Recommend a stout?

[JHarvey]

Hi. I was hoping someone could recommend a stout similar to Guinness draught. I'm pretty new to stouts, and not that good with putting a name to a taste.. but what I like about the Guinness is the smokey, roasted finish, low bitterness and the low carbonation. It's seems slightly watery, which is alright, but maybe something a little less watery would be nice.

Based on what I'd read here in the archives, I tried some Mackeson and SN Stout. The Mackeson was pretty good, but too coffee-flavored. The chocolate taste was ok, and I didn't mind the sweetness. It'd be interesting to try the same thing in a not-as-sweet version, though. And I swear I tasted a hint of Irish whiskey? The SN Stout was too bitter for my taste. I can't really describe better what I liked and didn't like about it, as it's been a while.. I just remember it being bitter and a little strong. The hint of chocolate taste was nice, though. And I don't really care much for chocolate, which is odd that I keep bringing it up. I like it just where it blends into the roastedness. Is that what "malted" tastes like? And while I'm at it, what do hops taste like? I'm sure I've tasted it a thousand times, but never put a name to the taste.

What then do you think I should try next? Something light or nill on the coffee flavor and not very bitter.. maybe I'm not really looking for a stout if Guinness draught is atypical of stouts? What do you think?

[newportstorm]

OK, something with roasted flavors (but not heavy on coffee), low bitterness, low carbonation (but not watery). Hmmmm. I prefer Beamish to Guiness, though they are pretty similar. You say you don't like chocolate so that eliminates a good candidate in Young's Double Chocolate Stout (one of my favorites).

There are plenty of fall seasonals that might have the roasted flavors you're looking for without the coffee/chocolate notes, though where you live would affect any recommendations.

An everyday beer that I can enjoy that might fit your bill is Belhaven Scottish Ale. Good luck with your search and don't be afraid to jump into any beer style. It's the only way you'll ever find what you like and don't like.

Cheers!

[Jeff]

Best way I can say to find the hop taste is go get a SN Pale Ale and drink it, the different taste in the beer is the hops. Maybe try it next to a Michelob or something weak like that, and it will really stand out.

[Brownbeard]

I love Sam Smith's Oatmeal stout. It is definitely my favorite

[Bman]

Any stout from Kalamazoo Brewing AKA "Bells" I love the Expedition Stout-great for the MI winters.

[hopjack13]

Originally posted by JHarvey
And while I'm at it, what do hops taste like?

try the ruination from stone.
the bitterness your describing comes from the hops, hops add bitterness and acidity (sp?) to beer, they also provide aroma and help to preserve beer.
you can taste the hops most prominetly on the sides of your tongue towards the back (imo) im a confirmed hophead!
there are several different kinds of hops.
cascade and alpha are my faves, saaz are good too but they're more floral in european brews and not so ponounced in american.if you develop a taste for hops you will open the door to a bright beautiful wold of beer!

as far as stouts go, well.. im more of an imperial stout person, if you like the smoked flavor try a rauchbier or a smoked porter such as stone or alaskan. you might want to start with porters and then move in to stouts.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by hopjack13
if you like the smoked flavor try a rauchbier or a smoked porter such as stone or alaskan. you might want to start with porters and then move in to stouts.


Stone Smoked Porter is a good recommendation. I'd start with that before you jump into most Rauchbiers. Rauchbier can be an acquired taste - I love 'em but some who jump right in for the Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen swear off smoked beers forever.

The roastiness and subtle smokiness of the Stone Smoked Porter sounds like what you might be looking for. Another, if available in your area, is Magic Hat Jinx - a fall seasonal with a subtle smoky flavor.

Cheers!

[JHarvey]

Hey, thanks for all of the suggestions!

newportstorm: Yeah, I was wondering about Scottish Ale. I read through a description of the various styles of beer and made a note that Scottish Ale sounded like something that might suit my taste. I'll take a look for the Beamish and Belhaven along with the Stone's Smoked Porter. Those I think I should be able to get with no problems. I'm in the Southeast US, btw, right near the Florida-Alabama border. And, chocolate.. actually, I don't mind a mild chocolately taste. While I don't eat chocolate, I liked it in both the Makeson and SN Stout. The Young's Double Chocolate is fierce, though, isn't it? I understand that most chocolate flavors come just from the roasted barley, but the Young's is actually made with chocolate, is that right? I might have to try that just to see.

