-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
16th Anniversary Ale Red Wheat Wine
SweetWater Brewing Company
- From:
- SweetWater Brewing Company
- Georgia, United States
- Style:
- Wheatwine
- ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 10.76%
- Reviews:
- 35
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 01, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 10, 2013
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 16
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by wrw5031:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by argock from Virginia
3.74/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Received long ago as a gift from good friend Erinn. Bottled in 2013. Poured into a Chimay chalice.
A: Dark amber with a thin rim of bubbles at the chalice interface with some scrappy blobs of lacing hanging on.
S: Medium caramel and breadiness, with some plum and date fruitiness and light herbal hop character. A whiff of fruity alcohol in the back end of the aroma. Retronasal with more caramel and dark fruit.
T: Flavor is sweet on the whole with light nuttiness, burnt medium caramel (probably enhanced by oxidation), with date and prune with herbal, grassy hops. Alcohol is warming but not a flavor-killer with light fruity esters. Enjoyable but very sweet.
M: Very light body for the ABV with reasonably spritz carbonation for the age and soft finish.
O: Sweetwater Wheatwine 16 has held up pretty well but some oxidation holds it back at 9 years from being excellent.
Jan 01, 2023A: Dark amber with a thin rim of bubbles at the chalice interface with some scrappy blobs of lacing hanging on.
S: Medium caramel and breadiness, with some plum and date fruitiness and light herbal hop character. A whiff of fruity alcohol in the back end of the aroma. Retronasal with more caramel and dark fruit.
T: Flavor is sweet on the whole with light nuttiness, burnt medium caramel (probably enhanced by oxidation), with date and prune with herbal, grassy hops. Alcohol is warming but not a flavor-killer with light fruity esters. Enjoyable but very sweet.
M: Very light body for the ABV with reasonably spritz carbonation for the age and soft finish.
O: Sweetwater Wheatwine 16 has held up pretty well but some oxidation holds it back at 9 years from being excellent.
Rated by NolaHopHead from Louisiana
3.95/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Held up nicely after 6 years.
Jun 11, 2019Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance; Pours chestnut brown with a frothy ecru head; a few spots of foam cling
Smell: Crusty bread, caramel and overripe stone fruit; herbal and piney tones buttress
Taste: Crusty bread, caramel and strong earthy and herbal tones; piney bitterness, through the middle, and boozy warmth in the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; warmth in the gullet
Overall: Four years in and this wheat wine is drinking nicely indeed
May 29, 2017Smell: Crusty bread, caramel and overripe stone fruit; herbal and piney tones buttress
Taste: Crusty bread, caramel and strong earthy and herbal tones; piney bitterness, through the middle, and boozy warmth in the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; warmth in the gullet
Overall: Four years in and this wheat wine is drinking nicely indeed
Reviewed by KensWorld from Florida
4.47/5 rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.47/5 rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Found this dusty bottle and had to get it. high alcohol told me it should be still drinkable.
L = 1/2 inch of light brown foam over cloudy muddy brown.
S = Like a Barleywine, very malty.
T = Smooth & mellow malt forward, slight alcohol burn, toffee & caramel aftertaste.
F = Very light for such a big abv beer.
0 = Way better then expected. I wish I was able to try this fresh To see how it had changed with aging. I believe it has mellowed out to perfection!
Oct 06, 2016L = 1/2 inch of light brown foam over cloudy muddy brown.
S = Like a Barleywine, very malty.
T = Smooth & mellow malt forward, slight alcohol burn, toffee & caramel aftertaste.
F = Very light for such a big abv beer.
0 = Way better then expected. I wish I was able to try this fresh To see how it had changed with aging. I believe it has mellowed out to perfection!
Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland
3.92/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From BeerAdvocate Magazine #75 (April 2013):
First off, cheers to Sweetwater for 16 years of success and a respectful nod for taking on the Wheatwine style. A really great example of the style, a style that has not really been fully explored or even defined. Seek this brew out, well worth the effort.
STYLE: Wheatwine
ABV: 11.0%
AVAILABILITY: Limited
LOOK: Clear ruby red, impressive lacing
SMELL: Sweet, bready, caramel, stone fruit, peppery alcohol, tangerine pulp
TASTE: Creamy, smooth, full bodied, malt bomb, loaf of bread, warming alcohol, mildly spicy, earthy, leafy, dates, hay, dragon fruit, parsley, semisweet alcoholic finish
Mar 07, 2015First off, cheers to Sweetwater for 16 years of success and a respectful nod for taking on the Wheatwine style. A really great example of the style, a style that has not really been fully explored or even defined. Seek this brew out, well worth the effort.
