It’s not very appropriate to write about stale beer, but Sweet Water Blue is worth it. Albert No. gave it to me from his stock. I have written about Sweet Water many times and I liked it a lot for its balance. Now of course you can’t buy it in Russia, so don’t look for it. But that’s probably not even the point.
Sweet Water Blue (USA, Atlanta) – 4.6% alk. Wheat ale with blueberries. As the brewers themselves emphasize in the description of the beer – it is not a fruit beer (although it is called Fruit Beer in the untappd). Yes, it is not a smoothie, not a gose with berries, not a berliner (which can also be classified as a wheat ale). This is exactly the point where the brewer is experimenting with different components to get an interesting but balanced flavor.
Blueberries are not a very bright berry in both aroma and flavor. It is almost impossible to achieve a bright taste of blueberries in beer, and is it really necessary? The main thing is that it must be recognizable. Sweet Water Blue succeeded in doing that. What is the result?
The wheat gave a soft, full flavor. Blueberries are delicate in both flavor and aftertaste. Light, pleasant bitterness adds its tone and there is no opposition to blueberries. Excellent, delicate, balanced beer despite the fact that it is long overdue. A rating of “A.”
Now the question (rhetorical) is how! How do they manage to do that after so much time, there’s no trace of aging or oxidation in the beer?! Perhaps if you compare it to a fresh one, the taste has changed somewhat – less bitterness or blueberries are not as bright, but nothing bad happened to it.