Jeff: Ah, OK. I know that taste. Thanks.

Brownbeard: I've been thinking about trying Stone's Oatmeal Stout for a few months, but from descriptions I've read, I thought it might not be for me. I know I have to pick some up though, just to satisfy my curiosity.

Bman. Haven't seen anything from Kalamazoo locally. I'll ask about it.

hopjack13: Is it possible to have a hop taste without the bitterness? I actually don't mind a little bitterness, and I think I might like the taste of hops (I wouldn't know what kind yet), but anything like the SN Stout would be just a bit too bitter to me for now. And about the porter.. what would you recommend for a porter that's fairly low in bitterness?

Much obliged!

[hopjack13]

Originally posted by JHarvey
hopjack13: Is it possible to have a hop taste without the bitterness? And about the porter.. what would you recommend for a porter that's fairly low in bitterness?
hops are bitter by nature, kinda like trying to find a grapefruit thats not bitter, some hops are more bitter then others.
it can however be balanced by the malt. i.p.a.'s tend to be the hoppiest brews, i.p.a.'s are my fave.
as far as porters im not real big on them either (not that i don't enjoy them often)
some recomendations:
stone smoked porter #1
alaskan smoked porter, although it's almost closer to a stout, it's pretty thick.
fullers london porter
Bert Grants perfect porter's not bad
and anchor makes a porter i have not tried but got it some good reviews.
also i like the sierra navada porter alot. never tried their stout.
im not sure if you'll find any of these bitter, i certainly don't but what i consider bitter .....well the dreadnaught i.p.a. from three floyds...ouch! gotta love it, thats bitter.
opinoins very it's all relative to your personal preferance.
but thats the beautie of beer, something for everyone.
guinness imo is closer to a porter then a stout, but that opens up a whole new room for debate.
cheers

[toneyc]

Murphy's Irish Stout Pub Draught and Young's Oatmeal stout are both pretty good and not quite as bitter as Guinness. Did you try the Guinness in the Pub Draught cans, the Pub Draught bottles, or the regular Extra Stout bottles? I think the Pub Draught versions do taste a little watery (ducking flying widget containers). Porters aren't usually quite as bitter, either, but I can't think of any off the top of my head that I've had in quite a while.

On a side note: Austin Homebrew has their Steamroller Stout recipe on sale this month and next. Supposed to be about 8.5%. They say it's supposed to be the best stout you'll ever taste. I'll let you know in 5-6 weeks.

:)
Toney.

[JHarvey]

hopjack13: Thanks again for the info and recommendations. I'll try out a few and go from there.

toneyc: I tried the bottled Draught.. and the Extra Stout too long ago to really remember how it compares. I might have to try that again. Thanks for the suggestions.

[hopjack13]

all this talk about porters so i went out and bought a stone smoked porter....uh..you'll more then likely find it too bitter. i sat back and tasted it from anotherpoint of view ..ie. looking for the hop bite. and there it is...no wonder i like it so much.
go over to www.ratebeer.com, punch in porter where it says find a beer and quite a few should come up all with a rating and discriptions from people from all over.
cheers

[SoxyinMO]

Oh man, Stone Smoked Porter. My favorite. ARG! I miss that so much!

I liked the Beamish, too. It has a nice mouth-filling feel to it.

[Richard English]

Lion Stout from Sri Lanka is one of the best there is. At around 8% it needs to be treated with respect but it's a fine beer.

Go here http://www.bottledbeer.co.uk/ and type "Lion" in the search box and you'll find the reviewer's description which is very positive.

[skahtboi]

Originally posted by toneyc
Murphy's Irish Stout Pub Draught and Young's Oatmeal stout are both pretty good and not quite as bitter as Guinness.

:)
Toney.

Two that I was fixing to recommend, Toney. Murphy's makes for a good "daily" stout. Young's Oatmeal is my favorite of all the Young's products, none of which I can speak badly about.

Some others you may want to look into, JHarvey, are Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout and Anchor's Porter.

[steveh]

Originally posted by toneyc
Murphy's Irish Stout Pub Draught and Young's Oatmeal stout are both pretty good and not quite as bitter as Guinness.

