Burgers with Buck: SweetWater Taproom

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Whether you are a beer drinker or not, you are probably at least familiar with SweetWater Brewing Company. Believe it or not, the popular Atlanta-based brewery has been around for 22 years. 

Maybe you’ve seen or been to their beautiful facility in the Armour Yards district (located in Midtown-ish or Buckhead-ish, depending on whom you ask) for a special event or tour. If not, there's a new reason you might want to swing by and check it out for yourself.

Relaunched last month, SweetWater Taproom is the latest addition to the sprawling campus, and #BurgersWithBuck thinks that you are going to like it. Completely renovated, the taproom has a HUGE bar with multiple SweetWater offerings on tap (many that you can only get at the taproom), and a full-scale kitchen run by acclaimed Atlanta chef Nick Anderson.

For Anderson, who has worked at many well-known Atlanta restaurants, the opportunity to start a concept and a menu from scratch turned out to be just what he wanted. Meanwhile, the #MeatLockerBurger, his creation and baby, turned out to be just what #BWB wanted.

It starts with a house-made blended Brioche bun made with spent grain from the brewing process. Add to that two, four-ounce patties (a blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket) piled high with lettuce, tomato, and grilled onions, and then the real fun begins. To complete the Meat Locker Burger, they add Pine Street Market bacon (out of Avondale) and “Guv’ment cheez."  

This is a tall burger, and taking a bite was even a tall order for a trained professional like yours truly, but in true #BWB fashion, we got it done. And man oh man are we glad we did. It is served with crispy fries and housemade dill pickles. BTW, Anderson paired the Meat Locker Burger with their Guide Beer (lager). Excellent choice, Nick!

The only thing standing between you and a great burger at SweetWater Taproom is your schedule. They are open Wednesday through Sunday, and open for lunch three days a week: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

Their full hours are as follows… 

• Wednesday: 4:20 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
• Thursday: 4:20 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
• Friday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information on SweetWater Taproom, including the menu, location, and specials, go to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/swbatl/ , or you can check out the SweetWater Brewing Company website, https://sweetwaterbrew.com/. And, as always, if you have a favorite burger that you would like to see featured, tell me about it on https://www.facebook.com/BuckFOX5 or https://twitter.com/BuckFOX5, and don't forget to use the hash tag #BurgersWithBuck and/or #BWB.