nation of outlaws.

But with the passage of the 21^st Amendment, repealing Prohibition, we, as a society, were able to begin the slow climb back to reclaiming the essence of the neighborhood gathering place. At the 21^st Amendment, we celebrate the culture of the great breweries of old, making unique, hand crafted beers, great food, and providing a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that invites conversation, interaction and a sense of community.

Coming soon:

Part 2: Prohibition, the Great Experiment. How could this happen?

REPEAL WEEK Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition

2008-11-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendar for December 5, the 75th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition. On Dec. 5, 1933, after 13 long years of bad homebrew and bathtub gin, the states ratified the 21st Amendment, which abolished the 18th Amendment, ending prohibition in America. To celebrate this momentous day, we're hosting Repeal Prohibition Week at 21st Amendment Brewery.

Monday, December 1, 5:00 p.m.

TAP THAT KEG of “Beerly Legal Lager” at 21^st Amendment Brewery, 563 2^nd Street, San Francisco. Brewed specifically for the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of the 21^st Amendment, which repealed prohibition in America. Admission is free. 415-369-0900

Wednesday, December 3, 6:00 p.m.

EAT, DRINK, BEER MERRY at 21^st Amendment Brewery, 563 2^nd Street, San Francisco. Features rare seasonal beers, guest brewers and a five-course meal. $75/person, includes tax and tip; cash only. Reservations required: 415-369-0900

Friday, December 5, 4:00 p.m.

REPEALEBRATION CELEBRATION (aka We Want Beer! March) begins at Justin Herman Plaza (1 Market Street) with a full marching band and a coterie of revelers in 1930’s garb. Parade ends at 21^st Amendment Brewery (563 2^nd Street, San Francisco - see parade route) with a Repeal Prohibition celebration featuring a three-piece jazz band, special menu items, and a password-only speakeasy. Password retrieval instructions will be twittered on December 1. Admission is free: 415-369-0900

Note: We're offering a $100 birthday bounty for people turning 21 or 75 on December 5, 2008.

WANTED: Dec. 5 Birthdays

2008-11-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

Update: We've increased the prohibition birthday bounties to $100 each!!!

We're offering a $100 bounty for a Bay Area resident turning 75 on Dec. 5, 2008, and a $100 bounty for a local turning 21 on the same day. You see, Dec. 5 is the 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition. Yes, it was the 21st Amendment that gave Americans the right to drink again, and we're planning to celebrate with a Repeal Prohibition Parade for beer, as part of our Repeal Prohibition Week celebration. We need a couple of Grand Marshals to lead the parade, so we're looking for someone turning 21 and someone turning 75.

If you know someone (including yourself) who is turning 21 or 75 on Dec. 5 and wants to lead the march for beer on December 5, email us the following information:

1) Name, age and contact info for the birthday boy or girl

2) Reason(s) this person should be chosen as Grand Marshal.

3) Your name and contact info.

We will choose the Grand Marshals based on personality, availability and whatever else we think of after we've had a few beers. If you are the first person to introduce us to a Grand Marshal by email, you will win $100. Grand Marshals are also eligible for the bounty if they introduce themselves to us first. Proof of birthdate is, of course, required.

The Grand Marshals will lead the Repeal Prohibition Parade (aka We Want Beer! March), which will begin at 4:00 p.m. at Justin Herman Plaza and end at the 21st Amendment Brewery. You can't miss us - we'll be the ones with the marching band and a coterie of revelers in 1930's garb carrying We Want Beer! signs.

Post-parade, the Grand Marshals (and a guest) will get the royal treatment at the Repeal Prohibition Celebration at the 21st Amendment Brewery. We'll have a three-piece jazz band, special food and drinks, and a private party in the Mezzanine that requires a password to enter. We'll share the password with the Grand Marshals, but everyone else will have to find it themselves. We'll twitter password retrieval instructions on December 1.

The Session #21 Favorite Beer(s)

2008-11-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

The Session #21: Favorite Beer(s)

A World of Brews hosts the 21st installment of The Session. The topic “What is your favorite Beer and Why?” was chosen by Matt C. This being my first post on the Session I thought it very appropriate, as this topic comes up a lot. I didn’t realize to the extent that I am asked that very question: “Shaun, what is your favorite Beer?” In fact it just happened yesterday.

