Most of Stolen Sweetwater Brew Recovered

We'll start with the good news – Sweetwater Brewing Co. has recovered all but a few of the 3,272 cases (78,528 bottles) stolen from its brewery earlier this month, thanks to efforts by Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Major Theft Unit and the Southeastern Transportation Security Council. The bad news? They're all going to be destroyed.

"The product is being sent to Synergy Solutions Crisp County, a zero landfill, biofuel and waste recycling company," Sweetwater said in an announcement. Though it seems like a lamentable end for the reunited suds, to Sweetwater, it's a matter of maintaining quality. 

"We can no longer trust that that beer would be up to the quality standards that we as a brewery maintain, so unfortunately we have to destroy it all,” said Sweetwater marketing guru Steve Farace.

There's still no word on whether or not the culprits, who stole two trailers containing the beers have been identified.