Bitter American - 21st Amendment Brewery

Jesstyr

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours light orange/copper - it just looks crisp. Head is stark white and there is good lacing throughout. Nose is heavy in citrus with a good share of the earthiness you want from an IPA.

Taste exhibits light floral bitterness, but lacks the strong wallop I expected. More of a session style beer than a real pale ale, particularly with the lack of body. Overall a good beer for a warm day, but if you are looking for a strong pale ale I would go elsewhere.

Serving type: can

03-22-2012 01:58:22 | More by Jesstyr

spw109

New York

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-18-2013 01:53:17 | More by spw109

timmylange

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Canned 1/26/13
A: translucent, warm orange hue, thick foamy head
S: fresh hops, slight citrus scent
T: low hop, bitterness
M: dense, sharp carbonation but not fizzy, dry, very slight warming sensation
O: flavorful but simple, great beer for a picnic or after a cold shower on a hot summer day

21st Amendment beers are usually complex and flavorful with a bold taste. This beer however deviates but yet has that signature quality of 21st Amendment. I have not yet found a disappointing beer from this brewery.

Serving type: can

06-18-2013 01:33:27 | More by timmylange

Massbmx

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-16-2013 22:48:24 | More by Massbmx

bacher468

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-16-2013 19:12:03 | More by bacher468

DavidBart

New York

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

06-15-2013 22:44:10 | More by DavidBart

Texasfan549

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-15-2013 04:04:58 | More by Texasfan549

ghengisflan

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Pours a nice thick white head. Beer itself is a fairly cloudy but light honey blonde.

Smell: Citrus-ey hops are very prominent on first whiff.

Taste: The first sip is malty, but as you keep drinking there is a cumulative bitterness with a grassier hop flavor than the smell would indicate.

Mouthfeel: It has a pretty average body for an ale: Not too light or heavy.

Overall: A good beer, maybe a little too bitter for my taste. If that's what you like, give it a try.

Serving type: can

06-15-2013 01:46:53 | More by ghengisflan

bdtva

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-14-2013 15:09:05 | More by bdtva

NickBeery

Maine

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-14-2013 01:47:56 | More by NickBeery

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-13-2013 23:37:09 | More by smooth_aleing

JamesQuaff

California

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

06-13-2013 21:02:45 | More by JamesQuaff

Paccamacca

California

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-13-2013 04:49:09 | More by Paccamacca

mrchrisray

New York

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-12-2013 12:24:05 | More by mrchrisray

justinbrown

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-10-2013 06:40:27 | More by justinbrown

mre0683

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

06-10-2013 02:22:55 | More by mre0683

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - A finger's worth of active late to rise slightly creamy slightly crisp off-white colored frothiness comprised of medium and larger sized bubbles... Modest at best retention gives way to a full veil of inviting lacing... The color is an equal mix of straw and pale amber... There is an ever so faint haziness about it...

S - A fairly lively hop aroma... Lots of orange zest and a bit of lemony goodness... A nice noble hop presence as well... Well beneath the surface is some malty goodness in the form of biscuit and graham crackers... Simple, yet very well rounded and each whiff proves to be rather enjoyable...

T - The flavors that materialize on the palate are a perfect match for the aromas... The lemony zing gets dialed u a notch but all the other components are exactly as anticipated... There is also a slight bit of tropical fruit mix in for added depth and complexity... Tons of flavor given the sub 4.5% ABV... The low ABV adds to the overall drinkability...

M - Clean and crisp... A bit dry... Rather refreshing... On the fuller side of light bodied... The limited carbonation provides a pretty solid bite... Goes down easily sip after sip...

D - I'll take this any day of the over the recent slew of "session IPAs" that have hit the market... Light and refreshing, but certainly not lacking in flavor or character... Between this and there IPA, 21st Amendment makes me a very happy craft beer geek...

Serving type: can

06-09-2013 16:54:14 | More by philbe311

jjboesen

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

While never getting the chance to hit this place during my visit to San Francisco, I have had many occassions to try 21st Amendment brews in other venuse as it is readily available throughout the country - in my case, Alewife Baltimore.

The Bitter American looks fabulous: it possesses a foreboding body of semi-translucent copper that is topped by a heavy vanilla foam. The nose is rather agressive: a myriad of esters that bring up whiffs of chocolate syrup and cherry - all piled into the nose at once.The palate is greeted with some subtle hoppiness and supplemented by a rush of toasty malt.

There is a crispy mouthfeel, which makes the Bitter American a rather comples, yet easy-going, sessional that can be quaffed over a long period of time. I imagine that any thirsty Space Chimp would go for this one. Next trip to Frisco: I hit this place... definitely.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2013 00:31:43 | More by jjboesen

JandJMD

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-08-2013 16:35:34 | More by JandJMD

chefjohn15

New York

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

06-08-2013 14:33:46 | More by chefjohn15

hphilip456

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-06-2013 01:56:20 | More by hphilip456

awicker

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-05-2013 22:41:29 | More by awicker

JeffTheJuice

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-04-2013 12:38:33 | More by JeffTheJuice

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-03-2013 13:03:12 | More by twenty5

nineworldseries

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev -29.1%

06-03-2013 00:05:18 | More by nineworldseries