The Craft Beer Market
21st Amendment Brewery is a craft brewer located in Northern California. The craft beer market has grown rapidly over the last 40 years after Congress legalized homebrewing in 1978. This inspired many beer enthusiasts to start their own small breweries. Today the overall beer market is flat and possibly in slight decline. The craft beer segment has become a greater percentage of the overall total. Many small breweries are closing, but many are also starting up. The number of breweries in the United States continues to rise, albeit at a much slower rate.
21st Amendment Brewery
Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan founded the 21st Amendment Brewery in 2000 in San Francisco’s historic South Park neighborhood. The popular brewpub is now at the heart of the new city center, just south of the financial district and only two blocks from the San Francisco Giants baseball park. The pub has rotating taps of multiple award-winning hand-crafted house beers. It has been voted “Best Brewpub”, “Best Burger” and “Best Happy Hour” by the San Francisco press. In addition to the brewpub in San Francisco, 21st Amendment has a taproom in San Leandro.
21st Amendment Brewery El Sully Mexican-Style Lager
21st Amendment describes El Sully Lager as “a crisp Mexican-style lager with light notes of spice from Northern Brewer hops. Who is El Sully? Grab a can of this Mexican-style lager, head to the nearest beach, even if it’s imagined, and perhaps he’ll come to you.” El Sully malts include Pilsner Malt, Flaked Maize, Vienna Malt, Flaked Barley & Acidulated Malt, as well as Magnum and US Golding hops.
El Sully Lager has a 4.8% ABV and a low 19 IBU. It has an “Okay” rating on Beer Advocate.
Our Review of 21st Amendment Brewery El Sully Lager
I tried El Sully because I generally like Mexican lagers and consider 21st Amendment to be a very good brewery. But the beer was disappointing. It was fine as a drinkable lager but nothing special. 21st Amendment’s description and emphasis on the beach makes it sound like they are selling Corona beer at a craft beer price. I’ll drink what I bought but would not buy it again.
For a better recommendation of a similar Mexican-style lager with a “beach and sun” marketing plan, see our review of Dos Topas Lager.
For beer nutritional information of all beers we have reviewed see Beer Nutritional Information.