I was at Lucky Baldwin’s in Pasadena, California and one of the good beer people at that establishment asked me that question. My typical response is one that I have been uttering for years, “Well, my favorite Beer is the one that happens to be in front of me at that time.” A fairly non-committal response that gets me out of digging deep and coming up with something profound. A safe response most likely rooted in shear laziness.

The real response requires some heavy lifting and I have skated at times with another go to answer, “there is a time and a place for every beer,” which is really what it is all about for me. Begin.

One of the first Craft Beers that I tasted long ago, as many other brewers, was San Francisco’s own Anchor Brewing Company’s Steam Beer. I was working in the legal world in downtown Los Angeles in the late 80s and the Craft Beer offerings were slim to none. Other Craft Beers available were Pete’s Wicked Ale and Redhook ESB, all great beers served at Steps restaurant on Bunker Hill across from the law firm where I worked. We were young and thought we were cool wearing our ‘greed-is-good’ suits and ties sipping these new Craft Beers. Hot stuff. There was something about Steam Beer. It came from a historically rich and diverse part of the State that was exotic and a world away from the craft beer desert of Los Angeles. Rich malty aroma and flavor with a distinct bitterness. The color is what really grabbed me about this beer. That copper color got me. It looks like no other beer at that time we were spoon fed from the big brewers. It was also the beer that got me into home brewing which propelled me into professional brewing. I think Anchor Steam is best consumed at the brewery. There is something about that brewery on Potrero Hill with the copper kettles and the beautiful tasting room. A must.

Every year the Great American Beer Festival, in Denver Colorado, I drink a pint or two of New Glarus Brewing Company’s Wisconsin Cherry Red one ounce at a time as that is the legal festival pour. A delicious beer with intense cherry flavor and aroma, but not as overbearing as Lindemans Kriek. Which is a lot like Kool-aid. Soft Belgian flavors accompany the complex malt flavor. It's unlike any other beer I have experienced. I have never been to the brewery but there was a time not long ago that I made a deal with one of the servers at the 21st Amendment Brewery. Jasmine was going back to Wisconsin to visit family with her Mother. I made a deal with her that I would pick both she and her Mother up at the airport late at night, take them back to their home in Berkeley if she would bring me back two cases of the Wisconsin Cherry Red and the other phenomenal beer from New Glarus, Raspberry Tart. Well, needless to say it was the best airport pickup I have ever done. I still have some of those bottles stored in my cellar. Good stuff.

The dirty little secret of many brewers, the thing you will not hear uttered or written about in a blog or an article. The hidden secret that some of us hold in the back of our refrigerators while we are out front swirling and waxing poetically about the merits of this beer and that beer; I'm talking about Coors Light in a Can. This light, shamelessly benign beer that is about has far away on a distant galaxy from the Craft Beer universe - the redheaded stepchild of the craft beer world and I love it! This really falls into the category of “there is a time and a place for every beer.” Coors Light is a beer that I want to have when I don’t want a big beer with copious amounts of flavor or when I don’t want a sweet soda or ice tea. On the spectrum of flavor for me it lays a hair away from water and that is exactly why I like it and drink it. And in a Can of course. Unapologetic!

West Coast Style India Pale Ale or for lack of a better term, Robust IPAs. I am talking about those IPAs that are big, hoppy, bitter, malty and rich. Not the East Coast IPAs that you’ve had that must be run through a Randall to eek out any semblance of hop aroma or flavor. I'm talking about beers that are brewed with low to no crystal malt that can give you that cloying sweetness that lays on your tongue like an uninvited guest. Don’t get me wrong, malt flavor is important, but the lack of sweetness is imperative. These IPAs need to be well attenuated, but still have a firm malt backbone that may of been achieved with the addition of Munich and Pilsner malt or a slightly higher mash temperature in order to get some dextrin sugar into the beer - body builders. I think of these IPAs as three-dimensional and that is exactly how I go about constructing our Brew Free! or Die IPA in a Can. Your first impression aside from the color of the beer is the aroma and it should hit you square in the nose. The aroma gives your body the queue that you are tasting an IPA and you should be prepared for the next impression –Taste. These beers should be bitter, but not overwhelming, there is no need to be and this is why many IPAs fail for me, they are profoundly bitter, hop tea, astringent, tongue scrapers. That malt backbone needs to be present but you also need hop flavor. I’m not referring to hop bitterness; I’m talking about the green flavor that comes from adding an immature green flower to the brew kettle giving the beer a fuller hop flavor. My favorite West Coast Style IPAs are Bear Republic’s Racer 5, Russian River IPA, Drakes Brewing IPA and Triple Rock Brewery’s IPAX.