Of note to a new stout drinker (no, not you Toney - I know better!) since you've asked about hops and bitterness - the bitterness in Guinness is more from the black patent malt used in its recipe than the hops they use. I've always found Murphy's and Guinness to be very similar, with Guinness having a little more black patent roasty bitterness, and Beamish I'd call smoother than the other two and a tad sweeter - but all three are quite similar.

S.

[quantum24]

i tried a new stout a few nights ago that was a huge suprise. st. peters cream stout (they come in those oval shaped bottles), i wouldnt recommend any of their other beers, but this was really nice. roasty and smooth, almost oily, not too bitter. i actually really liked it, if you can find it give it a try.

[Herb Ninja]

Beamish is better then guinness or if you want something stronger maybe a deschutes brewery obsidian stout. I think thats the name.

[hopjack13]

i have never tried their stout but the black butte porters a nice brew. i prefer porters over stouts, and imperial stouts over both.
the bitterness in Guinness is more from the black patent malt used in its recipe than the hops they use. interesting , it's been a long time sence i had a guinness....well the draught anyway. i had an extra stout back in june , i like it a lot better then the regular bottle or can. i'll have to try another one and look deeper in to the malt character. i really don't remembedr any bitterness in any of them. but i did enjoy the extra stout quite a bit , i had it with oysters mmmmmm...

[steveh]

Originally posted by hopjack13
i really don't remembedr any bitterness in any of them. but i did enjoy the extra stout quite a bit , i had it with oysters mmmmmm...

There's a bitterness there, but not anything like a hop bitterness. More of a burnt hull, sort of sharp flavor from the heavily roasted black patent malt.

Try the Extra with Oreos - seriously! ;)

S.

[Kiltlifter]

Read the label carefully on the bottled Guiness. I don't remember which one it was but the beer was actually brewed by license in Canada, not Ireland.

As far as stouts go, I LOVE the Bell's Expedition Stout. I have to set up another trade so I can get some more over here in Seattle. I aged one bottle for about 6 months and if anything it was even more delicous. My wife thought it had notes of blueberries in both the nose and taste. Great beer but probably not something you'd want to try right off the bat.

Another one I discovered while on a trip to Tucson, AZ that I'd rate right up there with the Bell's is Mogollon Apache Trout Stout. I'll have to pick up some more on my next trip down there.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Kiltlifter
Read the label carefully on the bottled Guiness. I don't remember which one it was but the beer was actually brewed by license in Canada, not Ireland.

I'm pretty sure that's only for sale in Canada, not the States. It's leftover from an old Canadian law that said only beer brewed in Canada could be sold in Canada, so Guinness built a brewery there.

Can anyone else add to, or confirm this?

S.

[Kiltlifter]

This beer was purchased at a store here called World Market. I'll take a gander at the bottled Guiness in the grocery store over lunch.

[hopjack13]

Originally posted by steveh
Try the Extra with Oreos - seriously!

sounds like a winner to me , i'll give it a try!
oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with old ras is a nice pair too!mmmmmm

[skahtboi]

Originally posted by Kiltlifter
This beer was purchased at a store here called World Market. I'll take a gander at the bottled Guiness in the grocery store over lunch.

Aren't World Markets great?Go in and make a sixer to your liking so that you try everthing in the place!

[hnrblbrbrn]

Bully Porter from Boulevard is good. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of Sierra Nevada's, Odells' or Honkers'. A couple of them have cream stouts, a little thicker, imho, than the others. I had a really good cream stout from a brewery in WA state but I can't remember the name. I'll have to put together a spreadsheet one of these days.:)

[JHarvey]

Hey, thank you all for the suggestions. I'll be hunting some of them down this weekend. Incidentally, a few bottles of Guinness Extra Stout came my way earlier this week. Nice! A wee bit bitter (don't know the words to better describe it), but I really enjoyed them just the same. Just right on that roasted, smoky finish. Really looking forward to trying the various stouts, porters and Scottish ales you've all mentioned.

Thanks!
JH

[L.H.H.H.Brown]

Just wondering why no one has mentioned Sierra Nevada Porter or Stout. I find them to be very good. Stone Oatmeal? Never heard of it. I am partial to sweet and imperial stouts. North Coast Old Rasputin is nice also. I believe these beers are available in most places.

[steveh]

Originally posted by L.H.H.H.Brown
Just wondering why no one has mentioned Sierra Nevada Porter or Stout...North Coast Old Rasputin

Probably just because the initial query was for a stout similar to Guinness Draught -- even though we did get off an a Guinness Extra tangent.