STYLE: Wheatwine
ABV: 11.0%
AVAILABILITY: Limited
LOOK: Clear ruby red, impressive lacing
SMELL: Sweet, bready, caramel, stone fruit, peppery alcohol, tangerine pulp
TASTE: Creamy, smooth, full bodied, malt bomb, loaf of bread, warming alcohol, mildly spicy, earthy, leafy, dates, hay, dragon fruit, parsley, semisweet alcoholic finish
Rated by Paincane from Georgia
3.49/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Reddish amber body with a light tan head with good lacing. Red wine, wheat, grain, dark ripe fruity nose and flavors. Medium bodied.
Jan 19, 2015Reviewed by MNishCT77 from District of Columbia
3.17/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.17/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
22 oz. bottle from Fri., 01/02/2014 tasting (thanks, Erich and Sara!), unknown brewing/packaging dates, poured into a snifter glass, drank over ~30 minutes
Jan 09, 2015Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia
3.97/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
"For our super heady 16 year anni beer we stepped on the gas and headed down the road less traveled! Our B-day present to ourselves is a Racy Red Wheat Wine Ale Racy Red Wheat Wine Ale Racy Red Wheat Wine Ale. Sucker! The SSAB "not a SAAB" rips down the road at Alc. 11% by Vol., fueled by a 45% wheat bomb with an afterburner hop shot of Amarillo, Willamette, Nelson Sauvin, and US Goldings that pushes this baby to the limit of sensory overload." Brewed in the style of a Wheatwine. Available in limited run 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a SweetWater snifter. Served above 53 degrees fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a crisp, frothy caramel white head over a maple brown body with red highlights. Plenty of specked pulpy sediment is in tow and there is light relaxed carbonation. Retention is above average and lacing is light and patchy. 3.5
(Smell) Aromas of wheat , caramel sugar and a syrupy fruitiness. Aromatic notes of banana and clove light up the nose. At this stage, there is nearly no perceivable alcohol, but a fair deal of complexity. This has aged quite gracefully, very aromatic and smooth in presentation. 4
(Taste) Soft chewy wheat malt with a lesser caramel grain malt joined by a soft sweetness. Fruit notes of raisin, fig and date accompanied by some mild grain alcohol give a half-subtle nod to the 11% ABV. It's a little edgier than the aroma suggested but overall far toned down from my expectations. 4
(Mouthfeel) The texture is slick, moderately sticky, medium chewy and medium dry. Carbonation generates a soft frothiness for a smooth, slick mouthfeel. Body is medium+ for the style, shy of heavy overall. Balance is slightly grainy and fruity over sweet. The alcohol presence is moderate and off characters are minimal to none. 4
(Overall) This is certainly one anniversary ale that you could carefully age for a good long while without significant issues. It's quite an enjoyable wheatwine too, with noticeable wheat in the flavor as well as in the texture and despite the high alcohol content, it's considerably reserved in how much of that booziness comes forward. I have another bottle that I will no doubt save for a later time. If you find a dusty bottle of this ale lying around, it's worth giving a try and seemingly not past its prime. 4
SweetWater Brewing Company's
So Fine 16 Red Wheat Wine Ale
3.98/5.00
Oct 09, 2014Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a SweetWater snifter. Served above 53 degrees fahrenheit.
(Appearance) Pours a crisp, frothy caramel white head over a maple brown body with red highlights. Plenty of specked pulpy sediment is in tow and there is light relaxed carbonation. Retention is above average and lacing is light and patchy. 3.5
(Smell) Aromas of wheat , caramel sugar and a syrupy fruitiness. Aromatic notes of banana and clove light up the nose. At this stage, there is nearly no perceivable alcohol, but a fair deal of complexity. This has aged quite gracefully, very aromatic and smooth in presentation. 4
(Taste) Soft chewy wheat malt with a lesser caramel grain malt joined by a soft sweetness. Fruit notes of raisin, fig and date accompanied by some mild grain alcohol give a half-subtle nod to the 11% ABV. It's a little edgier than the aroma suggested but overall far toned down from my expectations. 4
(Mouthfeel) The texture is slick, moderately sticky, medium chewy and medium dry. Carbonation generates a soft frothiness for a smooth, slick mouthfeel. Body is medium+ for the style, shy of heavy overall. Balance is slightly grainy and fruity over sweet. The alcohol presence is moderate and off characters are minimal to none. 4
(Overall) This is certainly one anniversary ale that you could carefully age for a good long while without significant issues. It's quite an enjoyable wheatwine too, with noticeable wheat in the flavor as well as in the texture and despite the high alcohol content, it's considerably reserved in how much of that booziness comes forward. I have another bottle that I will no doubt save for a later time. If you find a dusty bottle of this ale lying around, it's worth giving a try and seemingly not past its prime. 4
SweetWater Brewing Company's
So Fine 16 Red Wheat Wine Ale
3.98/5.00
16th Anniversary Ale Red Wheat Wine from SweetWater Brewing Company
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
128 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!