Review: 21st Amendment Tasty IPA
Tasty? Aren’t all beers tasty? Some deets on this new offering from 21st Amendment:
Last year, 21st Amendment Brewery partnered up with homebrewer extraordinaire, Mike “Tasty” McDole, to collaborate on a delicious, limited-release IPA. The beer came and went far too fast so the brewery decided to bring it back for good. Releasing in six-packs, 15-packs and 19.2 oz cans, Tasty IPA returns this September through March 2019 – though it may look a little different than you remember.
“The original artwork featured McDole laying in a bed of hops, which inspired the direction for Benjamin Franklin, a man who was an advocate for homebrewers,” said Nico Freccia, co-founder of 21st Amendment Brewery. “This new design fits perfectly into our brand portfolio and we are excited for its permanent place as our fall to winter seasonal.”
Derived from test batches of McDole’s own homebrew recipe, this 6.8%, gold-colored IPA is the perfect beer to have on-hand when you have history to make. With bright, fresh flavors and aromas of hops, tropical stone fruits and a hint of spiciness, it will be difficult to have just one.
“If you like hops, and you love IPA, this is the beer for you,” said Shaun O’Sullivan, co-founder and Brewmaster of 21st Amendment. “We used Calypso, Ekuanot and Azacca for flavoring; CTZ for bittering and Simcoe, Calypso and Ekuanot in the dry hop.” Ben Franklin once said, ‘well done is better than well said’ and this beer is sure to prove that theory.
The results are solid: There’s a certain tropical character here that is different from the typical Hazy IPA (though this would likely qualify along those lines), with notes closer to guava, lime, and some coconut in the mix. I catch notes of vanilla and gingerbread closer to the finish, with moderate pine notes informing all of the above, from start to finish. It’s enough of a departure from the norm to make Tasty intriguing and worthwhile, but not so different as to be outright bizarre. Grab some.
6.8% abv.
A- / $12 per six-pack / 21st-amendment.com
21st Amendment Tasty IPA
$12
