Hop Crisis - 21st Amendment Brewery

womencantsail

California

3.23/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at 21A

A: The pour is an orange-amber color with a dense, soapy white head with great lacing.

S: Perhaps not surprisingly, this is pretty sweet on the nose. Lots of sweet fruity hops giving a grapefruit and citrus aroma to the beer. There is a lot of caramel and sugary sweetness, though, which isn't really what I like in an IPA.

T: Very sweet, way too much for me. Brown sugar, caramel, and toffee provide a sugary base to the beer. There is hop character to it, but it's sweet as well. Tropical fruits, sweet oranges, grapefruit, and perhaps a negligible amount of pine.

M: The body is medium to full with a moderate level of carbonation.

D: This is definitely leaning toward the barleywine side of things. Not sure why this one gets talked up so much...I was not a fan.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2010 08:10:17 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an ever so slightly hazed bright yellow with a thin whisp of a white head. Sticky legs on its way down. Smell is a tad bit muted--especially compared to the taste. Initial impression is quite hoppy with some citrus rind. Not too much depth, but excellent bitterness level. Mouthfeel is fantastic...light, dry, well carbonated, and quite bitter. Superb drinkability. Glad this made its way out to DC.

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2010 20:09:54 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce can - Olde Crabapple Bottle Shop in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a clear, deep, deep yellow body with a very tall, very aggressive, near white head. Already this beer is beset against me. Gobs of sticky lace on the descent.

Smell: Nicely aromatic with fragrant notes of pineapple juice, lemon peel, ruby red grapefruit, sweet oranges, and papaya with a backing of oak wood well encrusted with sugars.

Taste: Pale malts with a 50-50 helping of light-colored caramel and simple syrup glazed over faintly toasted grains. I'll admit, the sweetness present caught me a bit off guard, not that I'm displeased at all by it. Mild inclusion of vanilla here and there. Pleasing myriad of citrus flavors with some more tropical elements like red papaya pulp and mango juice. While it does start a bit surprisingly sweet, it closes out dry in shot at the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Fairly smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: Nice job, 21st! Goes does with surprising ease for being nearly 10% ABV and it was very hoppy without simply being wretchedly bitter without any hop flavor.

Serving type: can

08-30-2011 22:30:37 | More by ChainGangGuy

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a nonic a lighter golden with a well formed half finger white head that left a full ring of lace behind as it settled into a soapy-like mass.Aromas were pretty light with some toasted oak and mild resiny hops,as it warmed some sweet alcohol notes came through as well.The flavors don't really wow you but there is a nice resiny hop profile with some drunken fruit,the mild oak flavors seem to keep everything together pretty well hence a good taste score.I like this beer, it's not overly sweet and alcoholic like way to many of the style and the oak is not over done.

Serving type: can

09-28-2012 18:38:57 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.54/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Thanks to johnyb for this can!

You can't spell "crisis" without the goddess Isis. Think about it. Anyway, this stuff pours a clear brass topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises orange zest, light lime zest, and a light touch of mild biscuit. The taste holds notes of light pine sap, lemon rind, and sweet caramel. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta/kinda drying finish. Overall, a nice DIPA, one that doesn't go crazily overboard with the hops and hides the alcohol decidedly well.

Serving type: can

01-19-2013 07:54:38 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

21st Amendment Hop Crisis, Imperial IPA, aged in oak spirals. 9.7% ABV, 94 IBUs.

Clear, bright, reddish amber hue; huge head, lush and long-lasting, creamy-toned.

Aroma: oak notes hit the nose immediately, covering the harsher aspects of this Imperial IPA. Citrus and pine lurk beneath. Grapefruit meets mango, lighter lemon and lime. Slightly soaked in oak, not necessarily smothered, though. Still showcases a beautiful bouquet of hop notes.

Taste: Lush in the mouth, full and forward with flavor. Hops are high, here, big, bracing bitterness, but nicely coated by the touches of oak. It's an extra dimension, it's nothing intrusive or reductive, in the least. You're still smacked around with hops, and high alcohol levels, two things you want in your imperial IPA, but x-factor of oak brings a comforting element, something that subdues the harsh bitterness ever slightly, and ushers in a crisp, satisfying something else.

It hangs in the air, and it hides in your head. This has an electric hop buzz that cradles the cranium, and sizzles, the senses, without killing anyone, or ruining anything. Boom, and, yum, and boom, and, ahhhh!!!

