Peaks and Pints Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers April 22
MONICADRIEL: Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, wizards, Elves, and Dwarves, to the 2024 Peaks and Pints Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales from the historic Proctor District in beautiful Tacoma, Washington. I’m Peaks & Pints barkeep Monicadriel and welcome to day 12 of the Tournament. The last eight amber and red ales in the Second Round are rested from the weekend off and are ready to battle for four spots in the Saccharification 16, which begins tomorrow. Isn’t this awesome, Lovettorenan.
LOVETTORENAN: This is awesome, baby! Awesome, baby, with a capital ‘A.’ Hello folks! I’m Peaks barkeep Lovettorenan. This is the last week of the Tournament, which ends Saturday with our Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers Championship Party beginning at 6 p.m.
MONICADRIEL: Let’s dive into today’s Second Round action featuring four battles. Please vote for one beer per game on Peaks & Pints’ Instagram Stories. Voting for today’s battles ends at midnight. We’ll announce the winners tomorrow morning around 10 a.m., but today’s games are live on Peaks & Pints’ Instagram Stories right now.
Monday, April 22, Second Round Northwest Ambers games
Game 1, Northern Washington Region
Old Stove Brewing Amber Waves (#11 seed) vs Boundary Bay Railroad Ave. Amber Ale (#14 seed)
LOVETTORENAN: Boundary Bay Brewing’s Railroad Ave. Amber beat the powerhouse Stoup Brewing and their Northwest Red in the First Round. This can’t be overlooked people. You also can’t overlook it’s Bellingham Beer Week, which means more people will be thinking about Bellingham’s first brewery, Boundary Bay, which means more people will be wearing Boundary Bay T-shirts, and by the Transitive Property of Inequality, more people will be drinking Boundary Bay beer, especially the malty and caramel forward Railroad Ave. Amber.
MONICADRIEL: Old Stove Brewing laughs at this math, just like it has been laughing all the way to voting bank. Its Ambers Waves might be a laughable name (think Boogie Nights), but there’s nothing funny about beating Maritime Pacific’s longtime Flagship Red — a beer many grew up with starting in the 1990s. That’s impressive, and so this malty and caramel-forward red ale. The Tournament of Beer Council gave up trying to predict this outcome. The votes will decide, obviously.
VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Game 2, Southern Washington Region
Backwoods Brewing Copperline Amber (#5 seed) vs 7 Seas Cutt’s NW Amber Ale (#4 seed)
LOVETTORENAN: Named after local Cutt’s Island, aka “Dead Man’s” Island, 7 Seas Brewing sold its first keg on July 9, 2009, to the Tides Tavern. It was keg of Cutt’s NW Amber. Backwoods Brewing’s Copperline Amber is malt forward with notes of orange and spices, plus a balanced finish that’s not too sweet. 7 Seas is the only Tacoma brewery left in the Tournament. Backwoods is the only Southwest Washington brewery left in the Tournament. Vote with your heart.
VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Game 3, Northern Oregon Region
Ruse Brewing Dad Moon Rising (#10 seed) vs Buoy Beer NW Red (#2 seed)
MONICADRIEL: Well, well, well, looks like we have a replay of last year’s Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales. Buoy Beer’s Pacific Pale beat Ruse Brewing’s Phantom Shore in the First Round — and it even hadn’t been a year since Buoy’s roof collapsed. You know Ruse founders and brewing partners Devin Benware and Shaun Kalis are looking to grab the win this year. Their Dad Moon Rising red ale beat StormBreaker’s Mississippi Red in the First Round, while Buoy breezed through Lucky Labrador’s Blue Dog Amber. It’s Portland versus Astoria. It’s your call.
VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Game 4, Southern Oregon Region
Boneyard Beer Diablo Rojo (#1 seed) vs Bend Brewing Outback Amber (#9 seed)
LOVETTORENAN: Someone should alert the city of Bend’s road crew that Boneyard Beer and Bend Brewing are facing off today. I imagine Northwest Harrison Street and Northwest Oregon Avenue will see high volume traffic as it’s less than a mile between the breweries. Bend Brewing opened their door in 1995, followed by Boneyard Beer in 2010, but Bend loves them both equally. The big difference is Boneyard’s presence in Washington state. Diablo Rojo is a thing up here. Boneyard. Bend (Brewing). Beer. Here we go!
VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Tuesday April 23 Tournament of Northwest Ambers Second Round action …
Game 1: Stemma Brewing First Amber (#16 seed) vs Kulshan Brewing Local Amber (#13 seed)
Game 2: Wet Coast Brewing Hi Jack! Red (#3 seed) vs Triceratops Brewing Collin James Irish Red (#10 seed)
Game 3: Living Haus Kenny Hoppy Red (#16 seed) vs Pelican Sea’N Red (#4 seed)
Game 4: Barley Brown’s Point Blank Red (#6 seed) vs Block 15 Brewing Ridgeback Red (#2 seed)
LINK: Tournament of Beers: Northwest Ambers explained
LINK: Tournament of Beer Headquarters
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