More than 3,000 cases of beer were stolen from an Atlanta craft brewery early Tuesday.
Two trailers that contained 3,272 cases of beer were taken from SweetWater Brewing Company on Ottley Drive, company spokeswoman Tucker Berta Sarkisian said. Each trailer contained 20 pallets of SweetWater’s Summer Variety Pack, she said.
One trailer was found on Camp Creek Parkway. The other was found on Southwoods Parkway, Sarkisian said.
Atlanta police said the first trailer found was heavily ransacked, and that there was a large amount of damaged property inside the second truck. Police from Conley and Clayton County are also involved.
Some of the stolen beer was recovered later Tuesday at a warehouse in Clayton County, the Associated Press reported. However, 10 pallets were still missing, according to Channel 2 Action News.
“For a small company like us to lose that much beer, it really hurts,” Steve Farace, who does marketing for the 140-employee company, told the AP.
As for the recovered beer, “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,” Farace said.
SweetWater wants stores and potential buyers to watch for SweetWater Summer Variety Packs containing these beers: 420, IPA, Take Two Pils or Goin’ Coastal. The beers will have expiration dates of Sept. 20 or Sept. 21.
Retailers should contact 911 if someone other than their regular distributor attempts to sell them these beers, Sarkisian said.
If consumers find these beers on store shelves, they are asked to call 404-691-2537 or email feedback@sweetwaterbrew.com
