Rocker, magazine, SweetWater team up for a new beer

ATLANTA — SweetWater Brewing Co., Relix Magazine and Kyle Hollingsworth from The String Cheese Incident band announced the name of their collaboration brew, created in celebration of the annual SweetWater 420 Fest: Ground Score IPA.

PHOTOS: Party at SweetWater's 420Fest

Part of the brewery’s limited release Dank Tank lineup, Ground Score IPA will be available starting February 12 throughout SweetWater’s 21 state distribution footprint. The beer will also be poured at SweetWater’s 420 Fest in Atlanta April 20-22, where The String Cheese Incident is among the headliners.

Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio Band, Ween and Moe. were among the performers.

Ground Score is a remarkably smooth, unfiltered IPA – big and bold, but refreshingly drinkable. SweetWater head brewer Nick Nock describes the color as “a sunset right before the big flash,” attributing it to the malt bill of 2 Row, flaked wheat and English Premium malts. The flaked wheat gives Ground Score its blurred clarity and a nice frothy head, while the English Premium adds a slight sweetness of orange blossom honey.

Ground Score IPA

Malts: 2 Row, Flaked Wheat, English Premium

Hops: El Dorado, Citra, Amarillo, Idaho 7

ABV: 7.1%

IBU’s: 85

The collaboration began with Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist of The String Cheese Incident, and Relix editor Dean Budnick, who shared their brewing dream with SweetWater, which lead them to a brainstorming session with Nock at Crosby Hop Farm in Woodburn, Oregon.

Hollingsworth is an avid home-brewer, who spends much of his time offstage creating world-class beer, with over 30 beer collaborations under his belt. Hollingsworth quickly found the parallel between brewing and creating music.

Architectural drawing of Last Cast. / Drawing provided by Concessions International

“I take chances in my music creation and I started seeing the parallels to how I brew beer," Hollingsworth said. "Once you get the basics under your fingers, you can start improvising.”

Cox Media Group

Rocker, magazine, SweetWater team up for a new beer

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