I used to drink a lot of SN Porter and Stout, but I always found the stout more of a porter - and the porter more of a stout in their flavor profiles. Anyone else feel this way? Is it still true? The stout always had that wet-cardboard, roasted malt flavor you find in a lot of porters, and the porter was very smooth, as an oatmeal stout might be.

Anchor's Porter is a very nice beer as well.

S.

[L.H.H.H.Brown]

As I stepped I realized that I forgot Anchor. I also wanna say I agree with you on SN. I always thought their porter had a richer profile that the stout. I also feel the product has changed over the years. It is not the same.

[Wilson]

What about Theakston's Old Peculier? I'm not really sure what type of beer this would fall under (doesnt seem like a stout), but its good.

[toneyc]

According to Theakston's webpage:
----------------------
OG1057, ABV 5.7%

A dark, strong beer, Old Peculier is justifiably famous for its rich and complete character, it's sheer strength - and for being a beer with a long history. And please note the strength - Old Peculier is not to be messed with. The message is "handle with care". Available all year round.

Tasting notes: its initial sweetness is, apparently, "of roasted and vinous notes with a subtle bitter aftertaste". Strong fruitiness, often with "banana notes" standing out, is derived from Old Peculier's fermentation process.

----------------------

So... Does that make it an "Old Ale"? I picked up a 6-pack of it a couple of weeks ago. It is a little too syrupy for me, but not bad. Not bad enough to stop me from drinking it!

:)
Toney.

[Wilson]

Their notes are pretty dead on, my only complaint with it was that it was a little too sweet for me. But your right ToneyC, that in itself wont stop me from drinking it again.

[steveh]

Originally posted by toneyc
So... Does that make it an "Old Ale"? I picked up a 6-pack of it a couple of weeks ago. It is a little too syrupy for me, but not bad. Not bad enough to stop me from drinking it!

That's what I was going to call it, an Old Ale. You may want to lay one of the bottles down for a couple years - it'll be less syrupy *then*! ;)

S.

[hopjack13]

interesting.... i didn't know you could cellar it? i'll have to try it out... i agree, it was too sweet for me. i'll lay one down and see what happens......it's not a b.c.a. is it?

[Richard English]

Old Peculiar was at one time a wonderful beer (far better than Theakston's bitter which has always been rather ordinary). However, the Theakston family sold out to a mega-brewery some years ago and the beer became less good.

Paul Theakston set up his own brewery, Black Sheep, and this grew and prospered and now produces fine beers available, I understand, in the USA.

As a recent post of mine mentions, though, the mega-brewery (I believe it was S & N) have now sold the brewery back to the Theakston family so there seems every hope that the OP will once again become deserving of its legendary status.

OP is not at present bottle-conditioned and so there's little point in laying it down for long.

[steveh]

According to Beer Advocate, and their subsequent redirection to the official Black Sheep Brewery web site, Old Peculiar is made there now. Is this due to the sell-back Richard, or has Paul Theakston retained the rights to OP all along?

Hmm - but I don't see OP at the Blk Sheep site anywhere, perhaps BA bungled that one, or do they know something we don't?

OP is considered a Scotch Ale or a Wee Heavy - but at only 5.7 ABV maybe it wouldn't lay down too well. At the Theakston web site they say, "And please note the strength - Old Peculiar is not to be messed with. The message is 'handle with care'. Is 5.7 considered a huge beer in England Richard? I'm so used to drinking 5.5 beers regularly, 5.7 doesn't appear intimidating. 6.5, 7.0, 8.0...now *there* I handle with care.

S.

PS - A beer doesn't necessarily have to be B.C. to be laid (lain?) down, high alcohol and heavy hops are good ingredients in a cellaring beer too.

[hopjack13]

Originally posted by steveh
PS - A beer doesn't necessarily have to be B.C. to be laid (lain?) down, high alcohol and heavy hops are good ingredients in a cellaring beer too.

i noticed that the v.e. line from stone has no yeast at the bottom? but your suppose to age it for 10 years...? i also had a tohmas hardys 1996 about a month or so ago and i don't remember any yeast sediment there either. it was a good beer, however i noticed (correct me if im wrong) that when you store a beer for more then 3 or 4 years it loses it's carbonation dramatically. i normally try to stay within 3 years but no more then four, unless specified on the bottle otherwise.

