Sneak Attack Saison - 21st Amendment Brewery

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.25

I feel like I got a mouthful of junk with this one. It's a big soapy, spiced mess. I literally feel like I am chewing on something, which in this case is not good. Feel is weird. Overall, this is a prime example of an American brewery failing at making a saison; this is nowhere near what a saison can and should be. Stick to what you can do well and leave the other stuff alone.

Serving type: can

03-13-2013 02:58:25 | More by RblWthACoz

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

LOOK: Pours a cloudy pale golden color. White head forms and leaves a bit of lace on the snifter.

SMELL: Wheat, hay and a light Belgian funk with some bubblegum/banana like esters. Grassy.

TASTE: Light tartness supported by a wheat malt base. The can says its brewed with cardamom, and it is very strong in the taste with a seedy, peppery, poppy like dryness. Very mild bitterness and a spice bite. There is a small citrusy acidity that is the saving grace for the flavor. Yeast phenols are muted for the most part.

FEEL: Light bodied, fairly drinkable since its so light and packs in the flavor. The cardamom in the end just becomes overbearing in the finish and leaves a seedy oil coating on the palate. Some tasters have detected a numbing sensation, I concur.

OVERALL: Very average and over spiced. I'd probably quite enjoy it if they left the cardamom out of the recipe entirely. Cardamom. That's the sneak attack here. Mediocre but beats a trip to the dentist.

Serving type: can

01-30-2013 05:08:34 | More by Stinkypuss

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.99/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75

12 oz can into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a golden yellow color that's seemingly clear at first. Some exposure to light will reveal a hazier body. The head is a one finger white color. It's kind of disappointing by style standards, as it doesn't have the supreme retention or lacing qualities I expect.

S: Well spiced. And I really mean well spiced. Aside from the strong lemongrass quality the aroma provides, many spices - such as ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and the advertised cardamom - come through in an almost explosive manner. If there any such thing as a winter saison, this would be it.

T: There is a lot of lemon flavor in general, with a finish that evokes not only cardamom, but both gingerbread cookies and fresh cut grass as well. Complexity is muted at best. Works as simple refreshment quite well. Let's be honest, though, it's not a great saison.

M: A bit on the syrupy side - which is usually a deal breaker in a saison. I'm almost content to blame the slight undercarbonation (though it seems to perk up as the wet finish builds up), but I'm thinking its caused by the general sweetness. The texture features excellent initial crispness, but that syrupy, vaguely sweet linger comes close to ruining things completely. Dryness tries to accumulate past the aftertaste to no avail.

O: Those looking for a complex, thought evoking saison, look elsewhere. Those looking for a simple thirst quenching beer in a can, give it a try. I have to dock points for not being a good representation of the style, but as a regular 'spiced beer', it's solid.

Serving type: can

01-16-2013 21:56:00 | More by ThisWangsChung

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.06/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up the can tonight at the COOP.... Poured into my HotD goblet while boxing up some beer... Short lasting white head leaves little in the way of lacing... the brew is a slightly hazed very pale straw yellow.

Nose is a cardamom bomb.... The spice just overpowers everything else. Light phenols show with warmth.

Slight "beery" pale malt flavor on the palate... but the spice takes over quickly and never allows for anything else... Cardamom lingers forever on the palate. As things come up in temperature, I get more pale malt and some yeasty phenols.. perhaps some pear esters.

Body and carbonation are right for a saison, but never would I have pegged this as a saison based on any other sensory element.

Just not for me. 3.25/3/3/3.5/3

Serving type: can

01-28-2013 04:12:39 | More by JohnGalt1

Huffs

New York

3.09/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Poured into a Sam Adams glass, developed a light head which dissipated fairly quickly. Appearance was a cloudy straw. Aroma was very unusual, though I'm not to familiar with saisan style, was strong of spice and citrus, spice was like cardamom. Taste was light, almost woody with citrus and cardamom hints. Mouthfeel was light and carbonated with the aftertaste being spicy and lasting.

Serving type: can

02-09-2013 22:44:42 | More by Huffs

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.13/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served from the can into an oversized wine glass

A- Poured a very clear light golden yellow with a frothy head that dissipated instantly into a little ring that stuck around for a while. No visible carbonation and some minimal lacing.

