SweetWater Brewing Company - BC Lager

Inspired by, and brewed as a collaboration with, Broken Coast, one of British Columbia’s premier licensed cannabis growers, BC Lager pours a bright golden hue with good clarity and a robust cap of fluffy foam. On the nose, look for a light touch of pilsner malt to form a bready undertone, while brightly spicy, herbal, and lightly citric hop aromas produce an interesting profile melding American and central European impressions. On the palate, we found this lager smooth and easy-drinking with tons of hop flavor without tons of hop bitterness. Atop the crackery malt backbone lies an array of herbal tones, earth, cut grass, and coriander-like spice that pairs nicely with citric notes of key lime and orange peel, and a dash of tropical flora. For pairing options, we’re thinking grilled burgers, hot dogs, and brats; fried chicken with grilled corn on the cob; or pizza with basil and spicy sausage. Cheers!

SweetWater founders Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney met as roommates at the University of Colorado, Boulder. They quickly realized that they had more of an affinity for beer than books, and began dreaming of starting a microbrewery. After graduating, they headed off to California to attend brewing school at UC Davis, after which the two friends honed their craft by working for a number of breweries on the West Coast. In 1996, Freddy visited Atlanta and decided that the town was in dire need of a quality microbrewery. With the help of family and friends, Freddy and Kevin amassed enough capital to get their dream off the ground.

SweetWater Brewing Company (named after a local creek on which Freddy liked to kayak) opened for business in 1997, and after driving all over the city in an old van, Freddy and Kevin managed to line up a few bars interested in their new West Coast style beers. Their beers were a hit, and in the 1998 World Beer Cup, SweetWater walked away with the second highest number of medals. Then in 2002, they were named Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival.

After several years of strong growth, the brewery was relocated in 2004 from its original location on Atlanta’s west side to a larger facility near Ansley Park in mid-town Atlanta. But, within just a few short years demand increased to the point that the brewhouse was in near continuous operation – 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year – necessitating a major expansion in 2012. The new features included Atlanta’s largest privately owned solar array, capable of generating 157 KwH of clean electricity, as well as top-of-the-line computerized brewing equipment that allows SweetWater to slow down the human side of the brewing process to increase quality control, while simultaneously increasing their overall output. In 2016, SweetWater launched their "Woodlands Project" in an adjacent building, which is focused on their barrel-aging program and small batches of sour, funky, and experimental beers. For more information about the brewery and their taproom, call 404-691-2537 or check out their web site at www.sweetwaterbrew.com.