As hard as it is to believe, Atlanta, GA-based SweetWater Brewing Company has been churning out their scrumptious wares for a decade-and-a-half this year. The brewery sold its first keg of beer on February 17th, 1997, and just recently began a huge expansion which will be completed later this year. They're celebrating both the big one-five and the expansion in grand fashion, with a "15 Years of Heady Beers" celebration at the brewery this Saturday, February 18th.
To celebrate such a milestone, last year SweetWater brought in one of their original co-founders, Kevin McNerney, to brew up a special brew along with the brewery's "Big Kahuna," Freddy Bensch; their brewmaster, Mark Medlin; their head brewer, Nick Nock; and their head cellarman, Dick Rigsby. Seven malts, one of which McNerney personally toasted in his toaster oven "just like the old days," and five hop varieties were used to craft the brew; the result, 15 Years of Heady Beers, is a beefed-up "barleywine-style" version of the brewery's original ESB recipe weighing in at 10% ABV.
For the 15th anniversary celebration, the brewery is opening its doors at 195 Ottley Drive in Atlanta from 2-6 pm this Saturday and will be bringing out a plethora of special beers from their "stash." Here's the lineup you can expect if you attend:
15 Years of Heady Beers
15 Years of Heady Beers, cask-conditioned and dry-hopped with the "C's" (they don't say which of the "C's" are used, but the most likely culprits are Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, and Centennial)
15 Years of Heady Beers, cask-conditioned and dry-hopped with Noble hops (also, they don't specify which varieties, but these include Hallertauer, Saaz, Spalt, Tettnang, and sometimes East Kent Goldings and Fuggles)
Festive Ale (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 versions)
Fresh Sticky Nugs
Big Ol' Belgian Blue Balls
Mean Joe Bean
BSP Quad
Ghoulash
420 IPA
The Creeper (three barrel-aged versions -- one incorporating Brettanomyces yeast, one with raspberries, and one with blackberries)
Happy Ending and the year-round brews (420 Extra Pale Ale, IPA, Blue, Georgia Brown, and the newly year-round Exodus Porter)
...as well as "a couple surprises from the stash."
The party isn't exclusive -- far from it, actually, as over 900 people are already listed as attending on the event's Facebook page. The brewery has stated that it will be run similarly to their tours, only on a more massive scale, and tours will be available during the event as well.
Short notice, or simply can't make the trip to Atlanta for the event? No worries, as Augusta's gem of a watering hole, Rooster's Beak, will have you covered, as usual. Tomorrow night, Friday, February 17th, the restaurant will be tapping a keg of the 15th Anniversary ale. Just be sure to get some as soon as possible, because it's sure to go quickly.
Join me in raising a glass to SweetWater and all that they do for the surrounding communities and, of course, for all of their great beers. Here's to another fifteen!
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