Tasting

A fresh Steam Beer in San Francisco today is found at the brewhouses of younger brewers. The classic beer Anchor Steam, which became the benchmark for the style, has not been brewed on Mariposa Street since the brewery's closure in July 2023.

As flavor examples for the Bay Area, the breweries committed to the city serve well. 21st Amendment was founded in 2000 in the South Park neighborhood, just a few blocks from the baseball stadium. Magnolia operates locations in Dogpatch and Haight. Speakeasy, by its own account, continues the brewing traditions of the pre-Prohibition era.

The appropriate glass in the US is the pint, about 473 milliliters or 16 US fluid ounces. It's ideal for Steam Beer, as it holds the foam and aroma well. IPAs are often served in a tulip-shaped glass, which concentrates the hop aroma.

The serving temperature for Steam Beer is around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius. That's warmer than for a pilsner, since too much cold mutes the caramel and bread aromas. For a West Coast IPA, a similar temperature suffices to let the hop aroma unfold.

Tasting proceeds in three steps: first look at the color, which should be amber and clear. Then smell the glass and search for bread crust and resin. Finally, drink and note how long the bitterness lingers in the finish. A good Steam Beer finishes dry and invites the next sip, without feeling heavy.

To take home, there's the growler, a glass bottle holding 1.9 liters, and the crowler, a can of 946 milliliters filled directly at the tap.