Tough choices all.
RESULTS
NOTE: Reprinting the first bracket as it was attached to the end of previous post.
1- Southern Tier IPA vs. Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA
This was a tough one. One of the closest ones we have had in the brief history of this tourney. (Or at least one of the closest we can remember!)
Both excellent beers yet different IPAs. vastly different in some ways. Southern Tier has a nice transition from bottle to glass. The glass enhances the woodiness, the earthiness in the flavor. It's savory. Nice balance and the subtlety of this beer makes it extremely enjoyable. Celebration is a bit more deep and the transition form bottle to glass really stretches it out nicely. Make sit smooth and long; like a pebble dropped into a deep well. Waiting in silence until the anticipated plunk into the water below occurs. The difference sin the beers made it even tougher. Southern Tier possess a subtle boldness while Celebration provides a bold subtleness. Southern Tier stands on its own as an alternative to west coast IPAs. In this case, the boldness of Celebration narrowly trumps the subtleness of Southern Tier.
Both excellent beers yet different IPAs. vastly different in some ways. Southern Tier has a nice transition from bottle to glass. The glass enhances the woodiness, the earthiness in the flavor. It's savory. Nice balance and the subtlety of this beer makes it extremely enjoyable. Celebration is a bit more deep and the transition form bottle to glass really stretches it out nicely. Make sit smooth and long; like a pebble dropped into a deep well. Waiting in silence until the anticipated plunk into the water below occurs. The difference sin the beers made it even tougher. Southern Tier possess a subtle boldness while Celebration provides a bold subtleness. Southern Tier stands on its own as an alternative to west coast IPAs. In this case, the boldness of Celebration narrowly trumps the subtleness of Southern Tier.
2-Schalfly Special Release Tasmanian IPA vs. Captain Lawrence IPA
This round was interesting. At first I thought it was going to be a slam dunk but then there was a comeback and narrow win. First up, bottle to glass comparison. Schafly TIPA tasted dull and flat in the bottle with a very mild flavor. Once transferred to the glass, the tasting experience changed. TIPA portrayed true effervescence and a crisp yet peasant aftertaste. It was still mild in hoppiness but what a change in overall flavor. This may be the best transition from bottle to glass. This beer needs to be drunk from a genuine IPA glass.
The Captain on the other hand had a deeper, hoppy flavor where the hops never overpower but is just part of mix. Interestingly, and surprisingly, the transition from bottle to glass didn't really enhance this IPA that much.
In tasting them against one another, this pattern held. TIPA mild and Captain more hoppy. My preference for hoppy is well known (although looking at the previous winners it usually an aromatic hoppy.) But the more I drank TIPA and the longer I held in my mouth the more flavor (aromatic flavor) came to the forefront. TIPA started to make close space down the stretch. It became closer than I had anticipated when I began drinking. Throughout, Captain Lawrence maintained its steadfast ways and was as enjoyable in the first taste as in the last. The consistency of Captain Lawrence plus its deeper hoppiness narrowly moves on to the next round over the mild, yet better as it goes, Schafly TIPA.
As a side note, I sat down for a TIPA for enjoyment and not competition and it went excellent with Pignoli cookies. The flavor of both was enhanced and I look forward to having more of both soon.
Next up:
3- Ballast Point Sculpin IPA vs. 6 - Long Trail Limbo IPA
4-Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA vs. Founders All Day Session IPA
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