Tournament of Washington IPAs: Second Round April 20

Tournament of Washington IPAs: Second Round April 20: Peaks and Pints honestly had no idea how the Tournament of Beers: Washington State IPAs would go. Much like the actual NCAA bracket, the 64 breweries voted in are strikingly different. Some Washington start breweries have been around for a while and have huge fanbases. Others are mid-majors, known mostly to those living nearby. Some people have stood inside Peaks and Pints and passionately expressed dismay at the tournament seeding, even though the public seeded it. What we do know is thousands of people are voting. Long, lively conversations occur daily beneath the giant Tournament brackets gracing to our walls. And head brewers are stopping by to sign autographs. People are talking about Washington beer and having a good time.

Here’s a look at today’s Tournament of Beer Second Round action and a recap of yesterday’s results. Nestle up to a Washington state IPA and get to voting. …

Wednesday, April 19, Second Round Washington IPA Games Results

GAME 1, NORTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1. Inside Passage IPA, Boundary Bay Brewery (1107 Railroad Ave., Bellingham) vs. 9. Tropic Haze IPA, Silver City Brewery (206 Katy Penman, Bremerton)

The Boundary Bay Brewing Company, also known as the Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro is a brewery and brewpub in Bellingham. It was founded in 1995 by Ed Bennett, and has won numerous awards in national and international beer competitions. Co-owners Steve and Scott Houmes started Silver City Brewery in 1996, and it remains a locally owned and operated family establishment, brewing award-winning beers in Bremerton. These two Washington institutions battled back and forth all day. But, then night came, and things got “Haze-y.” Silver City hit it hard, capturing 58 percent of the votes when all said and done. Congratulations Silver City Brewery. You move into the Sweet Wort 16.

GAME 2, SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

10. Shift Trade IPA, Top Rung Brewing Co. (8343 Hogum Bay Lane NE, Lacey) vs. 15. Electron India Pale Ale, Puyallup River Brewing Co. (Puyallup, Washington)

At halftime, the Electron IPA had a 12-point lead over Shift Trade IPA. Rumor is Puyallup River Brewing founder Eric Akeson stood outside the Western Washington Fairgrounds and waved to those driving along Meridian Street. Then, the work bell rang and folks decided not to head home, but rather point their cars toward Lacey, specifically Top Rung Brewing Co. Maybe it was the huge supply of board games. Or, more likely, their Shift Trade IPA and its crisp, mosaic flavor. Whatever the reason, Top Rung Brewing pushed it, and the votes turned. At the final buzzer, Shift Trade IPA had 68 percent of the votes and a clear path to the Sweet Wort 16.

GAME 3, KING COUNTY REGION

12. Citra IPA, Stoup Brewing (1108 NW 52nd St., Seattle) vs. 4. Alternative Facts IPA, Cloudburst Brewing (2116 Western Ave., Seattle)

It’s not a surprise the city of Seattle’s production dropped 13 percent yesterday. Office workers, construction crews, city employees, Seattle Mariners bats and others took the day off to immerse themselves in Stoup Brewing Citra IPAs and Cloudburst Brewing’s bevy of IPAs (Cloudburst’s Alternative Facts is just an archived recipe now). Luckily for all of us, Cloudburst doesn’t need the Tournament of Beer to get by … They pump out different delicious IPAs by the minute, including the future Cantwellian Dystopia Pumpkin Imperial Stout. This game will be the enduring legacy of the Tournament of Beer: Washington State IPAs, etched in the record books as Citra IPA 50.42%, Cloudburst 49.58%. Epic. Stoup Brewing‘s delicious Citra IPA moves into the Sweet Wort 16.

GAME 4, EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

10. Homo Erectus Imperial IPA, Walking Man Brewing Co. (240 First St., Stevenson) vs. 15. Bootjack IPA, Icicle Brewing Company (935 Front St., Leavenworth)

When Leavenworth Brewery merged with Fish Brewing Company and consolidated operations in Olympia nearly 17 years ago, the Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth lost its brewery. Yea, right? A Bavarian town with out a brewery? It was the day the accordion died. Oliver and Pam Brulotte, who owned the München Haus restaurant and pub down the street, cried that day. In 2011, the tears dried when the Brulottes opened Icicle Brewing Company, bring craft beer brewing back to Leavenworth and head brewer Dean Priebe, who has shared brewing time with several Washington state breweries including Walking Man Brewing. Did the fact Icicle Brewing put the Bavarian mojo back into the tourist town or Priebe knew Walking Man inside and out contribute to the Leavenworth breweries oompahing Walking Man with 63 percent of the votes? Doesn’t matter. Bootjack IPA heads into the Sweet Wort 16.

