About 21st Amendment Fireside Chat: Like FDR’s Depression-era radio addresses, which were like a kick in the butt and a hug at the same time, our Fireside Chat is a subtle twist on the traditional seasonal brew. We begin with a rich, dark, English-style ale and then we improvise with spices until we know we have a beer worth sharing with the nation.
Fireside Chat is our early winter seasonal brew available from October through December in six pack cans and on draft. Brewed like a classic, warming Strong Ale but with a subtle blend of hand-selected spices for just the right festive flair. Brewed in San Francisco.
Beer Advocate Score: 78 points
IBUs: 45
Yeast: Top Fermenting Ale Yeast
Color: Deep Ruby Brown
Hops: Magnum, Goldings
Malts: Pale, Munich, Wheat, Crystal, Aromatic, Chocolate Malt and De-Bittered Black
Special Ingredients: Spices, Cocoa Nibs
Alcohol by Volume: 7.9%
Cost: $9.99/6-pack
*website: http://21st-amendment.com/beers/fireside-chat/
After a long day at work, I was eager to crack open the fireside and get the staycation started. I like the fact that its from 21st amendment brewery which if memory serves me correct was passed yesterday. Other than the history lesson, I thought this beer was ok but nothing special. Solid B-
ReplyDeleteNot sure why we didn't drink this yesterday. I found this to be a little tough. Ro referred to it as "medicinal" and English Anthony (in town for the weekend) declared it "awful and sink worthy". I didn't really enjoy it and definitely got more of the kick in the ass than the hug, but I was okay with it. Definitely strong and the undefined spices are pretty potent. Drinking this out of the can I found some swigs to be spicier than others. I didn't like those swigs. I'll give this a solid middle of the road C.
ReplyDeleteI kind of suspect that from this point forward I'm going to love every beer. Really, it started after we got the 2 lagers out of the way. I loved the spicy smell of this one, and the full flavor and bitter finish. I'm generally a fan of IPA's but lately I'm getting more interested in darker beers, so this one is right up my alleyway. I would buy this again in a heartbeat - it's the kind of thing I'd like to have on hand for when I'm in the mood for something dark and bold.
ReplyDeleteI arranged the beers so that the good ones get better as we go. Enjoy the ride! There still might be some clunkers in the line up, but the hopefully not many.
DeleteCheers, Tony. Very nice job so far, I would say.
DeleteI poured this in a glass instead of drinking it from the can. At first I didn't think I would like it, but the more I had, the better it got. Its a little bitter, definitely some spices in there and I'm digging the smell. I think I rather like it. I would have to be in the right mood and setting, but I think I could get into this beer. 7.5 out of 10, B-
ReplyDeleteYuck. Couldn't finish it. Worst one yet.
ReplyDeleteLuckily you have some gingerbread ale to fall back on Katy
DeleteWhen my oldest son lived in western Colorado, I loved to go and visit because I love the scenery in that area (and I love my son). But there were places where every bend in the road gave you a different and magnificent view. This beer is a little like that insofar as the experience that I first had when I took my first sip is very different than the sensations and flavors that I can sense half way through. Initially, I got a strong sense of roasted coffee-ish with a hint of spices. After a while, the bitterness begins to shine through. Then, when you sit back for a bit, there is just a hint of ginger lingering. I like this a lot and would love to get a better sense of the types of foods that would pair well with it.
ReplyDeleteWow. That was deep, man :-)
DeleteSilly Shirley...
DeleteI've got a giant box of Trader Joe's frosted gingerbread men I need to get rid of. That would pair well with this beer (better than the gingerbread beer we've had).
DeleteI'm beginning to think that some of these beers may not stand on their own very well (especially when it is the first thing you crack open at the end of a work day), but when paired with the right meal or cheese could really be complimentary. But I agree with your comment on the gingerbread beer. The only thing it complimented was the drain on my kitchen sink.
DeleteWhew that was deelishhhh!!! Loved the bold flavor, it goes down easy considering its almost 8%, and the aftertaste makes me want to crack open another. I got a sweet & toasty flavor first couple sips. Then the spices kicked in towards the middle and finally the bitterness came through as I finished up. What a ride A-!
