REVIEW: 21st Amendment Lower De Boom

Barleywine week continues. It got off to a great start with Great Divide's Old Ruffian on Monday and today, we move on to a brewery that has been really impressing me over the last few months, 21st Amendment. Recently I have enjoyed the hell out of their Sneak Attack Saison and their Marooned on Hog Island oyster stout was absolutely terrific. Today I'm taking a look at their newest, Lower De Boom, a 92 IBU, 11.5% ABV beast. This is one big beer in one little can. That's probably a good thing though. Speaking of the can, I dig the minimalist style on this one. 21st Amendment has really endeared themselves to me with their detailed, quirky can art, but the simplicity of this one, the gold brick look, makes it stand out quite a bit. Enough about the can, let's get to what's inside it. To the beer!

REVIEW: 21st Amendment Sneak Attack

So I've been looking at a lot of big hearty stouts lately. It's sort of the time though. It's awfully cold and big malty beers like that are prefect for cold windy nights like that. I love a good stout, that much should be apparent. But at a certain point, one stout after another can get a bit tiring. Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks that way because 21st Amendment has just released, in the dead of winter, Sneak Attack. A belgian style saison brewed with cardamom. Plenty of info about the creation of the beer, including the story behind the name and the can art, both of this are tremendous by the way, can be found here. Recommended reading. To the beer!

REVIEW: 21st Amendment Marooned on Hog Island

More stouts! This one, however, is a bit different. This new offering from 21st Amendment is an oyster stout. The oyster stout is a historic beer style and from my very limited research (thanks Wikipedia!) I've learned that in 18th century British pubs oysters were the predominant pub fare, and many brewers made stouts to compliment the oysters and the pairing was born. In the early 20th Century a few brewers in New Zealand and England actually brewed beers with oysters in them. In the years since Oyster Stouts seem to be few and far between. As the craft beer scene has exploded I am noticing more and more resurgences of this historic style. And after trying this beer I am certain that this is a very encouraging development. Marooned on Hog Island is brewed using oyster shells from the Hog Island Oyster Company, hence the name. Lots more interesting info here. To the beer!

REVIEW: 21st Amendment Hop Crisis

Try as I might I can never go too long without a big imperial IPA. Today's is very big. Hop Crisis clocks in at 9.7% ABV and 94 IBUs and is aged on oak spirals. Seems we might be in for a beer similar to that Dogfish Head Burton Baton I had a few weeks ago. Both big imperial IPAs, both oak aged. Hopefully this one's just as tasty. To the beer!

REVIEW: 21st Amendement Bitter American

Sessionable craft beer is a bit of a hot subject these days. Full flavored yet light in alcohol beers seem to be popping up more and more lately, I talked about Founder's new All Day IPA and Mt. Carmel's Springtime Ale earlier. Heck, Notch Brewing out of Ipswitch, Massachusetts has made it a point to brew Nothing but session beers. Not one of their beers clocks in at over 4.5% ABV. Today's Session beer is Bitter American, A pale ale from San Fransisco's 21st Amendment. It's a shame that I can only give you one picture of this can. 21st Amendment has some of the best design in beer and this one is no exception. The opposite side of this can features a chimp in a spacesuit. If that can't get me to buy a six pack, nothing can. To the beer!