-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
420 Fest Double IPA
SweetWater Brewing Company
- From:
- SweetWater Brewing Company
- Georgia, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
- ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 90
- Avg:
- 4.06 | pDev: 6.65%
- Reviews:
- 14
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 25, 2016
- Added:
- Apr 04, 2015
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 31
The newest beer to the Dank Tank line is brewed with 100-percent Marris Otter grain for a clean, malty finish. Turning up the funk on this brew, SweetWater worked with the Hopsteiner Breeding Program in Yakima Washington to throw in two new varieties of experimental hops – Eureka™ and Lemondrop™. Eureka™ yields a blend of black currants, dark fruit, strong herbal notes, pine tree, mint, grapefruit rind, citrus, and tangerine; while Lemondrop™ gives off lemon, citrus, orange, grapefruit, and “Amarillo-like” notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BeerDawgs:
Reviewed by BeerDawgs from Georgia
4.28/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.28/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A 22oz picked up in late March 2015 at Greens on Buford Hwy
L - Bronze copper, with 1 finger of lace and sticky lace left all over the glass. This is a poster child of how a IPA should look
S - Big wet dank citrus notes. Hoppy. Smells more potent than 8%
T - Delicious well balanced citrus and malty DIPA. Not overly hoppy or strong. This one is well balanced and just about perfect
F - Well carbonated.
O - I disagree with previous reviewers. This is a damn good tasty DIPA thats not too strong it knocks you out and Sweetwater makes better IPA and DIPA's as compared to the new local competitors.
Apr 08, 2015L - Bronze copper, with 1 finger of lace and sticky lace left all over the glass. This is a poster child of how a IPA should look
S - Big wet dank citrus notes. Hoppy. Smells more potent than 8%
T - Delicious well balanced citrus and malty DIPA. Not overly hoppy or strong. This one is well balanced and just about perfect
F - Well carbonated.
O - I disagree with previous reviewers. This is a damn good tasty DIPA thats not too strong it knocks you out and Sweetwater makes better IPA and DIPA's as compared to the new local competitors.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by M_C_Hampton from Georgia
4.05/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: poured from a 22 oz bottle into a pint glass, orange amber colored with a short white head that dissipates leaving little lacing, cloudy
S: very unique for a DIPA, cherry, dark fruit, raisins, blackcurrant, lemon
T: quite sweet with a earthy dark fruit flavors, lemon zest, grapefruit peel, figs, cherry
M: sticky with higher than expected carbonation that is prickly
O: the smell of this beer is it's most unique quality, borders on an American strong ale range of flavors
Oct 03, 2015S: very unique for a DIPA, cherry, dark fruit, raisins, blackcurrant, lemon
T: quite sweet with a earthy dark fruit flavors, lemon zest, grapefruit peel, figs, cherry
M: sticky with higher than expected carbonation that is prickly
O: the smell of this beer is it's most unique quality, borders on an American strong ale range of flavors
Reviewed by ordybill from Georgia
4.29/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A clear amber colored beer with a medium sized white head. The aroma is pure hop heaven., very inviting. The flavor matches the smell. The brew has a dry finish and is very enjoyable. The beer was a bomber poured into a pint glass.
Aug 30, 2015Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
3.86/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.86/5 rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
"It all started 11 years ago with a couple of hippie bands, 420 people, 80 dogs, and 50 kegs kicking off the first 420 Fest. Our fest was created as our way to give back and recognize the great community that has made SweetWater what it is today. This year we are ripping the lid off this sucker!" Brewed in the style of an American Imperial IPA brewed with Experimental hops added. Available in limited 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above degrees Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a frothy foam head of a pale gold color over a mildly hazy orange amber body with lively, plentiful carbonation and thin flecked sediment. Retention is very good and lacing is light and patchy. 4
(Smell) The experimental hop blend in this beer generates dank notes of lemon, grapefruit peel and herbal tea, atop a gentle pale malt body. Potency is moderate. 3.5
(Taste) Clean caramel syrup malts with a touch of biscuit body meets a moderately bitter hop blend of lemony, fruity and sweet tropical hops. This is a fairly sweet and clean bodied DIPA but one that plays with equally accessible and bright hop flavors to pair, along with an appropriate amount of bitterness to counter. I like the finished product, find it very well done, and very easy to drink. 4
(Mouthfeel) Texture is smooth, slick, moderately residual, lightly syrupy, mildly dry. Carbonation is modest, generating a medium frothiness and a mildly crisp finish. Body is medium for the style, medium+ overall. Balance is nearly evenly bitter to sweet, with the latter seeming to take an edge on an account of the contributing sweet and syrupy hop flavors. Alcohol presence is low and there are no off characters. 3.75
(Overall) I don't have very many criticisms of this Double IPA to mention. It's good to see the occasional Double IPA that doesn't go for broke with over-the-top bitterness and a gruff, grainy malt body. 420 Fest hits the mark as a solid, flavorful and drinkable IPA with a slightly enhanced alcohol content, but consider it an IPA-and-a-half, if you will. 4
SweetWater Brewing Company's
420 Fest Double IPA
3.86/5.00
Aug 27, 2015Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above degrees Fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a frothy foam head of a pale gold color over a mildly hazy orange amber body with lively, plentiful carbonation and thin flecked sediment. Retention is very good and lacing is light and patchy. 4
(Smell) The experimental hop blend in this beer generates dank notes of lemon, grapefruit peel and herbal tea, atop a gentle pale malt body. Potency is moderate. 3.5
(Taste) Clean caramel syrup malts with a touch of biscuit body meets a moderately bitter hop blend of lemony, fruity and sweet tropical hops. This is a fairly sweet and clean bodied DIPA but one that plays with equally accessible and bright hop flavors to pair, along with an appropriate amount of bitterness to counter. I like the finished product, find it very well done, and very easy to drink. 4
(Mouthfeel) Texture is smooth, slick, moderately residual, lightly syrupy, mildly dry. Carbonation is modest, generating a medium frothiness and a mildly crisp finish. Body is medium for the style, medium+ overall. Balance is nearly evenly bitter to sweet, with the latter seeming to take an edge on an account of the contributing sweet and syrupy hop flavors. Alcohol presence is low and there are no off characters. 3.75
(Overall) I don't have very many criticisms of this Double IPA to mention. It's good to see the occasional Double IPA that doesn't go for broke with over-the-top bitterness and a gruff, grainy malt body. 420 Fest hits the mark as a solid, flavorful and drinkable IPA with a slightly enhanced alcohol content, but consider it an IPA-and-a-half, if you will. 4
SweetWater Brewing Company's
420 Fest Double IPA
3.86/5.00
420 Fest Double IPA from SweetWater Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
108 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!