I love beer in cans. It seems these days I am getting more options wrapped in aluminum. Today’s metal malt offering is 21st Amendment’s Back in Black – Black IPA. Being a huge AC/DC fan I am very excited to try this great West Coast offering. 21st Amendment is the latest brewery to release their beers exclusively in cans. Their first release was their award winning Hell or High Water Watermelon Wheat Beer soon followed by Brew Free! Or Die IPA.
Brew Free! Or Die IPA is now available on Virgin American flights. Microbrews in cans on planes? This is a trend I predicted to happen 6 years ago. I am glad someone was listening hopefully 21st Amendment’s Back in Black – Black IPA will be the next beer in the air.
From 21st Amendment: Inspired by Paul Revere’s midnight ride, we rebelled against the British style IPA, embraced the more aggressive American version and then recast it in bold, brave, defiant black. Our Black IPA is a Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the expected.
Back in Black is our newest year-round beer available now in six pack cans and on draft. Brewed like an American IPA but with the addition of rich, dark malts, this beer has all the flavor and hop character you expect with a smooth, mellow finish.
Back in Black is a 6.8% ABV, 65 IBU India Black Ale, or black IPA. 21st Amendment first served Back in Black on tap in its San Francisco pub more than three years ago and it quickly became one of the most popular beers on tap, making it the natural choice as the next beer to be added to 21A’s line-up of pioneering canned craft beers. Black IPA is a style that developed out of a desire to do something different with the hugely popular IPA style. The difference with 21A’s Back in Black is in the special rich, dark malts it employs, which add color and a smooth, almost chocolatey flavor and finish.
The pour is a deep dark mahogany almost ebony color. The light brown head is fluffy and meringue like. There is a toasted coffee aroma in the beer. While the mouthfeel is medium with a soft carbonation. Back in Black has a big hop finish and a wash of bitter chocolate across the palate. This ale gets high marks across the board.
I could pair this with spicy Mexican dish, maybe pork with a mole poblano sauce. I could also see this beer next to a plate of Kansas City burnt ends with a dark rich BBQ sauce.
