21st Amendment Bitter American Extra Pale Ale
21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, Calif
$8.99/ six-pack cans.
Profile: 21st Amendment’s new seasonal taps into two hot craft beer trends — full-flavored, lower alcohol “session” ales and quality canned products. At 4.4 percent alcohol by volume, Bitter American Extra Pale Ale is brewed with Golden Promise Pale and other specialty malts, plus Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe and Centennial hops. Dark gold in color with a frothy head, it displays floral, citrus and bready aromas and a nice balance of hoppy bitterness and malty complexity. The image of Ham the space chimp on the can is a bizarre but clever touch.
Pair with: American pales ales are nearly foolproof food beers and Bitter American is no exception. Throw it up against Latin, Asian or all-American cuisine, from tacos to noodles to burgers, and it will make an easygoing match.
Bob Townsend is editor of Southern Brew News, a bimonthly beer publication distributed throughout the Southeast: www.brewingnews.com/southernbrew
Write Bob Townsend: btowns@bellsouth.net
About the Author
