Sweet Water is actually Sweetwater and refers to a tributary of the Chattahoochee River just west of Atlanta Georgia and near where the SweetWater brewery is located. Their motto, “don’t float the mainstream” means to take Sweetwater creek rather than the main river, off the paddled path so to speak. 420 refers to April 20th, which is the date when their flagship extra pale ale was first brewed.
My first thought out of the gate is out on the river. A line in the water, hopin’ to wet the net. But this sweet water runs deep and there is more to it than meets the eye.
Looks like Ozzy is contemplating a 420
The Black Sabbath song “Sweet Leaf”* refers to reefers, the coughing at the start of the song is actually guitarist Tony Iommi after taking a drag on a joint. No presidential nomination for Tony because he did inhale. 420 is also slang for smoking pot, and April 20th (420) is an annual cannabis celebration in the US and Canada.
Here is where I pull it all together. In November 2020, Aphria Inc. purchased SweetWater brewing. Just who is this mysterious buyer you may ask. Aphria Inc.** is a large producer of medical and recreational marijuana. A pot producer buying a beer company whose flagship beer is “420”. SweetWater meets Sweet Leaf for a 420.
What about this brew? Well, it is a pretty pour. A dark golden slightly hazy hue with a bright white head. The aroma is citrus fruit with some hops. The taste was juicy with a bit of fizz and a mild bitter finish, very refreshing. The taste didn’t really evolve for most of the tasting, a steady juice fizz bitters, all very well balanced and easy going down.
As it warmed the juice jumps out at you like a fat bass-tard on the line and then the bitters take over for a crisp snap of a fly rod finish. Had to get a bit of fishing in there somewhere.
So I just did a 420, but I drank it slow and steady, I didn’t inhale it.
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