[Richard English]

I understand that Black Sheep and Theakstones are separate breweries and hadn't heard that they were intending to merge.

5.7% is a strong beer but not a skull-cracker. There are plenty of UK beers that are stronger than this. Fullers ESB and 1845; Youngs SLA; Hall and Woodhouse Tanglefoot; Robinson's Old Tom are all stronger.

[beerbastard]

YARDS LOVE STOUT....one of the best stouts I have ever sampled. Love gets its name from the fact that it is an oyster stout. Oyster stouts are an English style using oyster shells as a clarifier in the wort.

Obviously a stout does not need to be clear but the effect of clarifying also clears up the palate and what you get is a real drinkable and yet strong flavored brew.

You have to try this one!

[steveh]

Originally posted by beerbastard
Oyster stouts are an English style using oyster shells as a clarifier in the wort.

Some breweries, such as The Porter House in Dublin, Ireland, actually use oysters in the brew - to the point that they say the beer isn't suitable for vegetarians!

I've had their Oyster Syout, it's...well, interesting! ;) But it *is* pretty good.

S.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Richard English
I understand that Black Sheep and Theakstones are separate breweries and hadn't heard that they were intending to merge.

I think Beer Advocate have their facts a little mixed up.

5.7% is a strong beer but not a skull-cracker. There are plenty of UK beers that are stronger than this. Fullers ESB and 1845; Youngs SLA; Hall and Woodhouse Tanglefoot; Robinson's Old Tom are all stronger.

I wonder why Theakston's touts the OP as a "skull-cracker?" I seem to remember it having the stigma of a strong beer from the past.

S.

[Richard English]

Well, fair's fair. It is a strong beer and that is the way that Theakstons seemed to want to promote it. I don't myself think it's necessarily a good thing to promote a beer as being very strong since to do so is to invite the attentions of those who will drink a beer simply because it is strong, regardless of whether it has any other merit.

Many of the stronger chemical fizz lagers are bought by these kinds of individuals to the detriment of the environment in general.

[steveh]

To their credit, Theakston's doesn't outwordly promote the strength as an attraction, they are telling people to be careful.

However, and maybe it's just me, 5.7 ABV just doesn't seem very strong. The Tabernash Oktoberfest I sampled last night, and just reviewed in Tasting Notes, is 6.5 ABV. Spaten Oktoberfest is 5.9. Barley Wines, Triples, and Double Bocks - Imperial Stouts I consider strong at 7 to 9 ABV.

I don't know, maybe my tolerance has been built up, guess I'll need to search out some OP to sample.

S.

[denver brewhoo]

not to stir up an old debate or anything, but when you're drinking those 20 ounce Imperial pints, them 5.7s have a way of adding up.....

On another point, and germane to this thread, I had a Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout last night. Richard, those are sold here in 550ml bottles--and that, per the label, is "1pint, 2.9 fluid oz." in US ounces/pints. My question to you--are the 550ml bottles bottle-conditioned? By the way, this is the same size bottle that my local carries the Fuller's 1845 in.

And to the original poster--though it's a "sweet stout" rather than a "dry stout" (Guiness' category), I think you're looking for Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, which I think punches all your sescribed flavor buttons. I believe in one of your posts, you misdescribed it as "Stone's Oatmeal Stout", which might make locating it difficult.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by beerbastard
YARDS LOVE STOUT....one of the best stouts I have ever sampled. Love gets its name from the fact that it is an oyster stout. Oyster stouts are an English style using oyster shells as a clarifier in the wort.

Obviously a stout does not need to be clear but the effect of clarifying also clears up the palate and what you get is a real drinkable and yet strong flavored brew.

You have to try this one!

I recently sampled Fordham Breweries Oyster Stout in Annapolis. It was very good but similar to their regular "Guinness Clone" Stout. I was tasting their Oktoberfest seasonal and only had a taste of the two stouts. Too small an amount to get a good flavor profile. But what I did taste was good and had we stayed any longer, I would have had it next.

[steveh]

Originally posted by denver brewhoo
not to stir up an old debate or anything, but when you're drinking those 20 ounce Imperial pints, them 5.7s have a way of adding up.....

Quite the good point - not that I know anything about that...

S.