Those are my favorites, sure there are more, but many of you that know me already understand that I have a tendency to wax on. Also, this being the first time I have put my big toe into the Session pond, maybe brevity is advisable. ha! Here’s to brevity, cheers. -Shaun O'Sullivan

Meet the Brewer Night at City Beer Store

2008-10-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

Shaun, Craig and Beth of City Beer Store

Thursday night found us at City Beer Store in San Francisco. The place was packed and we were serving Black in Back Dark IPA, Double Trouble Imperial IPA, Diesel Imperial Smoked Porter and Fat Bavarian. We also enjoyed cans of Brew Free! or Die IPA and Hell or High Watermelon Wheat. Both Shaun and Jesse were there chatting up the place. Great time.

Meet the Brewer tonight at City Beer Store

2008-10-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Join Shaun, Jesse and the 21A Can Crew at City Beer tonight. Come on down and chat up the 21A brewers and taste some great beer. The fun starts at 6PM. What a great way to start the Halloween weekend. See you there.

Beer Education at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA

2008-10-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Shaun was at Chez Panisse in Berkeley on Monday to give the staff a talk on craft beer and a tasting. Chez Panisse, started by Alice Waters, is the venerable restaurant and founder of California cuisine and named by Restaurant Magazine as one of the top fifty restaurants in the World and a huge supporter of the Slow Food movement. This was the first time that a brewer has come into the restaurant to do a talk on beer and tasting. The staff asked a lot of great questions and everyone tasted some fabulous beer. Chez Panisse serves some great craft beers at their location on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley.

The beers we tasted:

21st Amendment's Brew Free! or Die IPA (out of a can)

Lagunitas Pils

Anchor Steam

Bear Republic Red Rocket

Deschutes Black Butter Porter

Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale

Russian River Brewery Sanctification

North Coast Old Rasputin

Anderson Valley's Brother David

Canned Beer in Alaska

2008-10-29T11:09:00.001-07:00

The Great Alaskan Pipeline

Go North he said and we did! The great state of Alaska is now offering cans of our Brew Free! or Die IPA and Hell or High Watermelon Wheat. Alaska and canned craft beer go hand and hand. Alaskan's love craft beer and the great outdoors. There is nothing like snow machining (that's snow mobiling for all of you in the lower 48) and having some great beer at the end of the ride. Both Shaun and Dave, our Chief Can Evangelist, went up to Fairbanks and Anchorage and met with craft beer canned beer lovers to kick off the beers in the great white north. We also had some fun getting together with Gabe the brewmaster from Midnight Sun Brewery in Anchorage.

Show Us Your Cans!

2008-10-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

Besides the fact that cans are better for beer and better for the environment than bottles, they're also more portable. You can take them to the pool, down the river, into the backcountry, and on the trail.

Where will you take canned craft beer? We'd like to know for our new Show Us Your Cans! campaign. Please send photos (with captions) of you and our beer going where no bottle dares. We'll post them to our website. Perhaps these images from Central Oregon will inspire you...

Lower Deschutes River

On a drift boat, entering the rapids.

On a mountain bike ride

By Dillon Falls, Deschutes River

Craft Beer Gets in Costume for Halloween

2008-10-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Halloween, we’ve released craft beer disguised in a can to beer lovers outside San Francisco. Our “Hell or High Watermelon” Wheat beer and “Brew Free! or Die” IPA are now available , in cans, in Alaska and the greater Bay Area, including Marin, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. They can be purchased:

at better bars and neighborhood stores,
at Beverages and More stores statewide in California,
at finer specialty food chain stores such as Whole Foods, Mollie Stone’s and Andronico’s,
and soon, in the Sacramento/Tahoe area.