S- Huge cardamom and cinnamon notes, some light hay aroma, cracker and pilsner malt aromas

T- Huge cardamom and cinnamon notes up front with some lemon and pilsner malt from the middle to the finish. Some saltiness on the finish that really lingers

M- Some prickly carbonation but not as effervescent as many other saisons, semi-dry, finishes slightly watery, lighter bodied

O- Cardamom in a saison is a unique addition. Unfortunately the caradmom overwhelms the beginning of the sip and is completely absent in the finish. Each sip tastes different, but not in a complex way, just more disjointed.

Serving type: can

01-04-2013 02:43:35 | More by Hoptometrist

ccrida

Oregon

3.13/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Sneak Attack is hazy pale yellow with crackling, frothy white head that leaves light, but foamy lace.

Smell is bit on the robust side with the cardamon spice and herbal hops, but not too pungent. Nice sweetness to the cereals. A little pithy minerality that is spot on for what I look for, and love about the style.

Taste is pretty acrid from the spice, on the start and particularly on the finish. A flash of sweet malt mid-palate. A bit medicinal.

Mouthfeel is dry, a little slippery. Seems a touch thin, perhaps it's just the forced CO2.

Drinkability is OK in that it's light and crisp, but the spice is too much for me to really session. I wish I'd noticed that on the box before I grabbed the six-pack.

Serving type: can

03-07-2013 02:39:37 | More by ccrida

vfgccp

New York

3.13/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A - Mostly opaque pale yellow gold. Nice white head on the pour, but poor retention and lace.

S - Mango, honeydew, bready wheat, lemon. Strangely hefeweisen-like.

T - Green plantains, black peppercorns, honey, cardamon, cilantro bitters.

M - Medium-light body, par carbonation.

O - Not a great saison, but not bad for a saison in a can and overall it's a nice summer ale.

Serving type: can

05-08-2013 23:17:57 | More by vfgccp

BB1313

Ohio

3.14/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Canned on 12/16/12. 12oz can poured into a tulip. Pours a light hazy staw color. There's a pretty small white head which fades pretty quickly and doesn't leave much lacing. The aromas are fragrant and full of spices. Cardamom and lavender seem to dominate the nose. There's also some bubblegum yeasty notes in the mix as well. There are also hints of lemon zest and orange peel in the nose. The flavors are somewhat grainy, but clean. This does seem to lack true depth. There's subtle hints of black pepper, giving it a light spiciness. These flavors are pretty floral and herbal. There is also some cinnamon in the mix, which is slightly noticeable in the flavors and aromas. There's a decent bitterness going on. Earthy flavors. It's slightly syrupy sweet, but barely. The mouthfeel is pretty crisp, making it a refreshing brew. It's light with pretty active carbonation. It's on the fuller side of light-bodied. Alcohol goes unnoticed. Would be great with warm weather.

This is an interesting beer. Maybe it's not exactly what I come to expect from a saison, but it's still a decent beer. I really like the herbs and spices used. Nothing special, but not bad. I think this would make a good summer seasonal.

Serving type: can

02-10-2013 20:51:28 | More by BB1313

joefuzz

New York

3.16/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Canned on 1/14/13

Pours cloudy straw yellow with a small head smells of lemon and grapefruit taste follows the nose with a hint of grass and black pepper. Mouthfeel and carbonation are both on the soft side. Good seasonal but here in ny I think its the wrong season for it.

Serving type: can

01-25-2013 00:22:39 | More by joefuzz

Swift989

District of Columbia

3.2/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Can poured into pint glass.

half inch head that dissipates quickly. beautiful golden yellow color with lots of carbonation at first that continues to bubble throughout the drinking experience.

Smell is ok, defintely strong/dominated by the cardamom. slightly sour.

Taste: 38 IBUs, but sour hint is definitely evident. Cardamom is pretty overwhelming and meets the box discription of "in your face." enjoyable at first but wanes as you drink. This is a winter take on a typically summer beer. I am not really familiar with Saisons, but the taste does have a "Farmhouse" quality to it.

Mouthfeel: slightly thin, but summery. little tangy in back of mouth.

Overall: I would definitely try another more traditional Saison before drinking this again. The brewery does got props for marketing and naming, as Sneak Attack is fitting for something brewed out of season. Art work on can is fun. Would try other ones of their beers.

