Craft Beer Spotlight: SweetWater 420 Strain G13 IPA – Is Weed Beer Good Beer?

Craft Beer Joe

6 years ago

420 Strain G13 IPA By SweetWater Brewing

Craft beer is always supplying us with something new. It’s one of the best parts of craft beer, trying something new keeps us coming back for more. But is the latest trend of making a beer taste like marijuana a good move? Take a look at the SweetWater Brewing 420 Strain G13 IPA.

Review Of SweetWater 420 Strain G13 IPA

Unless you’ve been living under a rock – or smoking too much marijuana, you have heard of the ongoing debate about legalizing cannabis. Many states have taken the steps to allow it to be legally sold in their state but it remains a controversial topic in much of the USA.

This increased attention and increasing acceptance has provided an opportunity for companies to make “weed adjacent” products. Not all of these products contain cannabis but merely mimic the aroma or flavor.

I’ve always assumed the smell and taste was the least appealing part of it – but what do I know?

Either way, some companies are jumping in to embrace the trend. SweetWater Brewing’s 420 Strain G13 IPA is exactly that. They intentionally add ingredients to help push the dank, earthy tones of this beer so it smells and tastes like marijuana.

And they aren’t holding back from letting everyone know this is a “weed beer” with their branding.

420 Strain G13 IPA has an ABV of 6% and IBUs of 48.

Here is how SweetWater Brewing describes 420 Strain G13 IPA:

G13 IPA is a strange new strain, indeed. We took the dank hop profile you’d expect from a hazy IPA, and married it with terpenes and natural hemp flavors. The result is a big yet balanced IPA that mimics the aroma and taste of a heady, green G13. G13 IPA is a sticky super-hybrid that’s ready to rip.

Pungent and dank aromatics on this terpene infused IPA fill the room once the beer is opened. We went with an aggressive dry hop schedule which interlaces nicely with the unique flavors to bring forward citrus and earthy notes followed by a resinous finish. This one’s fire!

Colombus and Simcoe in the boil and dry hop!

Initial Thoughts

Deciding to try this beer wasn’t an easy decision. Marijuana isn’t something I’ve tried or have any desire to try and it seemed like this “style” of beer was just clever marketing.

On the other hand, I’ve enjoyed many beers that are considered dank and my assumption is that the 420 Strain G13 IPA would be similar.

What pushed me over the edge was hearing that this beer has skyrocketed to become one of SweetWater’s top selling beers. I had to know if it was just good marketing or if there was something else behind it’s popularity.

Opening the bottle immediately emits a stinky, earthy weed aroma. It only gets stronger as the beer is poured. This golden beer has a nice white head to it.

Once poured, I dove in to get another sniff and found that it also has a nice sweetness to it. This really helped me not fear taking a sip.

Tasting Notes

Not having any experience with marijuana, I wondered how this beer was going to present itself. The first sip was really strong and a bit overwhelming.

Dank, earthy, and a little funky are the best ways to describe it. Having a beer that tastes like something else smells is an odd experience. I relate it to how some smoked porters can taste like an ashtray smells.

As I got through the first few ounces, I noticed that the sweetness I sensed in the aroma started to open up. This was a welcomed addition and made the beer much more enjoyable.

The medium body was noticeable but only after getting beyond the pungent flavor.

I was shocked that it didn’t have a strong hop bitterness to it. While I knew the IBUs were low, I just expected it to end with a resounding bitterness.

Final Thoughts

Trendy doesn’t always mean something is good – it’s just a way to judge if a product has been able to catch the eyes of the consumer.

And while this beer was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be, I don’t think this is a a trend that I’ll be partaking in on a regular basis. One bottle was enough for me and I’m not in a hurry to try another weed beer any time soon.

But if you like the way that weed smells then this might just be the beer for you. It is remarkable how they have been able to transfer those elements into a beer so in that way this is a fun beer to experience

Shop Craft Beer Products On Amazon

Conculsion

Following trends in craft beer is one of my favorite things to do. Seeing what is currently capturing customer’s attention often surprises me.

I never would have thought that weed flavored beer would be a trending style but here we are. It’s also hard to admit how well done this beer is; they truly got the aroma and flavors into the brew.

If you are fan of cannabis or are intrigued by the concept, give this a shot. Not sure a whole six pack is justified because you may not like it but it’s worth a single bottle if you can find it.

This trend isn’t one that I see lasting but I also never thought I’d see the day when marijuana would get legalized. Have you tried this one or any other “weed beers”? Sound off in the comments and let me know what you think of them.