Lower De Boom Barleywine - 21st Amendment Brewery

DevilsCups

New York

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap into a small snifter DeCicco Brewster NY.

A - Great mahogany color, crystal clear. Bone white head with great lacing. Beautiful.

S - Caramel and breast malts are pretty dominant, with a punch of citrus hops in the back seat. Vanilla is prominent as well.

T - Spot in follows the nose, but with a nice hop bite up front. Subtle, citrus hops followed by caramel, vanilla and breast malts. Great taste.

M - Perfectly carbonated for the style (your mileage may vary, as I'm drinking from draft) and great thick mouthfeel. Not too thin, not too thick. Just right, and leaves a nice coating.

O - Very, very enjoyable barley wine from 21st and I wish I could see how cans stack up to the kegs. Definitely recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 18:05:26 | More by DevilsCups

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-19-2013 12:55:37 | More by InspectorBob

BilbosNuts

California

3.29/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Poured from a 8.4FL oz into a tulip glass.

A: Pours dark ruby in color with an off-white , one-finger head that stays around for nearly the entire drink. Some very light bubble streams give it an appearance that is not quite still.

S: Very sweet and fruity aroma up front. A toasted malt backbone finishes off the aroma.

T: Not nearly as fruity or sweet as the aroma leads you to believe. It also has a bigger alcoholic finish that isn't as prevalent in the aroma.

M: Medium bodied, and lightly carbonated. There is a significant burning effect from the big alcohol finish.

O: This offering didn't really impress me too much. I'm convinced the majority of their offerings are much better on tap at the brewery than out of their cans and this one confirms my theory. This beer left a lot to be desired, not much better than an average barleywine.

Serving type: can

05-19-2013 00:27:27 | More by BilbosNuts

atone315

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-18-2013 03:51:15 | More by atone315

irish01980

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

05-17-2013 23:32:20 | More by irish01980

Brenden

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

This beer is a looker. Poured from its tiny can into my glass, it rests a thick, murky, rich orange-red. It grows a lightly tinted head to two fingers and the diminishment is never beyond one finger. This is a rich, creamy, frothy head that pillows the beer beautifully. As the beer subsides down the glass, the foamy creaminess that's left in a barely-tattered sheet is more head than lacing, coating the glass entirely.
Toasty breads with hints of caramel mingle with a pithy hoppiness. There's actually a very interesting (not offensive) note of cheese, sort of medium cheddar, in there too. I think it's just how my nose is picking up the pith and resin playing with the malts.
This is simply an excellently constructed barleywine. The way the flavors play out together just works so well. Along with the bread crust and toasty notes and dark fruits and caramel that never get too sweet balancing so well with floral and resinous hops bitterness that never gets too bitter, I have to wonder how difficult it is to keep it from going too far in either direction yet marvel that it doesn't. The flavor ends up favoring the hops, though they never overpower, and alcohlic warmth and flavor certainly makes itself known.
It's almost hard to believe how exceptionally creamy this beer is. Thick and rich, I expect some smoothness, but this exceeds my expectations in that regard. Combine that with a crispness that doesn't go overboard but gives support and liveliness every sip, and the feel of this beer is nearly perfect.
This may be my new favorite American barleywine, reviews be damned. Old Ruffian's not easy to upseat, but whatever people are missing here is gain for those who know what this beer should be.

Serving type: can

05-17-2013 14:12:45 | More by Brenden

JoeLacy

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-16-2013 05:28:15 | More by JoeLacy

browniewithnuts

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

05-16-2013 02:59:51 | More by browniewithnuts

mtalley999

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-15-2013 00:41:22 | More by mtalley999

gpblackgt

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-13-2013 23:10:43 | More by gpblackgt

Ivegotmule

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-11-2013 23:13:00 | More by Ivegotmule

sharpski

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-11-2013 20:10:32 | More by sharpski

Pineal7

New York

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-11-2013 04:11:01 | More by Pineal7

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

05-10-2013 19:16:08 | More by ShanePB

FUwolfpacker

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-10-2013 12:28:09 | More by FUwolfpacker

Zimm

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-10-2013 11:48:02 | More by Zimm

strongaf

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-10-2013 07:13:46 | More by strongaf

dbc5

Ohio

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-09-2013 18:44:27 | More by dbc5

JustinMatthew

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

05-09-2013 18:42:40 | More by JustinMatthew

EkimGram

New York

4.16/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Thin 8.4oz can poured into a snifter. Brown-orange in colour, hazy quality, almost no head whatsoever.

Smell: Powerful malts mix with a citric hop aroma and an alcoholic sweetness.

Taste: Very strong hop presence to start. Bitter and citric flavours give way to bready malts and a strong alcoholic finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body has a silky touch. Finishes with a slight carbonated nip.

Overall: This is a rather elegant brew. The flavours are strong yet simplistic while remaining interesting.

Serving type: can

05-08-2013 02:57:08 | More by EkimGram

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Light garnet-amber with a thin short-lived tan head.

Dark caramel, dried fruits, citrus fruit hoppiness, grapefruit, pine, alcohol, toffee, and a hint of rotting pineapple.

Deep roast and burly toffee notes matching American 'C' hops. Grapefruit pith, bitter orange, raisin, booze, and unsweet cherry. Malts are pretty big, but the hops are right there too. Dank finish seems lengthy.

Soft mouthfeel. Carbonation seems to dry it out a bit. Body needed that.

Okay barleywine. Holds its own.

Serving type: can

05-07-2013 14:54:41 | More by thecheapies

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

05-07-2013 13:18:21 | More by tommyguz

SeanGC

New York

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured from can into a tulip glass

a - dark copper color. Relatively clear with some chill haze. No head formation with initial pour. However, swirling the glass developed a half finger, off-white thick head. Dissipates quickly, leaving a lasting ring throughout the experience.

s - balanced. Strong in both hop and malt character. Malt include toffee, melanoidin, sweet. American hop character, including citrus notes. Yeast character present as well, defined by fruity esters and ethanol notes.

t - flavor showcases american hop character. Citrusy hop flavor, and bitter back. Barley any malt character perceived, with the exception of some complimentary sweetness that is masked by citrus flavors, such as orange and grapefruit. Ethanol is perceivable, but not offensive. However, ethanol and high bitterness creates a harsh bittering finish.

m - moderately high carbonation. Warming. Medium body.

o - Very good american barleywine. would have liked more of that classic, melanoidin malt character that one would expect from a barley wine in the flavor. It was also surprisingly lighter in body than I had originally anticipated. However, it's not a deal breaker for me, and I would purchase this beer again.

Serving type: can

05-05-2013 22:00:44 | More by SeanGC

yaksurf

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

05-04-2013 13:51:36 | More by yaksurf

snaotheus

Washington

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

8.4oz can poured into a large snifter

Pours clear reddish with medium to small head. Head retains well. Little in the way of observable carbonation. Smell is musty, cut grass, mild compost.

Taste is on the tart side, some distinct plumminess, with a little attention some definite piney hops. Definitely more of the mustiness, maybe some old wet leather.

Mouthfeel is dry but thick. Overall, pretty good. Not great.

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 02:58:57 | More by snaotheus