21st Amendment - Allies Win the War!

Ameeeeeeeeeeerica, F*ck Yeah!!!  Sorry, that's the first thing that popped into my head when I saw this beer at the store.  Little did I know that "Allies Win the War!" was named after the first successful collaborative brew for 21st Amendment with Ninkasi Brewing.  My naive self figured they named this special release in honor of Veterans Day... That will teach me to think of our service men and women first before beer! **Sarcasm switch now set to off**  In any case, these two powerhouses of the West have formed an alliance to bring us beer lovers something truly unique.

The can art as an old-time newspaper is pretty cool.

'Allies Win the War!' is an English strong ale at heart.  This 8.5% ABV base sets the stage for a boatload of Northwestern hops and California dates.    A combination that I have yet to see commercially brewed.  It will be interesting to see if the traditionally aggressive citrus and pine hop characteristics will be kept in balance to allow the subtleties of the dates and pale malts to be noticeable.  There is only one way to find out!

As soon as I cracked open the tab it smelled like hop cones exploded out of the can like those spring-loaded snakes you find in a prank can of peanuts.  The color is a clear amber brown with a surprisingly bright white and lingering foam.  Plenty of those citrusy and piney hop aromas blend together with a prominent candied sweetness.  Possibly from the dates?  The flavors are an entirely different story.  The hops are still there, sure, but not nearly as bold as the aroma would lead you to believe.  What really takes center stage are those dates.  Candied dates are balanced perfectly with a citrusy hop bitterness.  Bread and caramel sweetness make an appearance as well.  There is something just a little off with the finish.  It seems a bit tinny, but this flaw isn't enough to detract from the many great qualities of this collaborative brew.

Overall - This is a great beer.  I doubt you will find anything else like it at the beer store.  The dates add the perfect amount of flavor and sweetness to balance out those bold Northwestern hops.  The strong ale base is delicious as well.  I'm not quite sure what I don't like about the finish.  Whatever it is, I find it to be more of an annoyance than a flaw.  Not anything to keep me from drinking another can, that's for sure.  In fact, I think I'll pour myself another right now.  Cheers!

21st Amendment - Hop Crisis Imperial IPA

On deck tonight, 21st Amendment Brewery's new release of Hop Crisis - this is an oak-aged Imperial IPA with 9.7% alcohol and a staggering 94 IBUs.  This year, hop prices have gone up considerably, leading to what some brewers have coined a 'hop crisis'.  Well you know what they say...out of every crisis comes opportunity, and that is exactly the approach 21st Amendment took with this brew.  Hops are more expensive?  Let's hoard them and brew a beast!  I'm a big fan of this attitude, and I'm really looking forward to trying this bad-boy out. 

This beer is a beautifully clear, golden yellow with a nice inch of white head that is persistently sticky on the glass.  The aroma is pretty sexy - big sweet juicy citrus up front, with a hint of vanilla from the oak, and touch of alcohol sitting behind it.  The drink starts off with a bitter, soft-moving resiny pine and flows into those juicy fruits that were in the nose, although the fruits are far more subtle then the aroma let on.  They have more of an acidic citrus bite to them.  The malts move in to provide a creamy, rich caramel backdrop.  The alcohol is definitely a player, but it doesn't take over the show, just warms things up.  The finish leads into a deep, lingering earthy bitterness - tobacco leaves, maybe some of that oak?  The oily bitterness takes it's sweet time to drop off, a little too much time because it morphs into a medicinalishness.  Mouthfeel thick and creamy, with a light amount of carbonation.

Overall Rating:  A big, brawny Imperial IPA, this certainly is.  The hop profile wasn't a jack-hammer, but it slowly and quietly did it's damage.  A slight hint of medicinal flavors snuck through, but nothing too negative - I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Give Hop Crisis a try!  B+

21st Amendment - Bitter American

Well today is another dreary and cold day in Minnesota.  We were teased with spring last week when we had temperatures in the 50s and 60s.  Now, its 40, rainy and overcast and I dont want to do a damn thing right now.  Sitting on the couch and watching a baseball game where its warm and people are wearing sunglasses makes me want to do nothing even more.  When I do nothing, its generally with a beer in my hand.  And todays brew is a spring seasonal from 21st Amendment Brewery out in California.  Am I the only one who cant say California without thinking of Schwarzenegger?

Bitter American comes in a can with a space monkey floating around in space.  Its typically not the first thing I think of when Im looking for a good brew but it caught my attention none the less.  From this six packs packaging, "If you'd been rocketed into space against your will, you might be a little bitter too".  Well I guess that explains that!  They go on to say how this beer is their "long-overdue tribute to unsung, unwitting heroes everywhere".  I can get on board with that.  I raise this pint to you garbage men, sewage technicians and road construction workers everywhere who dispose of my trash, keep my house flowing and allowing me to get to and from work without blowing out a tire in a giant pot hole.  Well... that last ones a bit iffy.... Cheers!

