IPA Taste Test Tourney Febraury 2015 PART IV - Semi-Finals and Finals

Below are the results for the IPA Taste Tourney 2015 Semi-finals and Finals.

Previous 2015 Installations: Part I, Part II, Part III

Results: Semi-Finals

Captain Lawrence IPA vs.  Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

 

Tough, challenging semi-final. The captain transitioned from bottler to glass much better this go around. Both Captain and Sculpin exhibited hoppy, aromatic, deep flavors. The balance of those attributes is just a tad higher in Sculpin. Sculpin as a more holistic brew, more together. In boxing terms, Captain Lawrence IPA is more aggressive while Sculpin is a counter-puncher. Cap throws a sharp jab and Sculpin slips and lands with a beauty of a counter. After this round of drinking, Sculpin gets the decision victory.


Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA vs. Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA
Another tight decision. Both beers really open up in the IPA glass. A strong bouquet of flavors. Deep and aromatic and flavorful flavors (I'm running out of ways to describe these things) with the correct amount of hoppiness. Monkey Fist provides a smooth balance while Celebration abound s with deep balance. Deepness beats smoothness. Celebration to the finals.


Finals

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA vs. Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA

One thing I am learning from this fourth IPA taste Test Tourney is that it is almost useless to set these beers against one another in competition. As can be detected in many of the previous matches, it is very difficult to choose. This Final proved no different. Alas, choose we must.

Both have solid transitions from bottle to IPA glass. The IPA glass adds body and fullness to the beer. Sculpin has more of an citrus aroma, more overall fruity. Celebration, while bold also exhibits a tenderness of craft. That boldness form celebration allows it to leap out to an early lead over Sculpin. The more I imbibe Sculpin, the more of its nuances I realize. It's slow and steady but begins to win the race. The powerful hops in Celebration makes their case and a last minute sprint to the finish line falls short due to the almost perfect mixture of hops and flavors within Sculpin.  Sculpin is the beer  which I could always have another one. Sculpin wins!

IPA Taste Test Tourney Febraury 2015 PART II - First Round Complete

Below are the results for the final two brackets for the first round.

Previous results here.
Introduction to IPA taste Tourney 2015 here.

3- Ballast Point Sculpin IPA vs.  6 - Long Trail Limbo IPA



Limbo, like Schafly Tasmanian IPA, uses Australian hops (mixed with Pacific Northwest hops). Just like TIPA, it appears that Australian hops result in a milder tasting IPA. Credit to Long Trail for making Limbo aromatic with hints of Balsam Fir. This makes a pleasant, if different, flavor. The aroma mixes with the mildness very well, allowing the subtlety of the hops to be present but never overwhelming. The transition from bottle to glass makes a fuller beer with a deep taste - the same Limbo just moreso. This isn't a bad thing.

Sculpin is just a fine beer. balanced sublimely between taste, flavor, and aroma. Transitioning to the IPA glass also makes all of these attributes fill out. The IPA glass adds body. Again, this isn't a bad thing.

So we have two balanced, aromatic IPAs with one being more mild than the other but with both never allowing the hops to be overpowering. The deepness of Limbo made it a close contest but the balance and aromatics of Sculpin prevails.

4-Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA vs. Founders All Day Session IPA



As mentioned before Founders All Day Session IPA is the first IPA in the history of this tourney to be from a can. First off, Founders All Day IPA certainly is a session beer. Easily drinkable with a smooth, rounded out taste.  The transition from can to IPA glass fills out the taste. The good, easy taste remains in the glass, while this drink takes you for a walk around the block.

Conversely, Monkey Fist has a compact flavor while in the bottle. As if the proverbial monkey fist is clenched tight and then all at once opens and releases.  All this with a nice dose of hoppiness. Mind you, the hops are not overbearing but you know it is in the room with you. The IPA glass spreads out the flavor and allows a bouquet of aromatics that envelope rather than being thrown.

