Apr 25, 2016

Sweetwater Brewing Goin’ Coastal

IPAs infused with fruit and/or the juice of said fruit have been the hot trend the past year or so. Some have been good. Some have tasted more like an alcopop juice than beer. Sweetwater Brewing’s Goin’ Coastal is the Atlanta company’s take on the style — a 6.1% ABV India pale ale that has been brewed with pineapple.

Goin’ Coastal’s flavor is nicely packed with pineapple and pine while dank hop notes catch up once the beer hits your tongue. It’s a solid IPA that is nicely balanced between the base brew and the fruit addition. Instead of dominating, the pineapple helps accentuate the hope traits.

Both the bottle and canned sample that I received tasted wonderfully hoppy and fruity. I found that the can poured a bit more clear than the bottle, but other than that both disappeared much too quickly. I cannot wait for this one to start showing up on local shelves — it’s balance is key here.

This is a review of a promotional sample.