Sweet Water Brewery 420 Strain: Insane OG

“Crisp cracker and herbal Noble hops intertwine with slight skunk—complementary and inviting. Great balance between sweetness and bitterness. Finishes quickly. Every sip is fluffy and delicate. I could see myself drinking quite a bit of this on a hot summer day while doing yard work. You’d swear a bit of citrus was snuck into this.”

“Acidic, fresh-cut lime in a glass with salt on the rim. A bit of malt sweetness balances the lime. There’s beer here somewhere, but the slight agave sweetness and rich lime present like a margarita. Salt adds complexity and rounds it out.”

**Aroma:** “Floral aroma—almost lavender—with a light lemony background. Floral fades as it warms, and it morphs into more of a citrusy grapefruit. Some pear cocktail with lemon rind and even tangerine notes up front. A touch catty and floral but gives way to resinous piney notes.” **Flavor:** “Very strong lemony flavor— bright and citrus-focused with light floral flavors in the finish. Not at all what I was expecting based on the aroma. The finish has a lingering bitterness that borders on astringent. Some catty, black currant notes and just a hint of malt sweetness.” **Overall:** “Despite the weird and overpowering aroma, I was pleasantly surprised to find a powerful, lemon-focused hops flavor with enough bitterness to keep the malt profile in check. Shows flashes of greatness, but the high bitterness detracts from the overall. Dial back the IBUs to make it a bit more drinkable and I’ll buy a lot.”