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2011 21:42:26 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer served in a DFH snifter. Beer is about a pretty as a beer can be, seriously beautiful. It is copper and completely clear, nice off white soapy head of small and medium bubbles, lacing on the glass, moderate carbonation. Way to nail the appearance.

Aroma is mildly hoppy, some alcohol, and a lot of malt. Hmmmm....at this point I read the can. "Ale Aged on Oak Spirals" What the hell?

Beer is medium in body, sweet from alcohol and malt up front and the finish is mildly dry with some bitterness. Probably about 70 IBUs. Interesting overall but not a great IPA. I don't get much oak, and if I hadn't read that there was oak in there I would have missed it entirely. I don't think I'll bother with the one again. STOP AGING IPAS ON WOOD PEOPLE.

Serving type: can

06-19-2011 14:59:44 | More by drabmuh

metter98

New York

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is crystal clear golden yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin white head that quickly died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are moderate aromas of citrusy hops and oak in the nose.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell with flavors of grapefruit and oak but is also very well balanced and has initial notes of malty sweetness along with hints of caramel and vanilla. There is a light amount of accompanying bitterness; however the flavors in the finish are more reminiscent of a barleywine instead of an IPA.
M: It feels medium-bodied and both smooth and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish has a bit of dryness and some notes of alcohol warming and stickiness.
O: This beer is extremely drinkable considering its strength because the alcohol is well hidden from the taste and the bitterness isn’t that strong.

Serving type: can

07-06-2011 02:33:28 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This batch clocks in at 9.2%, 70 IBUs. On-tap at 21st Amendment. The board said this beer was formerly known as Double Trouble, which makes no sense as both seem to have coexisted over the past year and a half. Served in a cervoise.

A - Two fingers of foam that dissipates to a thick cap and leaves patchy lacework. Attractive golden body. Pretty good looking beer.

S - This is surprisingly malt-forward, but I know it was fresh as it was tapped the day I had it. There's still plenty of centennial hop - sugared citrus in the form of oranges and grapefruits, pine, a bit of pungent floral notes.

T - Taste is also malt-forward with a solid bread and caramel backbone with a pine, sugared citrus, and grass hop overlay. Surprisingly low bitterness.

M - Medium-low carbonation, medium body, smooth, low heat. Not as much resinous hop character as I expected from the name.

D - A nice East Coast DIPA. If this came from New England or the Southwest it'd be near the top of the class, but from a West Coast brewery I was expecting something different. It's probably straight 4.25s, so I've had to fudge things to get the required score.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 03:39:22 | More by MasterSki

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz can into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a bright gold color, with a short white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains fruity citrus, grassy hops and caramelized malts.

T: The taste starts out with sweet flavors of citrus and caramel up front. Then a strong but not over-powering hops presence comes in. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly hoppy.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a very solid 2IPA to drink for a long time.

Serving type: can

10-08-2012 02:12:50 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This poured out of the can as a really nice looking golden copper color. The head was big and foamy at first, as it settles it leaves a really nice lacing. The smell is of grapefruit and citrus hops. The taste was awesome off the first sip. It was hoppy and then it actually changed into something else equally hoppy but different. Very interesting, only happened on the first sip. The mouthfeel was medium bodied, and very well carbonated. Overall I found this beer to be pretty freaking awesome! Would totally drink it again.

Serving type: can

06-25-2011 02:01:56 | More by Knapp85

Gavage

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: orange in color with a nice big 2" head. Thick lace paints the glass during the session.

Smell: grapefruit and a big floral and piney hop aroma is wonderful. Some booziness is picked up by the nose.

Taste: big caramel profile. Loads of grapfruit, grass, and a pine flavor are well balanced. Alcohol is quite noticeable and warming. Bitterness is sharp but not overbearing.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp from start to finish with some drying late. Medium-heavy in body. Long lasting aftertaste.

Drinkability: this is down a notch with the high alcohol levels despite the fact this can be consumed fairly quickly. One a session make sense, but I can see reaching for a second pint.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2011 12:48:46 | More by Gavage

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

At Al's of Hampden.

A: The DIPA is an amber color, plenty of yellow adding a Central PA in fall look. A thin head, white, comes along.

S: The nose has citrus hops but generally the maltiness stands out. Balance levels things out, adding malty breads.

T: A moderate hop profile not as much as a DIPA should have. Citrus is present but the breadiness seems to overpower it. The pairing seems to be more IPA than DIPA, breadiness taking the place of bold hops.

