21st Amendment Down to Earth 6Pk

21st Amendment Down to Earth 6Pk is a session IPA from San Francisco's 21st Amendment Brewery, packaged as a six-pack of 12 oz cans at 4.4% ABV. It earned 94 points from Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine in a blind BJCP-judged tasting, placing it among the top-rated session IPAs on the market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.4%  |  IBU: 42  |  Origin: San Francisco, California  |  Style: Session IPA  |  Brewery: 21st Amendment Brewery

Production & Heritage

21st Amendment Brewery was founded in 2000 as a brewpub near San Francisco's historic South Park neighborhood, taking its name from the constitutional amendment that repealed Prohibition. Down to Earth is built on a malt bill of Golden Promise, Munich Light, Crystal 45, Dextrin Malt, and Caramalt—an unusually layered grain base for a session IPA that provides enough body to support aggressive hopping at low gravity. Warrior hops handle bittering duties, while Cascade and Mosaic contribute flavor additions; the beer is then dry-hopped with both Centennial and Mosaic, a combination the brewery's brewers have described as "over the top hop goodness." Those late additions and dry-hop charges are the defining production step, delivering a hop-forward character that punches well above its 4.4% ABV weight class.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with bright tangerine and orange blossom, quickly joined by tropical layers of mango and coconut. A firm pine backbone from the Centennial dry hops anchors the fruit, with a faint hay-like malt sweetness underneath.

Taste: The entry is juicy and immediate—clementine and pineapple core flood the palate, followed by ripe stone fruit at mid-palate. The 42 IBUs provide measured bitterness that keeps the tropical notes honest without overwhelming the lighter body. A subtle malt sweetness from the Golden Promise and Crystal 45 rounds out each sip.

Finish: Briskly carbonated and vibrant, with a lingering trail of bitter citrus peel. The finish is clean and dry enough to invite another sip almost immediately—exactly what a session beer should do.

How to Drink Down to Earth

Serve cold, ideally around 40–45°F, straight from the can or poured into a tulip glass to concentrate the aromatics. Down to Earth works as a standalone sipper but also pairs well in beer cocktails: try a Shandy with fresh lemonade to amplify the citrus; a Michelada where the tropical hop character plays against lime and hot sauce; or a Radler with grapefruit soda, which echoes the beer's natural tangerine and pineapple notes.

Best For

• Day-long cookouts and backyard sessions where flavor matters but low ABV is essential
• Introducing hop-curious friends to the IPA family without overwhelming bitterness or alcohol
• Post-workout or post-hike refreshment when you want one flavorful beer, not a heavy one
• Building a tasting flight alongside fuller-bodied West Coast IPAs to showcase the session style

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Down to Earth taste like? Down to Earth delivers bold tropical fruit—tangerine, mango, pineapple—backed by pine resin and a clean, dry bitterness at 42 IBUs. Despite its 4.4% ABV, it drinks with the hop intensity of beers nearly twice its strength.

How does Down to Earth compare to Firestone Walker Union Jack? Union Jack is a full-strength IPA at 7.5% ABV with a more aggressive bitterness profile and heavier malt backbone, while Down to Earth achieves a similar aromatic hop character—reviewers have noted the resemblance—at nearly half the alcohol. Down to Earth is the sessionable alternative for drinkers who love Union Jack's hop profile but want something lighter.

Is Down to Earth good for beginners? Yes—its low ABV and balanced bitterness make it an approachable entry point into hop-forward beers, while the juicy tropical fruit notes appeal to palates that find traditional IPAs too bitter.

Where is Down to Earth made? Down to Earth is brewed by 21st Amendment Brewery, which was founded in San Francisco, California in 2000. The brewery operates production facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

What foods pair well with Down to Earth? Fish tacos with mango salsa mirror the beer's tropical fruit character. Grilled chicken with citrus marinade echoes the tangerine and clementine notes. Thai green curry matches well because the hop bitterness cuts through coconut milk richness. A simple arugula salad with grapefruit vinaigrette complements the beer's dry, citrus-peel finish. Sharp cheddar provides a savory counterpoint to the hop-forward profile.

What sizes does Down to Earth come in? Down to Earth is widely available in six-packs of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format for this beer.

Is Down to Earth worth the price? Down to Earth positions as a mid-range craft session IPA, and its 94-point score from Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine suggests it over-delivers relative to many competitors at a similar price tier. The hop complexity and drinkability make it strong value within the session IPA category.

Why Down to Earth?

Session IPAs live and die on a single challenge: delivering real hop character at low alcohol, and most fall short with thin, watery bodies or muted aromatics. Down to Earth solves both problems through its layered five-malt grain bill and a dual dry-hop charge of Mosaic and Centennial that produces genuine tropical and pine complexity at just 4.4% ABV. The 94-point blind-tasting score from Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine's BJCP judges confirms what the glass already tells you—this is one of the most flavorful session IPAs available. For anyone who refuses to sacrifice hop intensity for drinkability, this beer earns its place in the cooler.