Tap Handle #212: SweetWater - Blue

As I've stated in previous posts, I love nautical stuff, so it was a no-brainer to add this rainbow trout tap to the collection. These are very common, but are also prone to chipping and paint damage when used. The only difference between varieties is the labels.

SweetWater Brewing was founded in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 by Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney. They were roommates at the University of Colorado, Boulder and both loved beer. They started by washing kegs on the loading docks of a local brewery for free beer, then they attended the American Brewers Guild in California. After that they worked for other west coast breweries to expand their knowledge. In 1996, the Olympics brought Freddy to Atlanta. He decided it would be a great place for a brewery, and he and Kevin scraped together just enough money to get started. As they were building the brewery, Freddy was kayaking down Sweetwater Creek, in a state park near the brewery, and decided that it would be a great name for the brewery. Initial distribution was in the local Atlanta area.

As business increased, SweetWater outgrew its old location, and moved to a new building in 2004 in Midtown Atlanta. This new facility was 25,000 square feet, with enough capacity to brew 100,000 barrels of beer a year. Their brews were unpasteurized and designed to be consumed fresh, so distribution was limited to Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The brewery underwent another expansion in 2012 to increase square footage to 115,000 and barrel production to 500,000 a year, allowing for expansion in the Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia markets. They are the second-largest brewer in the southeast and the 27th largest brewer in the U.S. Currently, the brewery has 6 year‐round brews, 6 "Catch and Release" seasonals, and has also brewed 2 one‐time‐only "Dank Tank" beers. SweetWater was named Grand Champion of the 2012 U.S. Open Beer Championship, taking home 3 gold and 3 silver medals.

SweetWater Blue is a light-bodied fruit ale with a hint of blueberries, and was one of the 2 original beers to be brewed during start-up. It won a bronze medal at the 1998 World Beer Festival. Weighted average on ratebeer.com is 3.01 out of 5.

SweetWater Official Website