Topic Archives: SweetWater Dank Tank Series

Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Headlines

SweetWater brews with wasabi in future ‘Torikumi’ release

SweetWater Torikumi

SweetWater Torikumi, a collaboration with Colorado based Telluride Brewing,

This release is where the brewery’s side project series known as “Dank Tank” is going to a get a little weird. SweetWater Torikumi is a blonde ale, infused with wasabi.

Wasabi, which shares its family with the likes of mustard and horseradish, is pungent. The vapors alone will wake you out of a coma. According to SweetWater, a lighter style was chosen to accentuate the flavor of wasabi, while still being crisp and drinkable. The idea is NOT to destroy your senses with each sip.

RELATED: SweetWater Wookie Down, because 420 Fest

This isn’t wasabi’s first rodeo in brewing. Back in 2014, Dogfish Head created Rosabi, an imperial pale ale brewed with the aromatic plant. Foodies were instantly in love the ale.

Sumo Danko vs King Dragon Fish: Two men enter, one man leaves. Sumo Danko hails from the back hills of Georgia, is feared and revered for his fists of fury, oversized sack of hops, low-grade narcolepsy, and a penchant for buggery.

King Dragon Fish is a mountain dweller from TaHellYaRide, with an insane ability to break trees with his ankles, occasional bouts with gout and high altitude Tommy boy foolishness; usually found face down….

SweetWater Torikumi will be availalble in 16 ounce cans and draft. The brewery has not yet announced this beer.

Style: Blonde Ale (w/ Wasabi)
Hops:
Malts: 2 Row Wheat, Carapils, Oat Flakes, Rye

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft
Debut: TBA

7.5% ABV

Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

SweetWater Wookie Down emerges from the Dank Tank this week

SweetWater Wookie Down joins the brewery’s Dank Tank Series starting this week.

Recently the Atlanta-based brewery re-brewed Pulled Porter from the Dank series. This was the first time the brewery canned a Dank Tank release. Now apart of the same series is SweetWater Wookie Down, an imperial red ale.

RELATED: SweetWater Dank Tank Series

This forthcoming release is brewed in celebration of the brewery’s annual 420 Fest,  held every April in downtown Atlanta. You might recall 420 Fest Double IPA from 2015.

This edition is an imperial red ale, big on tropical citrus flavors and a sweet malt body.

Dressed to get pressed at the fest, El Dank took one whiff of his stash of Simcoe, Mosaic and Waimea hops and dove straight in. Feeling no pain with lots to gain, El D saddled up next to a big bodied mahogany/red beauty of an ale looking to mingle a blast of his stash of tropical citrus aromas with her big bodacious sweet maltified booty. Overindulging as always, Danko peaked at 7.6% ABV, causing him to spin with the spinners ’til he spun out and was left face up in the field. Eyes open but case closed.

The 2017 fest lineup includes Widespread Panic, Ween, and Slightly Stoopid.

SweetWater Wookie Down is a draft and 16 ounce can release, starting in mid-March.

Style: Imperial Red Ale
Availability: 16oz cans, Draft.
Debut: Mid-March, 2017

7.6% ABV, 82 IBUs

Posted in Headlines, Seasonal Return, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater Pulled Porter (tastes like bacon) returns in cans

SweetWater Pulled Porter cans

SweetWater Pulled Porter is returning the Atlanta, Georgia brewery’s lineup this week. The beer debuted a year ago as a part of the “Dank Tank” Series.

Pulled Porter unites SweetWater and Atlanta food icon Fox Brothers BBQ into one neat little pint. Sure, you could order some German smoked malt and brew up a rauchbier. That’s the easy way. The brewery is based in The South, land of barbecue. SweetWater’s head brewer Nick Nock took some of Pulled’s base grain to Fox Brothers and had them smoke the malt the same way they smoke their highly sought after pork and brisket. (See images below.)

While smoke beers might not be your style, Pulled Porter might just change your mind. The smokey flavor is very savory; reminiscent to flavors of cooked bacon, and less like a hot house fire. The remaining unsmoked malt gives this beer a touch of chocolate. Basically, a backyard BBQ beer that doesn’t get your hands sticky.

Not only is Pulled Porter back in action once starting this week, it is available in 16 ounce cans for the first time.

On the farm way too long, ol’ McDanko began showing some worrisome tendencies. Following a solid session in the hot box smoking malt, he was overcome by a methane cloud emoted from the herd. Ya heard? Reaching for the hops, he goofed and grabbed porky by the e-i-e-i-oh and plopped her in the brew kettle slow and low —that is the tempo. Knock knock —who’s them? It’s McDanko’s inbred neighbor, Geri Reynolds, swinging by delivering his deliverance with some fat back hem and some fat back them. Stepping out past some Foxy brothers picking a banjo on the porch to sample his wares, McDanko, doubled over the chopping block and squealed like a pig – wieii wieii — proclaiming this to be the most bodacious bacon beer brewed this side of the Chattoog-a!

