As any long-time BlogAboutBeer readers know, I am very big on putting craft beer in cans. So I was excited to see this little tidbit come through my inbox the other day — it’s good news for MassHoles and good news for those of us in Maine (because good beer in cans is one step closer to reaching our borders).
It appears that San Fransisco’s 21st Amendment Brewing Co. has begun distributing their two canned beers — Hell or High Watermellon and Brew Free or Die IPA — in the Bay State. From the company’s official press release,
Boston-area native Nico Freccia is returning to his home state, and he’s bringing beer. Craft beer in a can, that is. The co-founder of San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery tells Massachusetts craft beer fans today, “We drink what we can; we can what we drink.”
Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan, the iconic personalities behind one of California’s few canning craft breweries, opened the bustling 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood after meeting in a home-brew class. The release of the Brewery’s two canned brews, Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer (recently rated “#1 Beer to Drink from a Can” and “Top Fruit Beer” by Draft magazine) and Brew Free! Or Die IPA (winner of multiple medals internationally) marks the brewery’s first foray into beer sales on the east coast. Both beers will be available in cans and on draft throughout the state of Massachusetts.
“Massachusetts, and in particular, Boston, is a craft beer drinkers’ paradise,” says Chief Watermelon Officer Freccia. “People in Massachusetts just get the CAN-cept of great craft beer, and we are really excited to be a part of the local beer landscape.”
Why craft beer in a can? “Quite CAN-didly,” says Chief Hop Head O’Sullivan, “Cans are simply better for the beer. They keep it fresher by protecting it from light, they fit the craft beer drinker’s lifestyle by going places where glass just doesn’t dare, and cans are better for the environment. They use less energy to produce and transport, and they get recycled more often than glass.”
Hell or High Watermelon Wheat is a classic American wheat beer that undergoes a traditional secondary fermentation using fresh watermelon and yielding a straw-colored, refreshing beer with a kiss of watermelon aroma and flavor. Brew Free! Or Die IPA is brewed with some serious west coast attitude. This aromatic golden IPA starts with a sucker punch of six different hops to the nose, quickly balanced by a solid malt backbone. Both beers are now available in cans and on draft at better bars and stores throughout Massachusetts. For up to date availability, events and promotions, visit 21A’s website at 21st-Amendment.com.
Welcome to New England, 21st Amendment; hope to get my hands on you soon!
