SweetWater 15 Years Of Heady Beers - SweetWater Brewing Company

Dope

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A dark amber pour with a huge effervescent light tan head floating on top. Fades very slowly, leaving a solid wall of fluffy lacing all along the glass.

S: Sweet caramel and toast. Toffee and raisins. Some citrus, mainly orange.

T: Orange marmalade up front, followed by caramel. Toffee and toast. Really nice toasted malt - almost nutty. Bit of piney hops in the aftertaste.

M: Pretty heavy but not syrupy or cloyingly sweet.

O: I don't know what style this is. It tastes like a really big ESB is my best guess (imperial ESB?). Nice malty aromas and flavors. I really enjoyed the toasted malt especially. Drinkable and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 03:47:44 | More by Dope

LiquidBread219

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark amber color, There was an inch of foamy head that stuck around for awhile and had some nice lacing good looking beer.

S: A lot of hops in the nose, I also picked up on some slight citrus hops (grapefruit) and what seemed to a lot of different malts.

T: Tasted of hops (a surprisingly heavy amount), malt, citrus (a little grapefruit), and caramel. It has a strong taste I think the malts come out more in the taste and balance out the hops.

M: Good amount of carbonation, Medium bodied

O: Overall a good beer in which I think it will get better with some age on it. Worth checking out if you get a chance.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 02:53:54 | More by LiquidBread219

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a Victory tulip

A- pours a nice shade of cherry red with a one finger tan head. Looks solid, though in this style, there's really nothing to compare it to...

S- getting some caramel sweetness....not a whole lot else though. Very mild aroma

T- mild spice flavor, almost like a winter warmer....there's a slight bit of bitterness. I can see why they kind of refer to this as an imperial ESB, because I get a lot of ESB qualities, just cranked up

M- medium bodied, maybe a little syrupy. Not bad

O- really like it. Not overwhelmingly hoppy, nice malt backbone....another good job from Sweetwater

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 02:32:18 | More by bigfnjoe

avalon07

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had an amber color and a clear consistency. There was an inch of foamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A lot of hops in the aroma, along with some citrus as well.

T: Tasted of hops (a surprisingly heavy amount), malt, citrus (a little grapefruit), and caramel. In a way this reminded me of a barleywine: A big, hoppy, thick flavor. Very solid.

M: An average amount of carbonation with a dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: An interesting beer that's big, potent, and well worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 12:14:26 | More by avalon07

Jadjunk

Georgia

2.95/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Taco Mac Decatur. Reviewed from Notes.

(Appearance) Arrives with a thick cream head of a heavy whipped froth consistency. Retention is an average, however. Solid lacing drapes the sides. Color is a light-copper tinged Medium brown tone, slightly hazy, letting barely enough light through to see the other side. Good appearance. 4

(Smell) Booze, amber malts, bitter hops, caramel. Mild fruit tones here and there. Low potency. Tries for boozy aromas but misses the mark there as well., Nothing exceptional. 2.5

(Taste) Very mild bitter malt with little hop presence, relying more on alcohol to balance the malt. ends with a tart ethanol-laced booze touch. Very quaffable delivery despite a crazy high abv, this is shockingly light. Alcohol only peeks in with big sips, so it's not overdone but nothing is outstanding in the taste. There's little thats memorable or original in this beer. 3

(Mouthfeel) medium creamy texture, but very smooth, perhaps too much so. Medium alcohol presence. Light/medium body. Not a great pairing of taste vs. texture. 3

(Overall) One of the most underwhelming beers I've had by Sweetwater in a while, promising much but not delivering on hardly anything. It would be best delivered as an easily accessible year round or a seasonal, but I don't find much value in it either way. It's pretty average for me. 3

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2012 01:34:58 | More by Jadjunk

kylehay2004

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: two finger off white head with nice lacing on a hazy amber with golden hues body.

S: floral, grass, oak, some caramel malts and mild sour citrus.

T: up front the sweet caramel malts and fruitness consisting of pear and orange peel transition to a grassy and piney hop finish.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: fairly complex and dynamic tasting beer. Fairly drinkable. One of the better beers from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 00:26:58 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - poured with a small head of off white foam on a clear, amber body. The head settles rapidly and leaves nice lace.

S - sweaty pine hops with some toffee and caramel.

