Feature Beer Friday! - Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale

Alright, I know, another Feature Beer that isn't locally available.  That's one of the problems with Louisiana, but it does make traveling a little more exciting to pick up beers that aren't locally available, right? Sweetwater hails from Atlanta... now I HATE Atlanta, but it's because of their sports teams, not their beer.  Atlanta, from all I've heard and read, has one of the best craft beer scenes in the South, so they have that going for them.  Which is nice.

Sweetwater Brewing has been in Atlanta since 1997, which is fairly old in the craft brewing world.  The 420 Extra Pale Ale (named for the interstate that goes around Atlanta, right?) has been one of their regulars since 1997, and they list it as their most popular beer.  I know it's pretty easy to find wherever Sweetwater is distributed, even at places like the Atlanta airport. Needless to say based on the name, it's an American Pale Ale, brewed more in the west coast style, as the founders of Sweetwater were both Colorado/West Coast trained in the brewing arts.

Now, on to the review!      

Reviewers: Eric Ducote (BR Beer Scene), Jay Ducote (Bite And Booze), James Lawson (Whiskeybomb.com), and Blake Winchell (Brasseurs A La Maison).

Serving: 12 oz. bottle.

Appearance: Light in color, white head that fades quickly.

Aroma: Hoppy, but nothing amazing, Jay thought it had a slight cantaloupe quality to it. 

Taste: Hoppy as well, Jay said it was totally drinkable and could go for more without being offended or having some taste overload.

Mouthfeel: Just alright... like Jay said before, it's a very easy drinking pale ale.

Overall: I thought that this one was a decent flagship brew, and Blake really thought it was better when he's had it before on draft.  Of the four of us, James was the least impressed, saying, "a road sign that says "IPA 20 Miles That Way," only a point in the right direction."  I can see where he's coming from, but I think that's what makes this one a lot more of a session beer than a bigger IPA would be. 

Overall Rating: 60
My Rating: 62