Sweetwater IPA

Brewed by Sweetwater Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

UPDATED: MAR 20, 2010 Re-review:
12oz bottled Mar 1, 2010. Picked up a very fresh sixer of Sweetwater IPA after not having it in quite a while and man did I forget how great this IPA is, especially when ridiculously fresh. Pours amber with a two finger off white head that leaves some nice rings and trails of lacing and maintains a nice cap. Aroma is big on the grapefruit and citrus, simcoe hops, a little bit of pine, grass, and bread. Flavor is more serious grapefruit, but there is that pine and resinous hops. Decent caramel malt to balance things out a bit. I love citrus-forward IPAs and this one delivers in a big way. Mouthfeel is great, medium bodied, medium carbonation, finishes great, very drinkable. Overall this is one of my favorite regular IPAs. Gets a bump for being a helluva bargain since it is a local brew. I think a lot of folks in the South take this one for granted, but it’s a top-tier IPA and one I won’t go so long without drinking again.

12oz. bottle, best by 10/15/07. Pours a pretty amber/orange with a small head that diminishes to a nice swirl that lasts quite a while. Aroma is a big ’ol grapefruit to the face, whole lotta hops goin’ on here. Flavor is equally as strong. More grapefruit, tons of hops, some pine. Mouthfeel is excellent, medium carbonation, quite smooth. Finishes nice and dry. Very refreshing IPA that doesn’t hold anything back. Tone it down a little? Hell no! This stuff is great and a relative bargain! Makes me glad to live in Georgia! :)
08/22/2007
Aroma 8/10, Appearance 3/5, Taste 8/10, Palate 4/5, Overall 17/20: 4.0/5

Bottle from TBC. Hazy, amber body with a medium-sized, creamy, off-white head. Lightly floral nose with some caramel. Flavor is very sweet, caramel, cotton candy and citrus. Medium body is soft and sticky with moderate carbonation. Gross.

Bottle from trade. Pours a nice hazy golden color with a small white head. Aroma is sweet of hops and citrus. Has a clean crisp semi sweet flavor of hops and malt. Not overpowering in hops taste as most IPA’s seem to be today in my humble opinion. Probably my favorite IPA I have had to date. Nice smooth dry finish.

Bottle thanks to fordest for sharing. Nice hoppy flavors with some malt balance. Pretty good IPA.

on tap at chantilly restaurant. pours a nice copper with nice floral hoppy aroma. nice malty backbone. not bad for a restaurant beer.

12oz, Best if enjoyed by 07/08/07, thanks to shp555. Pours a hazy orange golden with a one finger off-white head with good enough retention. Aroma of grapefruit and floral hops, and a little bit of pine in the background. The hops are on their way out, so I’m sure a fresher sample would be better (duh). Pretty good caramel background. Sweet caramel malts up front with some grapefruit and perfumey floral hops that meld together very well--I love it when I get the "sweet hop" character. Bitterness is on the low side of the spectrum for IPA’s. Low carbonation with a medium smooth body. Things went quite well after the aroma, which is usually the opposite.

12 oz bottle thanks to colemgm. Lots of apricot/citrus aromas off this deep amber pour with a nice white head. More aromas of mango and pineapple. Bright fruits on the flavor too, but more citrus. Nice bitter hop finish. Not too bad at all.

12 oz. bottle received in a trade with Jimbowood. Thanks Jimbo! -- Pours a slightly hazy strong golden color with an off white head that diminishes to a thin crown. Decent lacing. The aroma is citrus and floral hops with a hint of sweet malt. The flavor is refreshingly sweet with a citrus burst to it. The hoppy bitterness starts slowly, increasing to the finish. The sweet malts are present to balance everything out. Medium mouthfeel and smooth going down. I wish this one were available in my area.