It was an interesting contest head-to-head. During the comparison, the full bouquet that Monkey Fist has to offer shows up and the unclenched fist of powerful flavors not only shows up but hangs around. Meanwhile, the balance and good nature of Founders All Day IPA continues to walk you around the block but this time it is holding to hand. Founders, may be an all around better beer but it's not a better IPA than Monkey Fist.



Semi-Finals coming up

Captain Lawrence IPA vs.  Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA vs. Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA

IPA Taste Test Tourney Febraury 2015 PART II

Another bracket in the books.

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.

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

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



IPA Taste Test Tourney Febraury 2015 PART I

A new year and new beers. There are more IPAs out there than you can shake a stick at. This fourth tourney, with eight (8) new competitors) will bring the total number of different IPAs tasted and enjoyed to 32. Some of the brands remain the same but the variation of IPA is different. I believe this is a good line-up. But do they match up to our previous three champeens:

Lagunitas IPA
Bear Republic Racer X IPA
Breckenridge Small Batch 471 Double IPA

West of the Mississippi beers have a big edge in the tourney so far. There are some east-west match-ups in this round as well.
NOTE: Results of the first taste-off are below the introductions so keep reading and I will keep drinking.

The rules remain the same:

The beer tasting crtieria will be easy. Whichever I find tastes best. Whichever I feel like I could keep drinking. Whichever is most enjoyable. Extra points go to the IPA with a big improvement in overall taste from bottle to glass.

Onto the contenders (Note all seeds are by random number count) :

ROUND 1

1- Southern Tier IPA vs. Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA

                                    

Another east-west match-up. Southern Tier from western NY and Sierra Nevada, a founding father of the west coast beer I seem to prefer.  Sierra Nevada Torpedo participated in the inaugural tourney and made it to the semi-finals succumbing to the eventual winner, Lagunitas. No shame in that loss. I actually began enjoying Celebration before the holidays although this is the type of beer that can be drunk any ole time. I haven't tried Southern Tier yet but always see their beers on the distributor's shelves and thought they would make a good addition to the tourney.

2-Schalfly Special Release Tasmanian IPA vs. Capt. Lawrence IPA

                

 Schlafly is a beer I saw at the distributor while trying to fill out these eight participants. I was intrigued by the Tasmanian in the name, so it was included. They are a brand by the St. Louis Brewery Co. and I look forward to see how they do in this tourney. Captain Lawrence is an old favorite and I'm unsure how I missed this one for previous tourneys. Glad to have them here. Midwest vs. Upstate NY. 

3- Ballast Point Sculpin IPA vs.  Long Trail Limbo IPA

                



Another east vs. west. San Diego (Ballast Point) and Vermont (Long Trail).

Ballast Point made it to the semis in a surprising run. Surprising because that was the first I had heard or tasted them.  Sculpin is a special IPA brewed by BP, that costs a pretty penny depending upon where you purchase it. Long Trail is a brewery I have always liked yet don't seem to go out of my way to have on a regular basis. My purpose was to include just the Long Trail IPA but I saw the Limbo sitting next to it with a skeleton leaning against a tree and decided this was a beer I needed to drink! It also reminded me of the sleeping bear in front of the fireplace on the Hibernator label. Limbo seemed like this beer was telling me to get ready for a much longer hibernation. That's why I drink 'em.



4-Shipyard Monkey Fist IPA vs. Founders All Day Session IPA

      



 Another Midwest - east face-off. Shipyard from Maine and Founders based in Michigan.

I have always seen Shipyard beers but never gave them a try. No time like now to toss them in this heated tourney. Founders All Day Session IPA has the distinction of being the first IPA in this tourney that comes in a can. I first had this beer during a street festival. Just walking around on a beautiful summer day with a Founders in my hand and enjoying every minute. All Day indeed.

RESULTS
As mentioned above the first bracket of this tourney is completed.


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.