T - thick malt up front with some spicy hops. Notes of mustard, caramel, and burnt sugar in the middle. Finishes with velvety hops, dark caramel, and strong hop bitterness.

M - medium thick body, moderate carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - nicely done, no one individual element stands out, but the overall impression is quite pleasant.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2012 01:06:22 | More by nickfl

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from bottle into a Funky Buddha snifter. Poured a ruby red orange with a one finger off-white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, caramel, caramel hop, earth, earth hop, and alcohol. The flavor was of sweet malt, caramel, caramel hop, earth, wood, earthy hop, dark fruit, and subtle sweet alcohol. Overall this was a fairly good brew. The aroma on this one was a little weak for my liking as it took me quite a bit of effort to pick up some of the things in it. The flavor on the otherhand was a little more robust and enjoyable. A really well done brew for their 15th anniversary, hopefully they keep up the good work for another 15 years.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 20:26:08 | More by thagr81us

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.63/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours out a darkish, amber-tan body with a medium-small, ivory-hued head.

Smell: Lightly bready though fairly sweet-scented malts with a loose candyish quality, a noted booziness, hint of leafy green veg, and scantly tart fruits. Gee.

Taste: Bready malts hit by a blast of cutting unrefined sweetness lightly hinting toffee and light-colored brown sugar, but mainly just sugary. Growing vegetal accent of grandmother's famous braised kale and a quick-warming alcohol presence. Soiled, lightly tart apricot and lightly pithy citrus accents. Medium-high bitterness. Squashed-together, muddled flavors on the bitterish, heated, frown-inducing finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: I'm flabbergasted, Sweetwater. This isn't what I was expecting or wanted at all. Happy Anniversary??

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 18:54:55 | More by ChainGangGuy

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter, beer is brown but clear, dark with a thin tan head of small bubbles, some lacing, nice retention, decent carbonation.

Aroma is sweet, a little peaty, a nice scotch ale aroma.

Beer is light to medium in body, nice throughout, good integration and a nice finish, the whole beer comes together nicely. A little sweet up front and a mild roastiness at the back. I'd have this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 16:07:35 | More by drabmuh

evilkalla

Alabama

2.33/5  rDev -38%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Serving: Bomber into my Arrogant Bastard Ale glass.

A: Pours a clear, reddish copper color, about an eighth inch of head on it which has dissipated somewhat. A fair level of carbonation is visible, and it laces the glass up fairly well.

S: I smelled and smelled but I don't really smell anything.

T: Somewhat tart and bitter up front, followed by a lot of malt. Bitter again on the finish. Feels lifeless in the mouth. Not good.

M: Feels fairly thick on the mouth, about right for a beer of this gravity.

O: Not good at all. Not sure what they were going for but this doesn't work for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 23:01:41 | More by evilkalla

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma is not particularly strong, but does invite with its firm maltiness and fruity note of apple and pear, along with a hint of caramel. It comes out of the bottle a clear, dark coppery amber with a respectable light golden-tan head. Mouth-filling flavor is more than what the aroma promises: a malty and fruity core, notes of apple and pear, hints of caramel and wood, and a firm alcohol bite that lets you know this is indeed a strong ale. Smooth, firm texture has minimal fizz, and leaves a woody, slightly tinny finish. Though not Sweetwater's best, this is still a worthy brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 01:16:27 | More by Cyberkedi

shivtim

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice looking bottle. Poured into a chalice.

Dark ruddy amber. Nice foamy, lasting, tan head.

Nose is really great. Sweet, bready malts. Belgian sugars. A little bit yeasty. Tiniest hints of ethanol and even chocolate malt. Very complex and enticing.

Taste is an OK strong ale. Malty. A bit of corn/grain flavors mix with ethanol on the end. Doesn't match the nose.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall it's still a nice beer. Propped up quite a bit by the great nose and strong appearance.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 01:38:32 | More by shivtim

AlCzerik

Georgia

3.1/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I just expected a lot more out of this beer. I liked it, but for their 15th anniversary edition. I was hoping for something as good as one of their dank tanks and I was left disappointed. It poured a golden brown but didnt produce a good foam. Just all in all a little disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 14:29:47 | More by AlCzerik

andrewinski1

Maine

2.43/5  rDev -35.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Thanks to Bendurgin for this one. Poured into a tulip. There is a nice quarter inch tan head that shrinks to a thin ring. The color is slightly hazy amber, not quite brown.

