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That contraband from the south, the beer with a nod-nod-wink-wink name from Atlanta is here in the Triad: Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale.

I went to college in Boone, and in my last couple years there, Sweetwater made its landing in the High Country, Asheville and elsewhere in the mountains.

But it wasn't sold anywhere else in N.C. The reason, brewers told me at a few beer festivals, was that Sweetwater is unpasteurized and has to be shipped cold to stay fresh.

"But we're working on it," they'd say. That's been the line for at least three or four years. We worked around the problem by picking up a case during visits to WNC to bring back and enjoy with friends. If you like Sweetwater, you probably have a similar story. Some of you may even remember an entire movie based roughly on this premise, but with a truckload of Coors.

Anyway, the tap handles with a rainbow trout pull splashed down around here about two weeks ago. Longshanks, The Green Burro, College Hill, Mellow Mushroom and Grey's Tavern carry the kegs (and have gone through quite a lot, I hear). If others have it, I'd like to know so we can add them here.

I'm not going to try to hide that this is one of my favorite American beers. It's got more hop bite than a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but a thinner body and a little sweetness in the finish. For me it's right up there with the Red Hook ESB as a beer that you could take to a party and enjoy with a friend. But until the 6-packs appear in stores, you'll have to have it on draft. (Aw shoot! Gotta go have a draft beer!).

And while you're sipping your next brew, here's something to ponder from the NYTimes. Cheers!