TheBEERSgoneBAD

- SweetWater Georgia Brown ale by Sweet water Brewing Co.

SweetWater was founded in 1997 by two friends, Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney, who met while in school at the University Colorado in Boulder. Freddy and Kevin realized they had more of a hankering for beer than books and spent their time learning how to perfect their lip smackin’ creations. The first brewery was located off of Fulton Industrial boulevard on Atlanta’s west side. February 17, 1997 marked the official beginning of SweetWater as their first beer flowed through their taps. As the demand for SweetWater continued to rise their capacity was at its max and so, in 2004 they moved to their most recent location off of Monroe and Piedmont Ave in the Ansley Industrial Park.

In 2002 SweetWater was voted Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival and Kevin McNerney was voted Brewmaster of the Year, they remain as the only brewery east of the Mississippi that has ever won this award at this festival which began in 1982. SweetWater brews have won numerous nationally recognized awards at both the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival. Distribution is limited because the beer is unpastuerized and meant to be consumed fresh; the primary market for SweetWater is Atlanta and the surrounding area. However, SweetWater is distributed to other areas of the Southeastern United States, including Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, Charlotte & Greensboro, North Carolina; Greenville, Columbia & Charleston, South Carolina;Birmingham, Alabama; and the Florida panhandle including Tallahassee extending westward into Pensacola and as far east asJacksonville. In all markets SweetWater is available on tap as well as in a bottle.

Best known for their SweetWater 420 Extra pale ale, they also make the popular SweetWater Blue, a wheat ale with hints of fresh blueberries. Other brews include the Sweetwater IPA, Georgia Brown, and Sch’Wheat American Wheat Ale. Discontinued brews include the SweetWater ESB, originally known as the SweetWater Ale, SweetWater Hummer (a belgian wheat beer), SweetWater Dubble D’s, and the SweetWater Exodus Porter(which has been brought back for the winter edition of the Tackle Box variety 12 packs). SweetWater also features its Catch and Release series of beers available on a limited basis throughout the year. Early in the Year is Happy Ending, A Dry Hopped Stout – Road Trip, a Pilsner Style Ale available Spring through Summer – Motor Boat, a dry hopped version of an ESB, out in the fall, and Festive Ale a strong spiced winter ale.

On August 28, 2007 SweetWater Draft House opened its doors on the B Concourse of Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. The SweetWater Draft House features 5 of SweetWater’s Beers on Draft and SweetWater’s look and culture throughout the space.

In July, 2011 SweetWater began the first phase of construction on their 88,000 sq.ft expansion that will bring the brewery to 114,000 total sq.ft. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2011 and will raise their annual production capacity to 500,000 barrels. The expansion will add a new packaging hall that will contain a 550btl/min Krones filler and bottling line, a new keg line and additional warehouse space. The new building will also incorporate a 157 KwH Solar Array, the largest private system the city of Atlanta. The second phase of the expansion is expected to begin in 2012 and will include the addition of several 1,000 barrel fermentation vessels. The third and final phase of the expansion will include the construction of a new 250 barrel brew house in addition to the existing 50 barrel system.