The aroma is burnt sugar and some kind of odd hop aroma. This doesn't quite blend well together. There is also a bit of a swampiness to the aroma.

The taste is malty and full of caramel flavor. There is some brown sugar in the taste, with a bit of a vegetal hop finish. This is okay at best.

The body is medium-full. The carbonation is very soft.

This seems purposely thrown together as if the ingredients were just doubled (I have no idea if that's the case or not).

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 05:03:40 | More by andrewinski1

Bendurgin

Maine

2.3/5  rDev -38.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A nice extra from Grant. Thanks a lot homey. Poured into a tulip. Pours a nice clear reddish homey amber color with a small white head that settles down quickly.

I'm not to sure what I"m getting out of the aroma but I'm sure it's not pleasant. I suppose earthy would be my best reach, but kind of like a compost kind of earthy. Not so good here. Boozey grassy flavors with some hints of sweet caramel. Earthy grass flavors with a pungent must.

The body is full good carbonation.

This one is (from what I understand) an imperial ESB Really doesn't come together. Nice idea but it just doesn't working for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 04:48:55 | More by Bendurgin

Callaghan

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle, into a pint glass. I noticed the head built slowly...

A: It pours a nice amber, orange-brown color, though not completely clear. Little, tiny bubbles slowly rise from the bottom of the glass, keeping the beige, two finger head alive for a little while. After 10 minutes or so, the head deflates to a thin film. A little stir of the glass brings back some.

S: Sweet and alcohol. Straight up, like a shot. A little earth element there too, but weak.

T: Almost like someone poured a couple of different beers into one glass. This doesn't remind me of an ESB. Lots of malts and hops. First the malts and then hops on the finish. Caramel, brown sugar, and general sweetness, and as it rolls over the tongue, the hops become more apparent. Pine and citrus stand out to me. There is a lot going on at one time, and it is fast. After the initial hit, a sweeter aftertaste lingers for a little while, and begs for another sip.

M: Thick and sticky. On the lips it get sticky, leading me to believe there is a lot of sugar in this. It is bitter as well, which is a nice contrast, being a bit dry on the tongue.

O: I like it, but have had better. It has a lot going on and through the entire session. From the pour to the last sip, it is different than just about any other beer. Good, but not the best. For a limited, anniversary brew, celebrating 15 years, I would have thought Sweetwater could put out something a little better than this.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 22:32:56 | More by Callaghan

jsanford

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a SweetWater Snifter

A - Pours a dark copper with a dense ivory head that settles to a wispy haze and moderate ring.
S - Big, sweet aromas of caramel, candied apple, toffee, and bready malt with some resinous orange peel and pine hop notes. Definitely smells like an "Imperial ESB".
T - Similarly sweet, lots of malty flavors of caramel, baked bread, brown sugar, and toffee with resinous hops that linger on the palate for some time and a solid dose of warming alcohol. Nice, but definitely not a balanced beer, this is all about the extremes.
M - medium-full bodied, with a fairly sticky mouthfeel and lowish carbonation.
O - Certainly an interesting beer, but not my favorite SweetWater release of late. Still, congrats on 15 years, maybe I'll grab a bottle or two and hold on to them until the next milestone!

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 04:44:35 | More by jsanford

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an orange amber with a sticky look against the glass, and a fairly short head that fades away to a thin ring. Smells sweet, like taffy, with lots of residual sugar and a hint of spiciness, as well as a light toffee or molasses note. A little spicier and dryer in the taste, but there is an almost fruit juice-after-toothpaste note here that is a bit jarring. Not that well integrated, but some interesting flavors do poke through from time to time. Some fruity notes, a bit of bubble gum, and an underlying bready layer are present in the mix. A bit watery on the edges, and a bit too sweet at the core, this is a bit of an odd duck. I usually enjoy strong ales, but I could have given this a miss. I would have liked to have seen something a little more special for the 15th anniversary.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 02:04:03 | More by Georgiabeer

superdedooperboy

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22-ounce brown glass bottle poured into a SweetWater 15th Anniversary tulip. Served at approximately 45 degrees F.

Deep copper hue with a twinge of gold, showing off a thick, creamy head of beige froth that hangs determinedly to the walls of the glass, and a sparkling clarity. The appearance certainly hearkens back to this heady brew’s ESB roots.