Serving type: can

03-16-2013 18:55:59 | More by Swift989

Braz

Washington

3.23/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Bought a six pack at Safeway. Poured from can into glass. Hazy gold color, frothy white head that leaves a thin cap on top. Smells of coriander and other spices. Getting a bit of ginger or something too. Tastes are very spiced. Too much for me. Faint citrus touches with a lot of spice. Not sure what this would taste like out of a bottle but I never feel a can enhances anything. This is ok but just doesn't floor me. Too bad because I love this style.

Serving type: can

03-04-2013 23:23:48 | More by Braz

CHickman

New York

3.28/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly hazy bright yellow color with a snow white foamy 1-2 finger head that faded at a moderate pace and left decent spotty lacing.

Smells of clove, ginger (apparently that’s the cardamom listed on the can), grass, cinnamon, herbs, spices like potpourri, wheat, lemon and dried flowers; this is all spices and zero malt or hops in the nose. Fans of potpourri will really dig this nose; fans of basic beer smell will not.

Tastes of strong ginger up front, followed by clove, wheat, dry yeast, herbs, grass, cinnamon and spices like coriander, pepper and potpourri, lemon, hay and dried flowers; a hint of toasted grains and floral hop peek through, but just like the nose the flavor is all spices with the ginger/cardamom being the dominant aspect. Not my cup of tea, but some people may like this.

Mouthfeel is light and zesty, with high fizzy carbonation, a medium body, and a grainy semi-dry finish that leave nothing but the ginger taste in your mouth; feels like having a piece of fresh ginger that comes with sushi.

Overall this was interesting, but this is a one-time beer for me. Not my flavor profile of choice and not all that enjoyable to me.

Serving type: can

03-29-2013 03:06:16 | More by CHickman

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a lightly hazy yellow with a white head. In the aroma, cardamom, lemon citrus, and small tart earthiness.. In the taste, lemon citrus and cardamom, with a small tart and dryer end. A small spice bite and a lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a dry cardamom and lemon citrus in the aftertaste. Dry and small earthy tartness, big lemon citrus, just above average.

Serving type: can

01-24-2013 21:05:37 | More by OWSLEY069

elNopalero

Texas

3.31/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Canned on 12/16/2012 and cracked open one month later. The can says "hand crafted & canned by 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA."

This pours a light hazy golden wit color with a light foam that rapidly dissipates. I get a delicately floral aroma with some cardamom notes, maybe a little honeyed-basil hints. The aroma doesn’t come out & grab you, tho.

The flavor has an upfront bitter bite which quickly blunts, a light spice & some more cardamom notes.
The 38 ibus on it helps. As it opens I get an almost soapy, cilantro vegetal note to the aroma and flavor. There’s some coriander seed as well. And is this a whisper of cinnamon? The elements are there but they don’t result in an end product that stands out. Ultimately however this is more middle-of-the-road than anything exciting. While it’s perfectly mundane and I wouldn’t think twice about this in a session but under scrutiny it doesn’t hold up.

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 09:55:02 | More by elNopalero

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

12 oz can. canned on 12/ 16/12.

A: surprised at how clear this brew is. a very dull yellow hue. head is bright white and bubbly. retention is average, spotted lacing.

S: lots of cardamom. perhaps some allspice as well. lilacs, heather. diverse to say the least, however, inviting.

T: similar to the nose, plenty of cardamom. too much cardamom, it is pretty much all you get. some yeasty sulfurs. the body could use some more grain, maybe some brett funk.

M: average carb . some conditioning would have been appreciated.

D: the cardamom is nice, but the brew came out a little too one-note for me. if they can get some funk in there, can condition (if possible...) they could really have something here.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 02:04:48 | More by Jimmys

ONUMello

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz can (canned on 12/16/12) poured into a pint glass
A: Very pale yellow with a 1.5-finger head that slowly settles
S: Cardamom stands out along with a bit of clove, a hint of banana, and a fair amount of grass/hay
T: A peppery spice comes through initially, a very empty midpalate, then some additional spice and dried grains on the fairly long finish. Not much fruit or hops to talk about
M: Light-bodied overall, spicy, but the empty midpalate is a killer
O: I wish the palate matched the nose. I'll admit I was not impressed by this overall, but there seems to be a wide discrepancy in scores here so I will seek out a bottle from a different batch to compare.

Serving type: can

03-01-2013 22:41:29 | More by ONUMello

mactrail

California

3.44/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Light bodied, prickly and tasty Saison. Pale lemon amber in the tall Saxo glass. Handsome foam with plenty of carbonation in the mouth.

