Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pilsners Second Round April 20

Tournament-of-Beer-Northwest-Pilsners-Seconf-Round-April-20 — *Scuttlebutt Brewing Head Brewer Eric Nord displays his Second Round winning Ray of Hope Pilsner.*

Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pilsners Second Round April 20

RON SWARNER: For more than two weeks, Peaks and Pints challenged 64 of the Pacific Northwest’s best pilsners to go pillowy foam-to-pillowy foam 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, we drank our way through two weeks. It was do-or-die, win-or-fly, bring-your-best-or-acetaldehyde.

PEAKS AND PINTS WEATHER GUY: Sunny conditions today on the way up to Mailbox Peak in the North Bend area. Some clouds roll in Sunday, but clears back up Monday. Freezing level at 1500. Why does the kitchen want a forecast for 4:20 p.m. today?

RON SWARNER: Here’s a recap of yesterday’s Tournament of Beer: Northwest Pilsners Second Round action. The last eight pilsners in the Second Round battle Monday, April 22. See you back here Monday to begin the final week of voting.

Friday, April 20, Second Round Northwest Pilsners Games results

GAME 1, SEATTLE/GREATER KING CO. REGION

10. Stoup German Style Pilsner vs 2. Reuben’s Brews Pilsner

RON SWARNER: Reuben’s Brews kept a lead all day with ferocious play from their Pilsner. The floral Czech style pilsner with a firm bitterness was too much for Stoup Brewing’s German style pilsner. It was genius for Reuben’s Brews to bring in Frelard Tamales food truck yesterday during lunchtime. Reuben’s grabbed 59 percent of the vote and moves into the Sweet Wort 16 to battle the Monday winner between Two Beers Pilchuck Pilsner and Chainline Polaris Pilsner.

PEAKS AND PINTS WEATHER GUY: While tamales lack the strutting peacock presentation of a taco, they are a comfort food, and comfort food elicits votes.

GAME 2, WASHINGTON STATE REGION

1. Chuckanut Pilsner vs 9. Scuttlebutt Ray of Hope Pilsner

RON SWARNER: These two Northwestern Washington breweries bounced Pilsner malts off each other all day until around 7 p.m. when Scuttlebutt Brewing Ray of Hope Pilsner well, received hope. Scuttlebutt assistant brewer and Coast Guard Reservist Adam Chittick who designed the recipe walked into the brewery with his Operational Dress Uniform on and began tossing Hallertau hops in the air singing the “Semper Paratus,” the official march of the United States Coast Guard. There were too many salutes to count. As the clock hit 11:45 p.m., Scuttlebutt Ray of Hope had 55 percent of the votes over Chuckanut Brewery, and a spot in the Sweet Wort 16.

PEAKS AND PINTS WEATHER GUY: Cloudburst, Holy Mountain, Wayfinder, and now Chuckanut — the Tournament of Beer has seen some amazing pilsners fall to the wayside.

GAME 3, PORTLAND/GREATER MULTNOMAH CO. REGION

6. Ecliptic Spectra Hoppy Pilsner vs 14. Little Beast Lezak

RON SWARNER: These two Portland breweries know this is a tournament, not a playoff. They know this match was do or die — one misstep and they would be out of the dance. Ecliptic Brewing took a big gamble switching gears to focus on their upcoming Cosmic Collaboration Hazy Double IPA with Firestone Walker Brewing. Little Beast Brewing, after beating the great Wayfinder Beer in the first round, had to face the fact that their Lezak pilsner hasn’t been on draft since February. When the final buzzer sounded, Ecliptic squeaked a win by 20 votes and waits for Monday’s game winner between Upright Brewing’s Engelbert Pilsner and Heater Allen Pils.

PEAKS AND PINTS WEATHER GUY: Spectra and Lezak sound like names of supervillains.

GAME 4, OREGON REGION

5. Deschutes Da Shootz! vs 4. Block 15 Gloria!

RON SWARNER: Right now Bend, Oregon residents are strutting around shouting, “Da Shootz!”. Open up a door at a Bend barbershop and “Da Shootz!” projects from every chair. On Bend bikes lanes “On Your Left!” has been replaced with “Da Shootz!”. Woodsy The Owls still says “Give A Hoot! Don’t Pollute!” — probably a wise idea. Anyway, as you can gather, Deschutes Da Shootz! beat Block 15 Gloria! yesterday and they did so with only 51 percent of the votes.

PEAKS AND PINTS WEATHER GUY: Da Shootz!

RON SWARNER: Let’s wade through the soft water. The following are advancing to the Sweet Wort 16:

Reuben’s Brews Pilsner

Scuttlebutt Ray of Hope Pilsner

Ecliptic Spectra Hoppy Pilsner

Deschutes Da Shootz!