CANverting bottled beer drinkers, one can at a time…

We’ve Survived Our First weBEERnar!

2008-10-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

What happens when a dozen beer writers and bloggers get together to talk about beer in cans? We all learn more than we bargained for.

We recently hosted a “weBEERnar,” which is a fancy word for an online press conference about beer. (Aren’t we clever?) Everyone who participated received a can of each of our canned beers, “Brew Free! or Die” IPA and “Hell or High Watermelon” wheat beer. We all cracked them open together and talked about beer in cans. If you missed it, here’s a Q&A that recaps the CANversation:

Why do you can vs. bottle?
Quite CAN-didly, that’s the number one question we get around here. Cans are simply better for the beer--they keep it fresher by protecting it from light, they are lined so they don’t affect the flavor of the beer, and they fit the craft beer drinker’s lifestyle by going places where glass just doesn’t dare - like beaches, pools, boats, parks and golf courses. Cans are also better for the environment. They use less energy to produce and transport, and they are recycled far more often than glass.

Watermelon wheat – what were you thinking?
This was one of Nico’s recipes. Everyone who tried it loved it, but the logistics of cutting up hundreds of watermelons and scooping out the flesh was just too daunting for mass production. When Shaun figured out a way to make it work, there was no stopping him.

Who else is canning craft beer?
There are a handful of craft brewers out there putting their beers in a can, and we salute them for it! We’ve had quite a few good beers in a can, including Fat Tire, Caldera, and Oskar Blues, among others.

Why do you think cans are the next big thing for craft brewers?
Craft brewers are pretty picky about their beer. They know what it should taste like, and that’s the way they want it to taste when someone takes a sip. Bottles can’t guarantee the flavor integrity the way today’s cans do.

Why the new names for the beers?
People aren’t necessarily expecting to find a craft beer in a can. So we wanted to give our canned beer a name and an image that would get people’s attention long enough to CANsider us. Once they drink the beer, we know they’ll be pleased. The new names are actually a clever marketing ploy to get people past their preCANceived notions about cans.

On the can it says 21st Amendment Brewery, Cold Springs, MN. What's up with that?
Building a canning facility from scratch is an expensive task. If we had to build our own canning facility, our beers would probably be in bottles. But once we decided we wanted cans, we were determined to make it work. We figured there must be some breweries in the Midwest who wouldn’t mind increasing the production on their canning lines, so we started looking. We found a fantastic partner in Cold Springs, MN who was willing to work with us to meet our unusually high standards for canned beer.

Are you going to be putting out additional flavors?
When we do, you’ll be the first to know.

When will your canned beers be available in vending machines?
This is a brilliant idea that we suspect will go nowhere soon, unfortunately.

21A to San Francisco: Can it!

2008-09-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

We’ve sold almost all of the initial cases of our new craft beer in a can to San Francisco stores in just over a month since their debut in late July. We had confidence that it would sell well but this caught us off guard. We’ve started brewing more beer to keep up with demand. We will not rest until we have spread the gospel of good beer in a can to the rest of Can-ifornia.

We Drink What We Can, We Can What We Drink!

2008-07-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

We’ve taken two of the pub’s favorite beers, the award-winning “Hell or High Watermelon” Wheat beer and “Brew Free! Or Die” IPA, and dressed them up in the finest package for a beer: the can.

“Hell or High Watermelon” Wheat, an American-style wheat beer made with hundreds of pounds of fresh pressed watermelon, and “Brew Free! or Die” IPA, a big, hoppy beer to be reckoned with, will both be available in cans in stores and bars throughout San Francisco beginning on Tuesday, July 22nd. To celebrate, the 21st Amendment is throwing a “Can Release Party” at the legendary Toronado bar, 547 Haight St. in San Francisco at 6 p.m. on that day. The beers will be distributed by DBI Beverage in San Francisco and will also be available in limited supply throughout California with wider distribution to follow.