21st Amendment Brewery Makes Unlikely Comeback Months After Closing Doors

Just like prohibition couldn't kill beer, the economy couldn't keep 21st Amendment Brewery closed for good.

Huge news out of the Bay Area for craft beer lovers, as the iconic San Francisco-based brewery will return just in time for summer.

The brewery that is known for its catchy beer lineup, which includes Hell or High Watermelon, Brew Free! or Die West Coast IPA, Brew Free! or Die Blood Orange IPA, and Amendment Lager, will return to shelves and tap rooms this summer thanks to an acquisition from the Philadelphia-based craft brewery Evil Genius Beer Company.

Nothing Will Change With 21st Amendment Beers

Evil Genius Brewery touts that there will be " no rebrands, no recipe changes" after acquiring 21st Amendment Brewery.

"We are making sure the beer people genuinely love stays in their friends -- and ours," says Evil Genius founder Luke Bowen.

Related: Beloved Brewery Near San Francisco's Oracle Park Closing After 25 Years

Bowen is no stranger to 21st Amendment's beers. His Evil Genius beer has been poured next to 21st Amendment beers for nearly 15 years.

"We first fell in love with 21st Amendment the same way everyone did,” Bowen said. “Over a cold one that came with a story rooted in independence and having fun.” 

The acquisition means that beers like Brew Free! or Die Juicy, Brew Free! or Die Hazy, Brew Free! or Die variety pack, El Sully, Fireside Chat, Pumpkin Haze, and Tall Hat Imperial IPA will also return in the coming weeks and months.

21st Amendment Shuttered Doors in November

Founded in 2000, 21st Amendment Beer was a San Francisco staple for more than two decades before being forced to close its doors in November.

The closure meant the South Park neighborhood lost a brewpub within walking distance of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. The brewery, whose popular craft beer was sold in almost 30 states, was also forced to shutter operations at its taproom and its production facility.

21st Amendment Brewery ranked among the nation’s top 50 craft producers by volume from 2016 to 2019, before seeing its beer sales decline with a shifting economy and approach to alcohol.

At the time, 21st Amendment owners were hoping to find a buyer to salvage the brand. Some six months later, that has now happened.

According to one report, Evil Genius will now produce select 21st Amendment beers at its Philadelphia facilities for regional and national distribution, significantly reducing freight costs and improving beer freshness.

No word yet if the brewpub or taproom will reopen as part of the acquisition.