Peaks and Pints Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales April 22

**Peaks & Pints bartenders Phaedra Miller and Brandon Crespin recap yesterday’s Tournament of Beer Northwest Pale Ales games.**

Peaks and Pints Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales April 22

PHAEDRA MILLER: Happy Saturday everyone! I’m Peaks & Pints bartender Phaedra Miller. For more than two weeks, Peaks & Pints challenged 64 of the Pacific Northwest’s best pale ales to go toasted maltiness-to-toasted maltiness in craft beer combat. Some fell easily by the wayside, either due to a rogue taproom employee or simply because they faced a superior opponent. Pint by pint, you drank your way through two weeks. It was do-or-die, win-or-fly, bring-your-best-or-acetaldehyde. With me, as always, is my rock, Peaks bartender Brandon Crespin.

BRANDON CRESPIN: Thanks Phaedra. I’ve enjoyed covering the Tournament with you. Hello folks. We’re on another weekend break with the final Second Round games hitting the board Monday. We do have four Second Round winners on their way to the Sweet 16.

MILLER: Thanks Brandon. Here’s a recap of yesterday’s Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales Second Round action. As you said, the last eight pale ales in the Second Round battle Monday, April 24. See you back here Monday to begin the final week of voting.

Friday, April 21, Second Round Northwest Pale Ales Games results

Game 1, Northern Washington

Reuben’s Crushable Pale (#10 seed) vs. Holy Mountain Kiln & Cone (#2 seed)

CRESPIN: Ballard versus Interbay. Reuben’s Brews versus Holy Mountain Brewing. Crushable Pale versus Kiln & Cone. It’s a scene that’s been played out many times by Washingtonians and craft beer tourists. These two breweries are on every “Best Breweries in Seattle” lists — from Travel + Leisure, Eater, Thrillist, and Timeout to Cousin Eddie’s Year-End Family Newsletter. The pale ale can serve as a gauge and standard for first-time visitors as it is hard to hide off-flavors in the style.

MILLER: Although Holy Mountain’s Kiln & Cone pale held the lead all day, Reuben’s Crushable held a close distance, thanks to its incredible, well, crushability. The Tournament of Beer Bureau believes since Holy Mountain’s Kiln & Cone is a series with two rotating hops it’s a win-win for all involved: Drinkers can taste an even wider array of new beers, and Holy Mountain knows their loyal customers will order them. Anyway, Kiln & Cone heads to the Sweet 16 with 53 percent of the vote.

Game 2, Southern Washington

E9 Brewing Don of Time (#1 seed) vs. Matchless Eastside Club Pale (#9 seed)

MILLER: Might as well change the name to E9 Brewing Don In No Time as the longtime Tacoma brewed pale ale shot out of the T-shirt cannon at the opening buzzer and never looked back, as they say. Even though Matchless Brewing’s Eastside Club Pale is one of Thurston County’s most popular pale ales, if not THE most popular, Don of Time transcends the entire region, thanks to the brewer/sales guy/rock star that wears the pale with a badge of honor, Donovan Stewart. If you want to see the video that helped Don of Time grab 77 percent of the vote and a spot in the Sweet 16, check out E9 Brewing’s Instagram.

Game 3, Northern Oregon

Level Pixelated Pale (#6 seed) vs. StormBreaker Safety Meeting (#14 seed)

CRESPIN: Level Beer knows. They know the thrill of walking into an arcade and see the loving glow of CRTs and hear the retro audio. They know how exciting it is to reach into a pocket full of tokens with the anticipation of a new high score. That’s why they loaded their three Level Beer taprooms with video games and pinball machines. They also know how to brew a tasty pale ale. Level Pixelated Pale weathered the StormBreaker with 59 percent of the vote and reached the Sweet 16.

Game 4, Southern Oregon

Crux Play Wave Pale (#5 seed) vs. Block 15 Joy (#4 seed)

MILLER: Block 15 Brewing is full of Joy. Not only did their crisp, tropical, and citrus pale ale Joy squeak out a win against a player, Crux Fermentation Project’s Play Wave Pale yesterday, but their celebrating their 15th Anniversary in Corvallis today. Their “Past, Present, and Future Fest” will have an extra Future element as they enter the Sweet 16 with 53 percent of the vote.

CRESPIN: Let’s weed through the hops. The following are advancing to the Sweet 16:

Holy Mountain Kiln & Cone

E9 Don of Time

Level Pixelated Pale

Block 15 Joy

MILLER: See everyone back here early Monday morning for more Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pale Ales Second Round action. Cheers!