Tournament of Beer: Northwest IPAs Opening Day results

The public picked 64 Washington and Oregon-brewed, Northwest-style IPAs for the ninth annual Tournament of Beer, which kicked off yesterday with two games in the Northern Washington region and two in the Southern Oregon region. Brackets plastered refrigerators, break rooms, brewery hallways, and birdcages. Birthday parties were moved to craft beer-serving restaurants. Everyone was discussing Chinook hops and apparent attenuation. It’s crazy fun.

Let’s take a gander at yesterday’s opening day results without further ado. The next Tournament of Beer: Northwest IPAs First Round action goes live at midnight Monday, April 7, on Peaks & Pints’ Instagram Stories.

Friday, April 4, First Round Northwest IPAs Games Results

*Georgetown Lucille wins its first game.*

GAME 1, NORTHERN WASHINGTON REGION

1. Georgetown Brewing Lucille IPA vs. 16. Valholl Brewing Poulsbo Viking IPA

When an India Pale Ale beats another India Pale Ale by 68 percent of the votes, it’s called being “bye-hopped” in the craft beer world. No, indeed, look it up. Georgetown Brewing’s Lucille bye-hopped Valholl Brewing’s Poulsbo Viking. No surprise. It’s hard to beat a brewery that has been serving delicious craft beer since 2002 and is now the largest brewery in Washington state. Will that stop folks from hanging out at the popular, Viking-themed Valholl Brewing close to Poulsbo’s waterfront? Nope. Georgetown’s Lucille moves into the Second Round.

GAME 2, NORTHERN WASHINGTON REGION

8. Machine House Brewery Northwest IPA vs. 9. Postdoc Brewing Alpha Factor IPA

Suppose you brew beer in the customary English fashion in a historic, cathedral-like industrial building that once housed the Rainier Brewery. Then, you are forced to move and re-open in Seattle’s Hillman City neighborhood, and your longtime supporters follow. You’re labeled as a serious player in the Tournament of Beer. That’s precisely what happened to Machine House Brewery, except the brewery founded in 2013 has always been labeled a serious English-style brewery. Machine House is also serious about its Northwest IPA, which grabbed 65 percent of the votes yesterday over Postdoc Brewing’s Alpha Factor IPA. You know you have a piney and malty winner when you’re the talk of the Tournament of Beer historians. Northwest IPA will face off with Georgetown’s Lucille on April 16. Expect skirmishes across Interstate-5 that day.

GAME 3, SOUTHERN OREGON REGION

7. Bend Brewing Tropic Pines IPA vs. 10. Terminal Gravity Brewing Eagle Cap IPA

Despite a late push from Terminal Gravity Brewing’s Eagle Cap IPA, Bend Brewing’s Tropic Pines IPA and its large beer garden following proved too powerful in yesterday’s action, catapulting into the Second Round with 65 percent of the votes. You can’t question Bend Brewing’s following; sometimes, a following is just what it takes in the Tournament of Beer.

GAME 4, SOUTHERN OREGON REGION

2. GoodLife Brewing Descender IPA vs. 15. Kobold Brewing Crooked Fate IPA

In a battle of U.S. Route 97, the institution in Bend with the giant beer garden emerged decisively victorious — with Descender cruising to victory and securing roughly 73 percent of the vote over the brewery in downtown Redmond. Kobold Brewing doesn’t need the Tournament of Beer to get by. They have help from kobolds, small, goblin-like spirits who help with chores, especially in breweries. The good life continues for GoodLife Brewing as its Descender moves to the Second Round.

Let’s weed through the malt. The following are advancing to the Second Round:

Georgetown Brewing Lucille IPA

Machine House Brewery Northwest IPA

Bend Brewing Tropic Pines

GoodLife Brewery Descender IPA