Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale

Brewed by Sweetwater Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Via CaptainCougar. The beer pours to a very clean looking glowing amber body with a lasting white head and a decent lacing. The aroma is piney and dried pineapples and papaya. The flavor is lightly piney with dried papaya and light graham crackers. Nice centennial hops. The palate, unfortunately, leaves a lingering leafy bitterness that I didn’t like. There are somethings I like about this beer, some not. Perhaps this is just edging on a touch old?

12oz - best before 9/27/06 - thanks Secret Santa July 06. Aroma of malt and lemon. Pours transparent yellow with no head or lacing. Flavor is a pretty bland malty brew with a hint of lemon. Really isn’t much palate either. I can see this being popular is the heat of the South and after I mow my lawn, but otherwise not too exciting.

Nice little piney nose to it, big thin head with some lacing. Caronated bite, then a mild hoppiness, a slight mettalic finish, although this could be the specific beer or date. I was expecting a better apa since it claims to be in the west coast category. Quite quaffale though. Overall is ok, im glad the south is at least trying.

Cloudy, or mabey it was the glass. Darker yellow color. Crisp and sweet. Good for any occaction.

Rotten eggs??....but in a good way she says.......so it has a wonderful pale amber color....fruity aroma.....bought it in Bryson City, NC....bought it for the name....loved it so much ...bought over a case...everyone who tried it back home dug it...and we are still diggin it....it is one of the most approachable roachable beers ever released into a bottle...:)

This is the beer that got me into the Beer Thing. Shared a 6pk with Chuck Tinsley in the East Piedmont Publix (#280) parking lot in 1997. Was hooked ever since. Got the Tshirt. I ordered this beer anywhere I could find it. Until I found ROGUE and the Pacific Northwest. Golden in color. Very well balanced. Quality seems to have gone down as popularity of the brewery has gone up.

draught. I’ve been waiting for that moment when I stroll into a southeastern bar and realize that I’ve rated everything they have to offer except for the 420 PA. Well, it finally happened yesterday. Pours a nice shade of copper with a dense, white head. There is rich grapefruit and subtle caramel in the nose. Overall, it’s a touch flat in its brightness, but certainly at least pleasantly zesty. It’s semi creamy with a slightly sour finish. Easily good enough for a session brew.
[Nov. 29, 2007]
Bottle best before February 9, 2008. Holy crap! Something worthwhile actually showed up in my hometown. I picked this one up right away, not because it’s awesome, but because it does not suck and it’s for sale two miles away. This is a typical American pale ale, but very well balanced and clean. The malts are juicy with tasteful caramel suggestions and the hops highlight things a little bit and leave a desirable sting in the finish. I could definitely use some more hop character on this one, as it’s quite weak, but it’s still a clean, tasty, easy to drink ale. I am praying for Sweetwater’s IPA to show up next.
[Feb 14, 2008]
Bottle, somehow the best before stamp missed this 6 pack. Nice mild APA nose, a bit of friendly citrus hops and pleasing doughy malts. Body is fairly light along with the flavor. The first noticed thing is a slightly herbal tinged, caramel, biscuit profile with an accessible dry kick in the end. This is a clean, crisp, consistent beverage that could serve as an excellent gateway into craft-ale territory or a trustworthy quencher for beer lovers looking for something a notch lighter.
[May 31, 2008]
On tap at Hair of the Dog. Pours a barely hazy gold with a very creamy head. The aroma sports some mildly spicy hops, wimpy malts, and definite suggestions of nutmeg. The mouthfeel is a little light and quite refreshing. A good, accessible mix of sweet malt and tamely spicy hops are present in the flavor and the finish is barely dry. This is a pretty standard APA, though this nutmeg flavor I’m getting now seems a little different.
[August 4, 2008]
On tap at Barley’s. Pours a slightly hazy gold with a small white head. The nose is modestly hoppy with some grapefruit and cinnamon. 420 is lightly malty with a balanced hop presence. No frills or thrills here, but a light bodied and solidly balanced APA. A predictable caramel sweetness is found with an almost textbook citrusy, spicy hop profile. I found this cinnamon thing going on to be somewhat interesting, however. Not a bad brew.

This beer came to me from my beer club and I am not familiar with the brewer. Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a copper color with a medium sized yellow-white head. The flavor is sweet fruity hops with an undertone reminiscent of fruit cocktail. The beer is moderately thick and sweet yet it still lacks a bit of a malt presence given the strength and complexity of the hops.