This seems more innocuous at first, but it does have a lot of the dry yeastiness. Some lemony taste as if it was flavored like a Witbier. Quite a bitter finish. Seems to loose some significant sudsiness in the glass. Pleasant enough and certainly a far better bargain than many more pretentions Saisons.

A Saison in cans! From the sixer of 12 oz cans bought at the Jug Shop in San Francisco.

Serving type: can

02-08-2013 04:22:13 | More by mactrail

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.46/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: shiny, golden bubbly body, trace white head, slight lacing

S: lemon peel/grassy, Belgian yeast, floral, light spice

T: lemon peel/grass, yeast, malt, floral, mild bitter/semi-dry finish

M: med/light body, bubbly/semi-dry mouth

O: Nice; enjoy 21st Brewery. Good intro Saison,
but could be improved.

QUITE NICE; NOT MUST HAVE!

Serving type: can

01-24-2013 19:55:28 | More by BeerLover99

stercomm

Ohio

3.49/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a can into a tulip glass.

A - Hazy pale yellow with an initial big white head that quickly receded to a slight white covering.

S - Definitely get the Cardamon along with some spice and peppery notes.

T - Starts out as a subdued Saison, some nice bitterness and then you get a hit of the Cardamon, some citrus and spice. Long finish that lingers.

M - medium bodied, medium carbonation

O- Not a bad Saison, less sweet the traditional ones.

Serving type: can

01-31-2013 23:20:54 | More by stercomm

TheSixthRing

California

3.49/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a hazy pale yellow with a white, 2 finger head. Fair retention. Nice top layer of microbubbles, most gravitating to the edge.

Smell - Aroma is strongly herbal; mint mostly, with a healthy pepper kick. Soft banana. Peppermint gum.

Taste - Light, with notes of mint and faint banana character upfront. More herbal qualities come through mid-taste, bringing with it a touch of peppery spice. Finishes with a mild, drying grassy bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body, with a dry, crisp bite. Bone dry finish.

Overall - Well, it's unique. I'll give it that much. The cardamom is just too dominant, not allowing any other aspects of the beer to truly shine through. The brewery refers to it as a nice palate cleanser; I'd say that about sums it up.

Serving type: can

03-17-2013 04:22:56 | More by TheSixthRing

ckollias

Maryland

3.49/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed this 12oz can out of a craft beer glass.

A: Pours a clear golden straw with a 2-finger white head that slowly dissipates leaving a nice trail and ending in a sold lace.

S: Belgian yeast and fruity aroma.

T: Sweet Belgian fruity malt with a tangy and yeast-like backbone.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Solid farmhouse ale – went down smooth and easy.

Serving type: can

04-28-2013 19:19:46 | More by ckollias

brewtus

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A- Pours straw yellow with a foamy white head.
S- straw, some sugar, a little honey, earthy
T/M- some banana, a lot of dry grain, a little Belgian yeast, not too much else
O- not too bad but nothing stands out here.Glad I tried it but also glad I bought a single can.

Serving type: can

01-23-2013 03:37:21 | More by brewtus

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a can into a tulip, the beer is a bright, clear, vibrant, goldenrod colorin with no head whatsoever. Aromas of roasted grains and belgian yeast initially, with a sweet, rich spicing from the cardamom. Almost has a buttery, saffron characteristic, too. Flavors are tangy and spiced, with the cardamom blending with nutmeg and cinnamon to achieve a mild warming component. Toasted grain backbone, with a fruity, funky profile from the yeast. Slightly charred and buttered popcorn aftertaste, with a slick, clean, slightly frothed finish. Very tasty beer, throwing a different spin on the Saison style.

Serving type: can

02-01-2013 01:38:52 | More by GarthDanielson

Reidrover

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz tin into a pilsner glass, bought from Fred Meyer in S.Salem. $8.99 a sixer. Clear corn oil yellow colour, nice thick creamy white head. Attractive lively carbonation. peppery,yeasty aromas slight dough. nice Taste is moderately spicy wit a touch of bubblegum,some German white wine tones coming through. I likey. Mouthfeel is OK maybe a little too thick and under carbonated for style but still OK. Overall i enjoyed this one nice drink.

Serving type: can

04-07-2013 17:35:42 | More by Reidrover