Allies Win the War!

Currently in craft beer, there is nobody who can compete with the packaging of 21st Amendment Brewery. They absolutely understand how to design beautiful packaging and brew great tasting beer. So, take 2 of my passions and combine them and you get a great combination and currently one of my favorite brewers on the planet.

21st Amendment collaborated for the first time ever with Ninkasi to give us a fine English Strong Ale.

In a surprising turn of events, rival superpowers have joined forces to bring a beer of might to the world. According to top-secret documents, recently unclassified, brewmasters for 21st Amendment in California and Ninkasi in Oregon began their brewing careers together many years ago. The two leaders reunited recently at a secret camp in the Sierras to devise their master plan. “We are more alike than we are different,” said 21st Amendment’s Shaun O’Sullivan. “We must unite in our common cause,” added Ninkasi’s Jamie Floyd. The resulting collaboration, an ale brewed with California dates, an aggressive arsenal of all-Northwest hops and an unmistakable aroma of victory, deals a unified blow to unoriginal beers everywhere.

With the attitude of "us against the world" and playing off of their "rivalry" they came up with a killer concept for branding this beer. I love the 4 pack box that feels like a newspaper from the WW2 era and even changes the faces off of a famous photograph of the Allies: Churchill, FDR and Stalin to those of the brewers.

This is definitely an original ale and one I'm glad I was able to get my hands on. Do yourself a favor and pick up a 4 pack next time you are out. Pours a very nice red brew with a slight warm creamy head. There was a pretty strong hoppy flavor but is well balanced with the sweetness of the dates.

Happy Drinking!

Who: --
Where: Sonnett House
Price: $$$
Score: 4 / 5

21st Amendment Hop Crisis

The Imperial IPA is becoming more and more of a staple in the craft beer world. What once was a style that was kind of "out there" it has become very mainstream in recent time.

Honestly, I chose this beer because of the packaging. Being a designer, when I have trouble picking out a new beer to try, I gravitate towards the best designed package. This can has a fun little cartoonish take on the "hop crisis" of a few years ago when the prices soared, almost crippling the beer industry. Described by the brewery as an:

IPA that breaks all the rules with more malt, more hops and more aroma.

They even age this beer in Oak for good measure.

21st amendment and their "can" only beers, I have had a few IPA's recently in cans, and I just can't seem to get over the "taste" difference. It probably is just in my head that it tastes different, but their is something a bit strange about having a IPA from a can. But for hopheads this is a pretty good option if you have to drink out of a can.

Color is golden with some not quite white head. Floral, fruity and citrus hops. It is a pretty full bodied beer and not overwhelming on the bitterness. You can really taste the oak or grains from the aging process. It was pretty good, but nothing that I will be clamoring to have again.

Happy Drinking!

Who: Me
Where: Home
Price: $$$$
Score: 3 / 5

The Session #22: Repeal of Prohibition

The 21st installment of The Session is hosted by 21st-Amendment Brewery. The topic chosen is "What does the repeal of Prohibition mean to you? How will you celebrate your right to drink beer?"

Like the rest of the beer blogging world, I wouldn't be able to do what I do today and every week without the 21st Amendment: It means that I can drink, brew, write about and love beer.

I first started drinking beer at the University of Dayton because that is what we did there. We were/are a beer school. Not much liquor on campus, all "Beast" (Milwaukee's Best Light). That is a terrible beer to start on but like all college kids, you drink what is handed to you...Because it's free.

Thankfully, my beer drinking has changed since then, I no longer drink as much cheap beer as I can just to get drunk. Now it is all about the experience from start to finish. The color, the pour, the head, the smell, the taste, the lacing and best of all the company. From coast-to-coast friends and family get together and share life greatest moments with a beer. Without the 21st how different would some of our lives would be?

College? Would have been way different. Maybe I would have gotten better grades?

Sporting Events? Watching football games might be better at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati because of the "Jerk Line". But I couldn't imagine not having a beer and some peanuts at the ball yard every summer.

BBQ's? Nothing goes better with hot summer nights around the BBQ than an ice cold beer.

How will we celebrate?
I have seen a few parties to celebrate like at the 21st Amendment - Repealabration and Magic Hat Brewery - Celebrate the Legality of Beer, but there is nothing special going on in Cincinnati that I know of. We are a bit behind when it comes to things like this, and as Mark Twain said:

"When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times."

So maybe in 2028 we will have a 75th anniversary celebration here!

In all seriousness, I will probably crack open a Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale as Cathy and I plan to decorate our Christmas Tree tonight.

Happy Drinking and Happy Repeal Day!

Related Articles: The Session #21: Favorite Beer

EDIT: 2:30pm -

Grammer's: "Free To Booze!"
Grammer's will be hosting its "Free To Booze" event at 4 pm tomorrow. The event will feature special pricing on Moerlein products. Event-goers can purchase their first beer for five dollars and get their own Moerlein pint glass, which can be refilled throughout the night for three dollars. Grammer's will also be featuring several local dj's in the later evening.

Mecklenburg Gardens: Two Dollar Pints
Mecklenburg Gardens will be offering two-dollar pints throughout happy hour, along with half-priced appetizers. Keep an eye on the old ship above the bar, it used to tell patrons whether it was safe to drink during the Prohibition era!

Thanks to: BuyCincy