Guess what time it is!
Go on, don't be shy - guess. In case the title of this page was somehow too subtle of a hint, we'll just go ahead and say it to you plainly: It's Beer:30. That's what time it is. Naturally, your follow-up question would be "What's Beer:30?" Despite its time-centric name, Beer:30 isn't a strictly defined minute or hour of the day. It's more like an umbrella term for when everyone at Do512 HQ decides to stop working so hard and have a beer together like a damn family.
Beer:30 also happens to be a first-rate opportunity for us to collectively indulge our inner beer critic. While we definitely consider ourselves veterans in the art of drinking beer, we wouldn't exactly call ourselves beer experts. In other words, we know that a stout tastes different than a hefeweizen, but we probably couldn't explain why in any real detail. We just like beer, which is why every month we hop into our Do512 Lounge to lounge around while we sample some hops. This Beer:30, the Do512 crew tried out SweetWater Brewing Company's 420 Extra Pale Ale. Here are our findings.
Photo Credit: Roger Ho
STATS:
- Type: Extra Pale Ale
- Alcohol by volume: 5.7%
- International Bitter Units: 41
HISTORY:
The Brewery -
Since the outset, SweerWater Brewing Company has been a labor of love. Or perhaps more accurately, a labor of love for beer. Founder Freddy Bensch's interests skew pretty squarely into outdoorsy-loving good old boy territory: fishing, music, and of course, beer. That he chose to pursue the latter in a vocational capacity only speaks to his great passion for it. For two decades now, SweetWater Brewing Company has been producing high-quality craft beer; all with a groovy, 420-friendly wink. They're like that talented, but occasionally lazy hippie friend who always said they were going to put their energy towards making something truly cool. The difference between them and that person's pipe dream is that Freddy Bensch actually put in the time, walked the walk, and did it.
Avid lovers of all things nature, SweetWater Brewing Company is not only a force for good in the world of craft beer, but in actively championing environmental causes as well. In addition to an ongoing, multifaceted support for various conservation agencies, last year, SweetWater gave $100,000 and generated an additional $100K for the Waterkeeper Alliance, Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Surfrider, and Building Conservation Trust. After sampling it, we can confirm that beer tastes better when it's helping a good cause.
The Beer -
420 Extra Pale Ale is what you'd call the team captain of SweetWater's beers. It's their classic - their ace in the hole. It's a more than deserving beer to hang that mantle on, as is evidenced by its continued popularity in the twenty some ensuing years since it was first brewed. It's also garnered numerous accolades from beer-centric festivals, publications, and competitions. This beer, by the way, was born on April 20th, 1997. No, that is not a coincidence. Yes, if this beer were a person, it would be the one to pass you the joint at a concert.
Photo Credit: Roger Ho
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE:
SweetWater's 420 Extra Pale Ale is what's known as a West Coast style ale. What this means in terms of actual taste is that it carries the proud tradition of being unabashedly hoppy, yet deliciously palatable. Make no bones about it, 420 Extra Pale Ale makes good on its name. This is an honest-to-goodness extra pale ale, which means it has some kick to it. At the same time, it doesn't beat you over the head with those flavors. 420 Extra Pale Ale carries subtle notes of citrus and is exceptionally sessionable. 420 Extra Pale Ale is like a friend that has a big personality, but that you want to hang out with all the time.
Photo Credit: Roger Ho
WHAT TO EAT WITH IT:
American Pale Ale's demand a flavorful food companion, and 420 Extra Pale Ale is no exception. While the usual suspects like Tex-Mex or hot wings are suitable sidekicks, we're going to go ahead and recommend some foods that go with the freewheeling, outdoorsy personality of this particular beer. Some nice, flavorful crawfish (preferably on a shady patio) is an ideal complimentary dish for 420 Extra Pale Ale. To that point, a couple dozen oysters on the half shell with plenty of horseradish couldn't hurt your chances at having a good day, either. If you're not so keen on leaving your house, go ahead and enjoy 420 Extra Pale Ale in your backyard along with some burgers and brats.
Photo Credit: Roger Ho
WHERE TO GET IT:
You can find SweetWater's 420 Extra Pale Ale at any number of Austin craft stores in Austin, including many locations present on our list of the best places to buy booze in Austin.
Photo Credit: Roger Ho
What's your favorite beer to enjoy during Beer:30? We're open to suggestions. [email protected]
