Sweetwater Brewing Company

     Hello fellow beer lovers and welcome back to another addition of Beers with Brandon! I hope you enjoyed last week's post on Reformation Brewery because today we will be reviewing a fan favorite Sweetwater Brewery located at 195 Ottley Dr NE, Atlanta, GA. The Sweetwater brand was originally started by Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerny who met while attending college in Colorado and discovered their mutual love for craft beers in the process and established the company in 1997 bringing their West Coast brewing style to the heart of the South. Sweetwater has since become well known for their aggressive hoppy ales like the Sweetwater Blue and 420 with their rich, bold, and smooth flavors that have developed a loyal fanbase nationwide. On top of having great beers, they also offer a vast indoor bar environment with modern features with additional outdoor seating in their gated patio accompanied by a large grass area and trees to provide natural shading. As far as food options look no further than their menu full of mouthwatering Southern favorites like the Meat Locker Burger and grilled Mahi sandwich. Prior to the outbreak of Covid Sweetwater hosted the annual 420 festival and 5k held on a weekend around Earth Day in Centennial Olympic Park for two days featuring live music and great beer all while promoting environmental awareness. Since the first festival in 2005 it has grown into a Southern tradition for people from all walks of life to come together and bond over their love for tasty brews and the environment while listening to renowned artist like Kid Rock, The Avett Brothers, Snoop Dogg as well as many local musicians and bands. 

    Sweetwater has become known for their bold flavors and have not been shinned away from experimenting with new ideas. Back in 2018 they dropped a new series of IPA's dubbed the 420 Strain: G-13 IPA referencing the Government Indica Strain 13. This series took their traditional strong hops profile and fused it with terpenes and natural hemp flavors producing a strong aroma whenever a can is cracked open. However, despite the smell it produces this beer does not actually contain any hemp. A personal favorite of mine is the second from this series the Sweetwater Mango Kush which can be described as a golden yellow ale with a dank aroma and hints of mango along with other tropical fruits at an ABV of only 5%. Although to some the smell may be off putting the taste it provides is a fruity and sweet yet slightly bitter from the hops leaving a strong after taste that will have you longing for another sip. Another great recommendation for those of you who enjoy a fruity, yet strong beer is the Goin' Costal IPA. Listed at 6.1% ABV with strong hints of pineapple this beer perfect for those summer days where you just want to kick back and relax.