Important to note, meant was not used during the brewing process. However, some of the malt was smoked in commercial smokers which IS home to  meat for hours every day.

SweetWater Pulled Porter can be found on tap and 16 ounce cans. Expect cans on shelves across the brewery’s lineup sometime in December.

Style: Smoked Porter
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Latest Return: December, 2016

7.7% ABV

Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Debut day: SweetWater Smokey and the Brett. It’s fantastic.

SweetWater Smokey & the Brett bottle

SweetWater Smokey and the Brett debuts today; a part of the brewery’s ongoing Dank Tank Series. The name is actually based on an all too real beer heist (not just an amazing movie).

Let’s begin with the real story. Employees arrived at the brewery back in June, to find two flatbeds full of freshly packed beer missing. As it turns out, thieves drove up to the brewery in an 18 wheel cab and drove off with the flatbeds. The geniuses didn’t disable the GPS trackers, and it wasn’t long before the beer was recovered.

RELATED: SweetWater retires Hop Hash

If you think about it, it’s a little bit like the Burt Reynolds classic – Smokey and the Bandit. Minus a rockstar cast, Sally Field, and well, real life crime.

SweetWater Smokey and the Brett – wild India pale ale (that is, brewed with Brettanomyces) spawns the next fictitious adventure of the series main character, El Danko.

What You’re Sippin: Slow fermentation of Brettanomyces gives aromas of grapefruit and apricot. Acidity and tartness fade into light bitterness from a well balanced hop profile. Dry hopping showcases the New Zealand nugs, creating a slightly sweet and funky, complex and developed Brett IPA.

The brewery really nailed it on this release. Smokey is the most brettanomyces forward beer SweetWater has never released. Very hop forward and bright. Expect citrusy, juicy hops woven into a big brett background.

SweetWater Smokey and the Brett is a draft and 22 ounce bottle offering for a limited time stating August 31st.

Style: American Wild Ale
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: 8/31/16

7.3% ABV

Ed Note: The beer is a “brett IPA” per SweetWater. Because of the Brettanomyces, we classify this as American Wild Ale. 

Posted in Headlines, New Releases, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater 420 Fest Double IPA Arrives in April

SweetWater 420 Fest Double IPA

SweetWater Brewery’s (Atlanta, GA) next Dank Tank Series offering celebrates eleven years of their popular 420 fest.

SweetWater 420 Fest Double IPA features an 8% imperial IPA using lemon drop hops and a new experimental breed.

100% Marris Otter grain for clean, malty profile and brewed to yield a full body to balance the high hop bitterness. Hop flavors and aromas are grapefruit, lemon herbal, black currant, and mint. This Double IPA is a great citrusy beer for a warm weather fest!

The 2015 festival features headline acts like Snoop Dog, 311, and Primus, just to name a few. The brewery will sneak preview this beer at the brewery on March 26th, at 4:20 pm.

22oz bottles of SweetWater 420 Fest Double IPA will flow to the markets shortly after.

420 Fest tickets are on sale now, at 420Fest.com

Style: Imperial IPA
Hops: Lemon Drop, Exp. 052236
Malts: Marris Otter Pale Ale Malt

Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft
Release: April, 2015

8% ABV

Posted in Headlines, New Releases, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater’s Newest: Johnny Hash [VIDEO]

SweetWater Brewery has just released their latest edition to their Dank Tank Series, Johnny Hash. Hash is an imperial IPA brewed with Citra Hop Hash, a “hop chunk” of citra hop leftovers after it is extruded into pellets.

The brewery’s “bar boss” Derrick Atkinson gives you the rundown on hop hash, and this new imperial IPA. Look for Johnny Hash in 22oz bombers and draft for a limited time.

Style: Imperial IPA
Hops: Citra Hop Hash

Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft.

8.5% ABV

Posted in Coming Soon, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater Johnny Hash Up Next for Dank Tank

Debuting in April just behind SweetWater’s 17th Anniversary Saison will be Johnny Hash, a presumably imperial IPA.

Last year for IPA Day, and for the SweetWater Experience at 420 Fest, the brewery debuted an experimental edition of their year round IPA, brewed with Hop Hash. “Hop Hash”is a different from the pelletized hops that are used in the day to day operations.

Hopped to the gills, this brew will pack a hash-filled punch and may leave folks unable to walk the line – hence its name—Johnny Hash.

Head brewer will be on video with Beer Street Journal soon to discuss the use and techniques.

Look for Johnny Hash in 22oz bottles and draft for a limited time.

Read more: SweetWater News