A brilliantly clear and vibrant straw-sunburst color fills my glass and tops off with a lasting white head of foam.  Citrus and malty aromas fill the empty space at the top of my mug.  Grapefruit, orange peel, biscuit and hints of caramel comprise a decidedly floral aroma.  The flavor is very crisp and clean.  More malt forward than the aroma but the bitterness catches up quickly towards the finish.  Subtly sweet malt mix with a slight fruitiness from the yeast used to ferment this seasonal session brew.  Dry, bitter and crisp round out the final flavors as I finish each sip.  Medium carbonation and no alcohol warmth either.

Overall - A very enjoyable session beer for a hop head.  At 4.4% ABV I could put back a few of these and still feel like going back for another.  Nice to drink and easy on the eyes.  Search high and low for a six pack of Bitter American this spring.  Since its a seasonal it wont be around for long!

21st Amendment - Back in Black IPA

Today I'll be drinking Back in Black IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, CA.  21st Amendment is one of those craft breweries that packages their beer in cans, because it's the hip thing to do.  The claim is that cans don't let any light through, thereby eliminating any potential skunkery due to light exposure.  Surly, a local craft brewery here in the Twin Cities, also cans there beer, and I am admittedly a Surly fanboy, so I have nothing against craft beer in a can.  This particular brew is an American-hopped black IPA that comes in at 6.8%ABV.

The can design depicts a revolutionary-style, angry-looking dude with a candle torch (but no pitch-fork).  The beer is a heavy dark brown with a fluffy tan inch of head.  The nose is a pleasant combination of citrus, pine and tropical fruits.  This smells like an IPA, no roasty malts to be found.  The taste follows the aroma almost to a T - very hoppy up front with zesty oranges and a light and welcome pine note complimenting it.  The malt backbone is strange in this beer - it's there, but it doesn't seem to contribute any real flavor to the beer - it just holds up the hop-profile with a bit of sweetness.  The body is sticky and full, with a nice amount of carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (3.8 out of 6.0)  This was a drinkable Black IPA - better than 21st Amendment's Brew Free or Die IPA.  It had more character, and a more robust hop profile.  I wouldn't mind drinking this again.

21st Amendment - Brew Free! Or Die. IPA

So I came across this snazzy little can of beer the other day from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, CA, and couldn't pass it up.  This will be my first 21st Amendment brew review - I've heard good things about it so expectations are high (perhaps unfairly).  This is a "west coast" IPA brewed with a "sucker punch" of hops.....hops are one thing I don't mind getting sucker-punched by.

Pouring into my ale glass, this beer is a hazy golden-orange color.  The nose is fairly muted, the aromas that make it through are lightly sweet and tangy, with some florals.  The hops that come through in the taste are zesty with oranges, along with an herbal, earthy undertone.  Caramel and lightly toasted breads provide a modest backbone to the brew.  The body is medium, with an oily finish that coats the back of the mouth, and moderate carbonation. 

Overall Rating:  (3.5 out of 6.0)  There really isn't anything special about this IPA.  The flavor profile is mild, and the beer is relatively drinkable (especially at 7%), but, don't go out of your way to pick this up. 

21st Amendment - Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale

Today is a winter warmer from 21st Amendment brewery in San Fransisco, CA.  This brewery is obviously named after the end of prohibition which is probably the best piece of legislation our congress has ever passed.  One thing you will notice from the picture is that they like to put their beer in cans.  This has been a recent trend amongst craft brewers but 21st Amendment has been doing this since their inception in 2000.  Canning the beer allows the brew to retain its freshness for longer since it is not subjected to light or oxygen like bottles typically are.  Fireside chat is their early winter seasonal.  I have had their Brew Free or Die IPA and Back in Black IPA and both were good.  This will be my first time tasting this iteration of their winter warmer so I'm excited to see what it has in store.

Color is a deep mahogany, almost brown but when held up to the light I see ruby red.  The little head formation created during the pour recedes into a thin lacing.  The aroma, still cool from the fridge, gives me some dark fruit, maybe black cherries?  The spices are certainly there as well and remind me of a mild ginger snap.  I think I can smell the malt but its overshadowed by the spices added.  No description of these spices exist on their website other than "spices and coco nibs".  I cant pick out the coco nibs but ill accept the fact that they're there.  Maybe they will make a presence in the flavor.  The body is nice and full.  Lots of spice!  Cinnamon, hints of clove, ginger and nutmeg make a bold presence.  Reminds me of a gingerbread without the molasses.  The malt is there but only in the body and as a background flavor.  No hops present at all in the nose but are noticeable in the finish which is to be expected at 45 IBU's.  After about 10 min on the counter the spices really take over and the sweetness of this brew punches its way into the profile.  The 7.9% ABV is absent throughout. 

Overall 3.1/6.0 - While I may be able to drink a few of these I think the spices eventually get in the way of this brews enjoyability.  Be sure to drink this on the cooler side.  This would be a nice beer to have with dinner or an appetizer but not so much as a stand alone drink.  Thats not to say its not enjoyable, but one serving of this winter warmer is enough for me.