The Year in Beer

Name: Exodus Porter

Brewer: SweetWater Brewing Company, Atlanta, Ga.

By the numbers: About 180 calories per 12 oz; 5.9 percent alcohol by volume

Notes: This is the first beer I’ve ever had from SweetWater and the first beer I’ve ever had given to me in a bar by a fellow craft beer lover. Some friends and I were checking out the beers at Flingers and talking hard to get brews when the bartender asked if I’d ever heard of SweetWater. I said no. He said he’d gotten them as a favor from the distributor and said I could have one. I chose this porter. The label said it was first brewed on Bob Marley’s birthday, which I guess is another way of living SweetWater’s motto of “Don’t swim down the mainstream.” Anyway, this was a great porter. It was malty and smooth and poured a deep black with a frothy tan head. It tasted of light chocolate and was balanced by a bit of hops at the end.

Try it with: Temperatures in the 40s in this middle of May? I guess they say this isn’t that unusual in Illinois, but it still sucks. I want to get my garden planted and yardwork done and it’s not much fun when it’s raining and cold. Go away rainy cold.

    — Posted by Mike Freimann