Mar 30, 2015

Sweetwater Brewing IPA

I’ve been lucky enough in the past few years to sample some truly tasty IPAs from Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing. This, however, is the first time that I’ve come across their standard, flagship IPA. It’s not as dynamic or as full-flavored as some of it’s canning/bottling line brethren, but it’s still a beer that goes down easy and carries a wonderful hop character.

With a hop blend featuring Chinook, Cascade and Columbus, as well as dry hopping with Simcoe and US Golding, this IPA has just about all you could want in an easy drinking brew. The hops are full on the nose and offer a good bit of bite on the tongue, but won’t wreck your senses, allowing you to enjoy, perhaps another can or two.

Appearance

The beer pours a brilliant amber in color with a rocky crown of off-white foam.

Sweetwater Brewing IPA photo

Aroma

Pine, luscious tropical fruits, leafy hops, grass and a touch of bready malt entice and tease the senses.

Taste

The flavor isn’t quite as fruity or as pungent as the nose hints, but there’s still a good bit of hop character throughout. A solid dose of citrusy notes and pine lead the way for more of a biscuity malt trait that balances everything out well. For 6.3% ABV, the beer is deceptively easy drinking with a moderate hop bitterness that fades smoothly in the lingering finish.

Overall

This is a solid, straightforward kind of IPA. It’s got a great hop character and a well balanced demeanor that makes for an easy drinking brew. Sweetwater certainly has some more pungent examples of their style in their line-up, but when all you want is a tasty beer that’s not going to wreck your tastebuds, this one might be the beer for you.

Rating: 3.75/5

This is a review of a promotional sample.

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