"What would you expect from a couple of boys with more of a hankering for beer than for books?"*
Not this brewtiful baby.
Uncharacteristically understated, elegant, and complex when compared to their usual lineup, Sweetwater 18, a belgian-style tripel, celebrates Sweetwater's 18th anniversary.
Like a luscious and boozy present, the beer draws you in with its heady aroma on a first pass even before it reaches your lips; there's no hiding the 10% alcohol in this beer. Fermented using Ardennes yeast (the same used in Spinnerbait, a belgian-style red ale) the beer is balanced with subtle spiciness and mildly fruity esters that calls to be paired with something equally drool-worthy, like bacon-wrapped dates or a cheese plate dripping with walnuts and honey.
Golden and promising as its gilded label, this is definitely a beer worth singing about.
Sweetwater's founders are fond of the saying, "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time," but eighteen profitable years is a legacy worthy of consideration. And with a sour in the works not far behind this celebratory release, Sweetwater's "good times" seem to have their sights set on a long future, one that caters to both saveur and those looking to just slam some beers.
If you haven't yet had your first taste, start searching for this pot of gold before it's gone (available in 750ml bottles and draft for a limited run).
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A sample of Sweetwater 18 was provided as a courtesy to media for review. Heybrewtiful is not affiliated with Sweetwater Brewing Company and received no compensation or other undisclosed exchange for this promotion or review (a.k.a. nobody pays me to write this stuff).