M: Too balanced to be a DIPA. That seems to be par for the course for 21st Amendment, balance at the expense of the green gold. I enjoyed the ale but it didn't feel like a double IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2011 21:25:34 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring at Mad Mex Robinson and other scattered locations across the Burgh...this one pours a pale copper hue with a thin white head, forms fine speckled lacing down the sides of the 12 ounce tumbler. Aroma has citric pine, sugary malt content and a touch of alcohol in the nose. This isn't your standard booze ridden DIPA. Tropical fruit sweetness with citrus/pine tree, and floral hops galore. A bit boozey but it doesn't override the hop profile. Never seems to hot or brash with bitterness this beer really serves up a balanced version of a west coast DIPA. Mouthfeel is medium bodied slight oily texture from the hop resins, smooth carbonation flows making it a nice texture experience. Drinkability is solid in the sense that it's solid in flavor and high on drinkability for the style by not hitting you over the head, but it's probably one of the highest DIPA brews I've had without even realizing it while drinking the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2010 17:28:41 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Eh. That's pretty much what I thought of on my first sip of this one. So many times, these types of wood influenced beers seem congested. And this is falling right into that scenario. Which leads me to say that this beer is "okay." Too much of a good thing is not a good thing?

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 03:47:39 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a nice light golden color with good carbonation and a nice white head

S: Light citrus and minor oak. A little weak for what I was expecting out of such a potent IIPA

T: Caramel upfront which transitions to a nice orange peel, light grapefruit, oak, a nice juiciness backed with plenty of IBU's and little boozey finish

M: A little bit of hop oils, medium body.

O: Good but for some reason it just didnt shock me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2012 02:17:27 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Domed head that leaves a lot of webby lace. Nearly clear broth. Solidly amber color.

There's a sourness to the otherwise pine-like hop aroma.

Strong bitterness with very little malt base. Almost oily from the alcohol, so there's a thickness to the mouthfeel. Mild tight-bubbled carbonation makes the brew seem richer than it really is. Long, strongly bitter aftertaste.

Serving type: can

07-03-2011 01:33:24 | More by smcolw

Jason

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz can with no freshness date.

Clear weathered golden color. Off-white bubbly head sticks to the glass like a champ. Soft resin, floral and slightly fruity hops with substantial edge of citric ... alcohol is clean and so is the malt, a pleasing aroma. Smooth and creamy fullish body. Hop bitterness is there, slow moving but it eventually tries to take over the palate. Alcohol is certainly there with a warmth that starts up on the first sip. Big herbal push unfolds into more of a tobacco and citric juice and rind flavor. Oak? Yeah there is a slight pull from the oak which adds a complexity within. Maltiness struggles to make its mark but does come through with some nutty toasted graininess. Finishes bitter with some residual malt underneath.

A good run at the style, not many canned craft beers of this strength in the market so Hop Cirsis has that going for it. Hopheads have another option when cans are the only choice.

Serving type: can

06-16-2011 00:52:44 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler fill from DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY. Pours clear lighter amber, fluffy off white head, thicker collar and leaves way better then average sheeting and lacing all the way to the top of the glass.
Pungent citric and pine infused nose. Fresh sniffer.
Bold and flavorful DIPA, with waves of citric hops with tropical fruit notes also floating around. Also picking up some mint in this bright and densly flavorful brew.
Prolly the best 21st Amendment offering I've had to date.

Serving type: growler

11-24-2010 01:45:38 | More by Billolick

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 06/25/11 notes. Shared by jslot38; thanks Justin. Poured from a 12 oz. can into my Bruery tulip.

a - Pours a clear, orange amber color with one finger of white head and moderate carbonation evident. No lacing on the glass and head retention lasts for a minute or two.

s - Smells of light sweet fruits, citrus hops, caramel malts, wood, fruity malts, and pine hops. Enjoying the notes the wood is giving to the normal IPA citrus and pine.

t - Tastes of citrus hops, wood, pine hops, fruity malts, caramel/toffee, and a tiny bit of sweet, almost maple syrup. Again. I like the flavors that have come in from the oak spirals.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation, with some nice sweetenss to it.

o - Overall I liked this one a lot. I haven't been the biggest fan of DIPA's aged in oak but this is the best one I've had. Would like to have it again.