ReplyDeleteThis beer was a shadow of yesterday's beer. It reminded me of the taste it have in my mouth after a night of cigar smoking. I give it a D.
ReplyDeleteAgreed -- a definite miss for me. Ugh.
DeleteThis one got a little better with each sip, but never to the point where I really liked it. It smelled better than it tasted. On the plus side, it's still far better than 21st's watermelon abomination.
ReplyDeleteShould've noted that this is my third beer of the night, which obviously alters the pallet.
DeleteI couldn't agree more on the watermelon beer comment. That was one of the worst beers I've ever tasted.
DeleteOK, it's 1:30 in the morning and I just finished writing my entry about how this beer was just OK and I probably wouldn't go out of my way to drink it again. Then I wrote an interesting (to me at least) anecdote about the 21st Amendment bar in Northwest DC and how we used to go there on Wednesday night's after softball back in the 90's. Then I realized I hadn't signed in with my Google password. So I signed in, and my blog entry disappeared. Now I'm angry. This is now my least favorite beer of all time. Boooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis one is not bad...high ABV, unusually hoppy for a winter seasonal, and very interesting and complex spice compliment. I def get the cocoa tones and the usual winter spices...I get the tiniest hint of star anise in there (anyone else get that???) that I find quite beguiling. Not the most amazing winter seasonal I have ever had but I enjoyed it very much...it is beer after all!!!
ReplyDeleteI think this one is a solid seasonal but I dont know that I would go out of my way to find it again. I do however have an entire 12 pack left in my fridge (I had to buy 2 cases of each of these and am "stuck" with a fridge full of beer...just a terrible problem to have) and I will enjoy each one. Probably will have another after this...
I thought this was the best one yet. Although I am already a fan of 21st amendment, especially their back in black ipa.
ReplyDeleteThought this was a good one. Big fan of the dark beers. Nicely spiced, not overdone.
ReplyDeleteHeld off drinking this one until today because I didn't feel well yesterday. I'm glad I waited until I could really enjoy it. I actually pulled this one right from the basement and didn't chill it in my fridge. Just poured it into a tulip glass and began to enjoy it a little warmer than usual. I think that really helped bring out the holiday spices and toasty/coffee aromas. The lacing was also very nice on the glass. I really liked the moderate bitterness balancing out the beer overall. It's not the biggest winter warmer out there, but when it's 30 degrees outside and not that much warmer in my house right now, I'll gladly have this beer and probably another before the snow melts this spring.
ReplyDeleteyes that is what I'm talking about! rich holiday beer I like that style plenty of flavor pour it in the right glass please ...
ReplyDeleterating 8.2
Wow what a great beer! It had flavor (not like a lager which has none), it was creamy, thick and not an over powering bitterness. Loved it and looking for more!
ReplyDeleteRating: 7.9
I thought this was pretty good. I ended up drinking this much faster than I intended because I got my timing for going out to dinner wrong. I didn't get to experience the change in flavor over time. I'm gonna give it a B+, but this is one I will definitely be trying again. Definitely not a beer to drink after mowing the grass in August, but a nice Warmer for winter.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty much with Scott on this one - I liked the smell and the first part of the first sip was good, quickly turning to an unpleasant bitter bite. Then, each taste got progressively better, but not enough to really get past the bite, which just didn't seem to fit. I wouldn't call it awful - I liked the toasty element, but just found the bite to be unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really enjoy this one. After I was about 3/4 through I started reading the can, which advertises spices. Maybe mine was missing the fun spices cause it tasted like a normal IPA.
ReplyDeleteBitter and overpowering. Like the name and the idea, but they need to tone it down a little with the "spices".
ReplyDeleteI'll start by saying I was immediately biased about this because A, just had the Grimbergen and it was legit and B, I inherently do not like dark beers out of a can. That said, this was decent. It started off pretty good, good smell, decent flavor. Unfortunately, it never really maintained that. I like a beer to finish strong, this beer kind of bittered on me so I can't really give it full marks. Did I mention my bias towards dark beers in a can? Uh oh, we've finally got a black president and here I am making biased comments about dark beer in a can....too soon?
ReplyDeleteDon't like it
ReplyDelete