Let’s check the beer turbidity. The following are advancing to the Sweet Wort 16:

Tropic Haze IPA, Silver City Brewery

Shift Trade IPA, Top Rung Brewing Co.

Citra IPA, Stoup Brewing

Bootjack IPA, Icicle Brewing Company

OK, pour a pint and dive into today’s Second Round IPA battles. Vote for one IPA per game. Voting for today’s IPA battles ends at 11:45 p.m. today.

Thursday, April 20, Second Round Washington IPA Games

GAME 1, NORTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

5. Batch 15, Aslan Brewing Company (1330 N. Forest St., Bellingham) vs. 4. Stackin’ Hay IPA, FarmStrong Brewing Company (110 Stewart Road, Mt. Vernon)

FarmStrong Brewing has a huge heart. The Mt. Vernon brewery is heavily involved with the Growing Veterans organization, a non-profit that assists veterans seeking farming situations to grow food and build communities. Call it “dirt therapy,” if you will. FarmStrong also has a daycare room in its brewery. Seriously. Genius. Aslan Brewing swells with good vibes, too. If you’ve spent any time in its taproom you can’t help walk away with a smile. From the fun staff, to the bright open taproom with a front row of the brewery to the lively outdoor patio, it’s just cool. But, this is not the Tournament of Aesthetics. Mobile your base, Aslan and FarmStrong, and get out the vote!

SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

GAME 2, SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

6. Prairie Line IPA, Pacific Brewing & Malting Co. (610 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. 3. Little Juice IPA (Smoothie Edition), Three Magnets Brewing Co. (600 Franklin St. SE, Olympia)

Even with multiple dimensions and infinite permutations that factors in every variable you could imagine — strength of schedule, hops per barrel, clarity, tradition, number of brewers, size of mascot, name of mascot, college grade point average sales rep — this game is anyone’s guess? Yes, these two South Sound breweries are friends. Yes, these two IPAs would be the beers each brewery would pour at each brewery owners’ birthday parties. You have to shut all that out and concentrate on the IPA. Pacific Brewing‘s Prairie Line features Simcoe and Amarillo hops for an easy drinking, tangerine, mango and melon IPA. Three Magnet‘s Little Juice IPA (Smoothie Edition) is unfiltered with intense tropical fruit aromas with a slight dank edge, followed by dry citrus flavors. You have to search your soul.

SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

GAME 3, KING COUNTY REGION

1. Bodhizafa, Georgetown Brewing Co. (5200 Denver Ave. S., Seattle) vs. 9. Astral Projection Imperial IPA, Holy Mountain (1421 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle)

Georgetown vs. Holy Mountain. Few sentences in our Tournament of Beer come with more buzz, especially in Seattle. Georgetown Brewing made a huge splash at last year’s Great American Beer Festival, taking home a gold medal in the category with the most entrants, American-Style IPA with 312 entries, as well as a gold medal in another very competitive category, Coffee Beer with 168 entries. In a short time, Holy Mountain — with zero exaggeration — has rocked the Washington brewing scene with Belgians, goses, farmhouse ales, the delicious Astral Projection Imperial IPA, 219 magazine articles and special taproom can releases that sell out in an hour. If Georgetown decides to back up Bodhi with their single hop pale ale Johnny Utah, well, 100 percent pure adrenaline!

SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

GAME 4, EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

11. Hoppy AF, Everybody’s Brewing (151 E. Jewett Blvd., White Salmon) vs. 3. Bottomcutter IIPA, Bale Breaker Brewing Company (1801 Birchfield Road, Yakima)

In Round One hype we played the “AF” card as well as Bale Breaker’s embedded hop field locale. Easy marks, indeed. Who doesn’t like an “AF” reference or respect a brewery surrounded by a hop field. It’s a Tournament of Beer color commentator’s dream. Sometimes we need to thrown on our serious Jim McKay headphones and call it as we see it. Everybody’s Hoppy AF is a dank, juicy IPA with big and complex hop flavors. Bale Breaker’s Bottomcutter IIPA comes across as dank, resinous, spicy, earthy with a little peach and a flower in its cap. Today, they battle for IPA supremacy.

VOTE BELOW……………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Be sure to click the blue DONE button after selecting your favorite IPAs!