21ST AMENDMENT BEERS

Back In Black - 21st Amendment (CA)
This beer has a bit of identity crisis, but as Americans — a hodgepodge mix of those bold immigrants who found refuge here over the years, after rebelling against their imperialist governors and slipping into the sweaty, moist-palmed embrace of democracy — don't we all have a bit of an identity crisis?  It's a question that, I can only assume, 21st Amendment is trying to pose with Back In Black, the brewery's black IPA.  This style's been popping up a bit more in the last year, but black IPA's are still far from common. And for an IPA, this beer is extremely malty. It's sweet not in the way many double IPA's are, or even 21st Amendment's Bitter American — it's sweet in that slightly-tangy, almost grapefruity way Belgians sometimes are, with hints of coffee and brown sugar.  Like a Belgian double got mixed in with an pale ale.  The hops are present, but aren't the focus at all, which tips the balance oddly far from bitter.  And as dark as it is, the mouthfeel is a bit like a porter, making the combination all the stranger.  It might not be for everyone, but I think it works.  If I have a major complaint, it's that the overall effect could be a little smoother.  The tangyness is a bit much, and it's almost like drinking juice, but it fades quickly enough into sweetness that I never really cared.  This isn't a beer you would want to drink a sixpack of all at once, but I enjoyed every one of them on their own. 

Bitter American - 21st Amendment (CA)
The can rules. This beer rules — definitely my favorite of the three, easily. I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly what 21st Amendment's "thing" is.  It seemed like maybe they aim for the more experimental side, little subtle differences that compliment the uniqueness of their packaging.  Yet Bitter American is just all-around solid.  For a pale ale, or even just a hoppy ale, it's very drinkable — an easy session beer for a few reasons.  It's well-blended, well-balanced, and slightly sweet, with a more noticeable malts presence.  The hops are surprisingly subdued, especially for a beer with "bitter" in its name.  It's light and sweet almost to the point of being creamy, and only in the aftertaste do you get a bit of that floral, spicy hoppiness, with a bitter kick that might have some of the aluminum-can taste jumping around.  Or that might just be my imagination — you hardly notice it, either way.  The ABV on this one is low, so that probably helps.  Too bad this is a seasonal, because I'd be quick to drink this all year round. 

Fireside Chat - 21st Amendment (CA)
Riding on top of a strong, already-sharp prune flavor, this is the only beer of the bunch where I definitely noticed some metallic flavor lingering from the can.  It wasn't significant, and really, it might have all been in my head, or even part of the spices. Those spices end up rising sharply into the aftertaste, making the beer seem initially flat and almost bitter, and later leaving a lot of 'leftover' flavor in the mouth.  Regardless, I would not advise drinking this straight from the can — or any of these, for that matter. For the love of god, pour it into a pint glass.  At least as Fireside Chat warms and mellows out, the mouthfeel becomes smoother and richer, rather than sharp.  This one is a lot like other winter spice beers, similar even to a Belgian double, just without the complexity.  Not bad, and perfectly drinkable, but not as interesting as I was expecting.