Sweetwater 420

[RobertHSmith]

I just kegged mine, should be carbonated and cooled by the super bowl tomorrow. The taste from the graduated cylinder was great. I think I'll back off on the munich a little next time, but otherwise it was real close.

I read on one forum where the head brewer had left Sweetwater and divulged that they bittered with centennial and the rest of the additions were cascade... noted for next time.

[RobertHSmith]

It's carbonated. It's awesome. I think it's close. I used all of the original grains and hops. Next time I'll centennial for bittering only.

[siwelwerd]

Got mine kegged this evening. Not sure exactly how close it is, but it's tasty. Should be carbonated in time for the meeting.

[stanze]

I just came back from a business trip to Atlanta and tried Sweetwater 420 for the first time. This is a delicious beer! I will definitely be adding this to the list of things to brew.

[RobertHSmith]

siwelwerd and I had a side by side of both of our versions and the SW420. Regretfully, the SW420 bottle we opened first seemed a little stale. He left the second bottle he brought with me when he had to head home. I really appreciated the second bottle btw.

I tried it yesterday and I swear I heard angles sing. Because of this, and the fact that my keg ran dry when I was pouring a 2oz taste for comparison, I'll brew this again this Sunday using this recipe:

Eff. 83%
OG 1.054; FG 1.013
6 SRM
40.7 IBU
BU:GU = 0.76
5.3 ABV; 4.1 ABW

MALT
08 lbs 02 oz 2 row
01 lbs 00 oz Munich Malt
00 lbs 12 oz Carastan

HOPS
60 min - 1 oz Centennial, (1yr old aa% calculated at 8.0%)
30 min - 0.75 oz Cascade (2.5 yr old calculated at 3.5%)
1 min - 0.75 oz Cascade (same as above)

MASH
batch sparge, mash at 148F, sparge out at 168F

I'll ferment at 67F.

To get mine closer, it needs to be dryer, have less Munich and less crystal malt. Both of our beers were a shade or two darker than the commercial version. The commercial version definitely wasn't dry hopped, but didn't contain a lot of hop flavor either. We'll see how this one turns out.

[siwelwerd]

Regretfully, the SW420 bottle we opened first seemed a little stale. He left the second bottle he brought with me when he had to head home. I really appreciated the second bottle btw.

I tried it yesterday and I swear I heard angles sing.

I finally got to the last bottle of the six pack tonight. All the other ones were stale like the one we tasted; this one in front of me right now is beautiful.

To get mine closer, it needs to be dryer, have less Munich and less crystal malt. Both of our beers were a shade or two darker than the commercial version. The commercial version definitely wasn't dry hopped, but didn't contain a lot of hop flavor either. We'll see how this one turns out.

Yeah, this bottle is pretty thin in the body. Tasting a proper version reinforces the above notions. The only other comment I'd add is that I'm not convinced it's only Cascade in the late hopping. Also, if we're going for authenticity, I'd stick with out tap water; I don't get that sort of crisp dryness in the commercial one that I associate with elevated sulfates (I added 3g or so of gypsum to the water for my version).

[RobertHSmith]

Drew my latest version is on tap, It's young, but should be ready by the end of the week if you want a sample.

I agree with you on the hop additions. This newest version of mine is IMHO a little farther away in hop taste than my last version. I'll go back to the hopping schedule I had before. Also, I think this new batch is much drier than it should be.

I think I'll go back to the original recipe minus a little of the munich. You'll have to head over for a pint to tell me what you think.

[bmock]

Holy thread revival!

I've published my own version of this recipe and will be brewing it on Nov. 6th.

http://www.mockwerksbrewing.com/2010/10 ... y-ale.html

[siwelwerd]

Looks tasty Brad. I'd go up to a whole pound of Carastan, and dry hop it. I thought with that much carastan that it would be overly caramel and maybe too sweet, but with the Carastan it works, and doesn't seem to impede drying it out. I have a wet-hopped version on tap if you want to stop by and try a pint. I'll be out of town for the next meeting, otherwise I'd bring some.

OG: 1.046 FG 1.010
8 lbs 2-row
1 lb Vienna
0.5 lb Munich
1 lb Carastan (35L)
(I ran out of wheat malt, otherwise 1/2 lb would be in there)

1/2 oz Magnum 60
2 oz (wet weight!) Homegrown Centennial 10
2 oz (wet weight!) Homegrown Centennial 5
2 oz (wet weight!) Homegrown Centennial 0
1 oz Centennial dry

Also, I highly recommend adding some sulfates to your water. I do about 3g gypsum in the mash.

[bmock]

What temp did you mash at?

[siwelwerd]

I aim for 150-151 on this one. Robert's is closer to Sweetwater 420, but my personal tastes run towards the recipe I posted above.