Serving type: can

06-27-2011 15:11:04 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yay, IPA in a can, Tasty crack cans!

Pours a foamy sticky 1 finger head that sticks all over the glass with nice lacing over crystal clear nectar orange color.

Nose has some nice hops, a combination of fresh citrus, sweet candy like hops, a bit earthy, hint of tropical fruit, with a slight aromatic malt hidden under that.

taste comes with a sweetness at first, some malts but pretty much all pale malts, a touch of booze with the sweetness, as well as hints of candied oak and hint of vanilla. With that is a fair amount of bitterness, bringing some earthy hops, again with the sweet candy like juicy hop flavors, hints of citrus and fruit. Finish brings a bit more bitterness but it never seems to get crazy bitter, a bit of citrus and orange peel on the finish, hints of more fruits like tangerine, a bit sticky and still semi sweet, and some light musty flavors.

Mouth is a bit heavier bodied, hint of booze, sticky, and decent enough carbonation.

Overall not bad, nothing special, pretty typical for a West Coast style DIPA, just enough malts and sweetness to hold the bitterness down and the oak barely comes through but there, perhaps a bit drier finish would be nicer, and more dominant hop flavors, but it had it's moments of peaks and valleys.

Serving type: can

07-08-2011 01:55:09 | More by jlindros

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears a semi transparent gold with an orange hue and a fluffy white cap that slowly goes away. Scattered bits of lacing cling to the glass.
Smell is of resin, pine, citrus, herbs, and ripe fruit.
Taste is of the aromas with a flavorful white grape punch that I wasn't expecting but certainly welcome. Lots of hoppy bitters balanced by sugary malt.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, chewy, pine sap lingering, and decently.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2011 22:44:36 | More by weeare138

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz can into a tulip glass.

Pours a brilliant clear copper, with several rich and foamy fingers of bright-white head. This is a bit of a foamy pour, but not overly so, as this settles down into a frothy finger that drenches the sides of the glass in a sticky latticework of lacing. The aroma is floral, spicy, and resinous up front, which then quickly segues into some bright citrusy character. This all in turn mingles with an underlying mix of sweeter fruit, malt, and a LOT of vanilla and oak flavors.

The taste is once again bright citrus bitterness and pine up front but this is pretty quickly blunted by a sweet wave of tropical fruit, vanilla, and grainy malt. Deep pine, spice, and a strong lingering pithiness hang tough in the finish while some woodiness hangs on the edges of the profile. The mouthfeel is medium to fuller bodied, with a good bit of oiliness to the body up top, but there is a bit of underlying crispness here as well. I guess ultimately this is coming off a bit too chewy in the mouth. There is some light warmth coming out of this but it’s honestly pretty well hid for a close to 10% beer.

While I appreciated what the dry-hopping brought to this, that combination of the heavy sweetness here (especially vanilla) and the beefy feel just got to be a bit too much at times. These oak-aged IPAs really aren’t my thing but this one was at least one of the more tolerable ones that I’ve had. I still don’t think that I’d go for a second can of it though.

Serving type: can

08-11-2011 19:28:08 | More by Kegatron

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pale golden orange color with golden yellow hues and a two finger white head.  Good retention slowly fading into a lasting ring.  Glass left coated with soapy lacing.

Floral hop aroma with subtle earthy pine and lots of sweet tropical/citrus notes.  Hints of mango, grapefruit, pineapple and orange peel.  Subtle alcohol sweetness.  Really nice citrus presence.

Medium bodied with a blast of bitter earthy hops that provide a nice dryness that's countered by a ton of sweet citrus/tropical fruit notes.  Lots of mango, grapefruit, pineapple and orange peel.  Slight sweet booziness toward the end of the palate but the abv is well masked for 9.7%. Slightly dry finish with pine bitterness.

Serving type: can

07-03-2011 16:47:58 | More by corby112

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dusting off some notes from the 8th DIPA fest. It appears I loved this one.

Perfect scores in aroma and appearance, a deep orange craggy pour, massive aroma interplay of hops and to a lesser extent. Big time hop taste, citrus yes, but no alcohol, how did it hide that? Lighter malt bill, not balanced, in a good way. Very bitter, might not be the easiest to drink or obtain, but it definitely is somehting any hophead should search out.

EDIT: The batch with the cans is very good, but nowhere near as good as the first batch.

5/5/4.5/4.5/4 was the old score for the first batch

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2010 00:02:09 | More by Beerandraiderfan