[hopjack13]

i'd like to find a bar or pub or brewery or tavren or someplace around here that serves imperial pints....sometimes i can get the 23oz pilsner glasses

[Richard English]

Sam Smith is a long-established brewer from Tadcaster (Yorkshire) and produces excellent beers, unlike its close namesake, John Smith, who produce nothing but rubbish.

So far as I am aware none of Sam's bottled beers are bottle-conditioned and I do not usually bother with non-BC beers. Having said which, there is less choice with stouts than there is with lighter beers and so it's possibly Hobson's Choice is you want to drink bottled stout.

550 ml is very close to an Imperial pint (actually 568.3 ml) and is equal to 1.162 US pints. However, the more common bottle size here is the half-litre (500 ml). This is slightly larger than a US pint (473.2 ml). I am, I confess, surprised to learn that Fuller's 1845 is being sold in 550 ml bottles; I have only ever seen it in 500 ml bottles in the UK.

As has been mentioned many time previously, the Imperial pint is quite a lot larger than the US pint although many are confused because the subdivision of each pint, the fluid ounce, is again different, with the US fluid ounce being slightly larger than the Imperial.

Thus an Imperial pint is 20 Imperial fluid ounces but a US pint is 16 US fluid ounces. So, when drinking a bottle whose size is expressed in ounces it's important to know whose ounces are being use. In the UK all pre-packaged foodstuffs must show their weight or volume in metric units (which are the same the world over) although it is permissable to show the equivalent in other measures if the manufacturer wishes.

Although there has been much resistance in the UK to metrication (as I am sure there is in the USA) there is little doubt that it helps avoid the rip-offs that can (and do) happen in other countries where a drink can be served in any quantity that the seller wishes.

[steveh]

Originally posted by hopjack13
i'd like to find a bar or pub or brewery or tavren or someplace around here that serves imperial pints....sometimes i can get the 23oz pilsner glasses

23 ounce "Pilsner" glasses? Aren't they really Weizen glasses?

Where's "here" Hopjack? There are quite a few places around Chicago that serve beer in imperial Pints, Goose Island brewpub not being the sole proponent. There's a pub called Mulligan's that even professes to the only $3.00 imperial pint of Guinness in town...at least it used to. They're probably up to $3.75 by now.

S.

[Richard English]

$3.75? That's cheap for Guinness by UK standard (equals about £2.20). You could pay anything up to £3.00 ($5.11) for a pint of Guinness in a London pub.

[steveh]

It's *very* cheap by U.S. standards too. When I first stopped in this pub, I saw that they had Old Speckled Hen on tap (sorry, not CC) so I tried that first. $4.00 or $4.50 an I.P. I recall. Then my friend ordered a Guinness and the bar tender asked for $3.00 - we nearly fell off our bar stools!

I'll have to see if I can find out what they're charging now.

S.

[Bryant]

I like the Beamish stout and Sam Smith's Oatmeal stout. I also like Sweetwater's Exodus Porter (it is a porter not a stout) but it is only available in Atlanta Ga. The chocolate malt is pretty evident in the Exodus but it works very well for that beer.

Bryant

[chazwicke]

I have not had any of the Georgia Sweetwater beers. I know they won a lawsuit against The Sweetwater Tavern Brewpubs in Virginia over the use of the Sweetwater name. The VA brewers can no longer sell their bottled beer using the Sweetwater name. They can however, still call it that at thier 3 brewpubs.

[ron]

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout or (if you can get it) Schlafly Stout.

[Bryant]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I have not had any of the Georgia Sweetwater beers. I know they won a lawsuit against The Sweetwater Tavern Brewpubs in Virginia over the use of the Sweetwater name. The VA brewers can no longer sell their bottled beer using the Sweetwater name. They can however, still call it that at thier 3 brewpubs.

Yeah it is a bit of a shame that in this day and age, you can't always get what you want. I am only 90 miles from Atlanta but I can't even get Sweetwater here. Luckily, my Mother lives in Atlanta so I buy a load of the stuff when I visit her.
I suppose I am lucky enough that I do have one local beerpub, The Cannon brewery and they serve good beer, but it's not the same craft Sweetwater offers. If you are interested in trying the Sweetwater, you have no worries. The brewmasters (there are two of them) are actually fairly young guys, so I expect the quality to hold up for years and years to come.

Bryant