The nose is full of piney, resinous hop notes, with a touch of earthiness, a slight hint of booze, and a whole boatload of malt character – sweet pan-caramelized brown sugar combines with medium-toasted bread and even a bit of cashew-like nuttiness. All together, the mélange of malt and hops is more than inviting – time to dig in and see what lies underneath.

Up front, the malts lay down a big ol’ base upon which to layer the hops. Sweet caramel-drizzled biscuit is overtaken in the middle by a huge dose of earthy, herbaceous, piney hop character with some grapefruit peel and orange zest; the bitterness is dry and intense, but not overwhelming, as the malt backbone keeps things in check. Toward the back and edges of the palate, the malt picks up momentum again, with rich toffee and bread pudding enveloping the palate before the bitterness kicks back in, finishing with a very dry, toffee-resin character and a bit of light boozy alcohol that all lingers long afterward and screams for a palate cleanser – be it another quaff or something altogether different.

Body is full and heavy, but the mild-to-medium level of carbonation, combined with the fairly high bitterness leaves the brew feeling sprightlier than it really is. Alcohol is, as stated, somewhat present on the palate, and leaves a bit of a slickness in the mouthfeel, but as far as headiness goes – well, this one is really much bigger than it lets on is all I can say. Be aware!

This is one brew that could use some age, no doubt – I’d wager that it could make it at least until the brewery’s 20th birthday, which, at the rate their going, is undoubtedly going to arrive. And I can’t wait to see that party! Cheers to fifteen years of heady beers, SweetWater!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 12:11:15 | More by superdedooperboy

Merkur

Tennessee

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Beer pours a nice dark copper color with a slight amount of tan head.

Beer smells very sweet. Malt is present along with some floral hops.

Beer tastes extremely sweet. Very malty and almost caramel like with some slight hops bitterness at the end. Not as hoppy as the nose.

Mouthfeel is a bit syruppy and thick.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 01:47:00 | More by Merkur

Heavenisbeer

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Copper red in color, with a one-finger bleach white head, and wonderful, coating lacing.

S: Muted malts and fluffy floral hop tones. I was expecting more in the nose.

T: Fruity (tropical mainly) and floral hops lead off and continue through, as sweet malts (caramel and toffee) make a brief appearance midway, followed by more bitter hop tones, and a grassy/hay finish.

M: Great feel. Puffy and feathery but with a solid body and a dry, boozy finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 04:47:09 | More by Heavenisbeer

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 220z bomber pored into a Sweetwater tulip glass

A - A clear red/amber, with a touch of head and not much lace

S - Citrus hops up front. Earthy aromas

T - A double hoppy ESB. Alcohol kicks in the aftertate

M - Medium bodied. Pretty smooth

O - I feel like Sweetwater's other Dank Tanks are much better. It is very strong, but not worth the huge buzz the beer is giving me for the taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 04:03:05 | More by BeerDawgs

rmccomas

Georgia

3/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from bomber into a stemless wine glass, perfect for splitting beers for tasting in my opinion.

A: pours a hazy amber color
S: smell is an earthy bitterness, not like hops, more of a tea type bitter aroma
T: follows the nose to a tee, it doesnt taste like hops to me, just an earthy generic bitterness going on. not bad at all.
M: par for the style, medium to light, with good carbonation
O; overall this beer is just average all the way. nothing stands out as excellent about it, but its a good rep of the style

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 17:06:47 | More by rmccomas

Swim424

Florida

3.3/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

poured from bomber into sweetwater pint glass

A-pours a clear red orange with a small head with a thin layer retaining on top. appears a nice ruby red up to a light.

S-smells of floral hops and malts. smells crisp. a bit weak, but good.

T-very strong. sort of a powerful alcohol/hop bitterness up front, with a sweet maltiness in the middle going back to the same hoppy alcohol bitterness on the finish. Can definitely taste the alcohol in this one.

MF-medium body with a little hoppy coating in the mouth. definitely some carbonation.

O-This is good. If you dont like hops it definitely is not for you. very strong. Needs a bit more malt balance to it. Pretty good throughout but the finish doesn't taste right to me. Love the hops, just think it could use a bit more malt.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 03:11:59 | More by Swim424