Tournament of Washington IPAs: Second Round results — For more than two weeks, Peaks and Pints challenged 64 of Washington state’s best IPAs to go IBU-to-IBU 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.
Here’s a recap of yesterday’s Tournament of Beer Second Round action. The last eight Washington state IPAs 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 Washington IPA Games Results
GAME 1, NORTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION
7. Mammoth Jack, Skookum Brewery (17925 59th Ave. NE, Arlington) vs. 2. Pourhouse IPA, Rainy Daze Brewing (650 NW Bovela Lane, Poulsbo)
Rainy Daze Brewing kept a lead all day with ferocious play from their Pourhouse IPA. The well-balance IPA was too much for Skookum’s Mammoth Jack. Rainy Daze kept Pouring it all day until the final buzzer. Pourhouse grabbed 61 percent of the vote and moves into the Sweet Wort 16 to battle the winner of its brother beer, Goat Boater IPA, and Boundary Bay Brewery’s Cedar Dust IPA.
GAME 2, SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION
Shadow Shinobi, Loowit Brewing Company (507 Columbia St., Vancouver) vs. 9 Lights Out Double IPA, North Jetty Brewing (4200 Pacific Way, Seaview)
These two Southwest Washington breweries bounced IBUs off each other all day until around 4 p.m. when Lights Out Double IPA began to pull away. Rumor has it North Jetty Brewing hit all the surf shops up and down the coast. We have no idea what Shadow Shinobi did because, well, it’s a ninja. As the clock hit 11:45 p.m., Lights Out Double IPA had 65 percent of the votes, and a spot in the Sweet Wort 16.
GAME 3, KING COUNTY REGION
6. Lush IPA, Fremont Brewing (1050 N. 34th St., Seattle) vs. 3. Crikey IPA, Reuben’s Brews (5010 14th Ave. NW, Seattle)
These two Seattle 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. Fremont took a big gamble switching gears to focus on their Bellingham Beer Week beer, an imperial porter with vanilla, coffee and coconut. Reuben’s countered by extending its taproom hours and added a lunchtime food truck. The votes reflected these two moves with the lead bouncing back and forth all day. When the final buzzer sounded, Fremont Brewing squeaked a win by 22 votes and waits for Monday’s game winner between Sumerian Brewing’s Hopruption IPA and Two Beers’ Wonderland Trail IPA.
GAME 4, EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION
5. Jet Star Imperial IPA, No-Li Brewhouse (1003 E. Trent Ave., Spokane) vs. 13. Walking Man IPA, Walking Man Brewing (240 First St., Stevenson)
Yes, No-Li Brewhouse’s Jet Star Imperial IPA was seeded much higher and their Jet Star is a hophead’s dream beer with late kettle hop additions and dry-hopping, but Walking Man’s flagship gold medal winning IPA is “versatile, drinkable and delicious.” The deciding factor in this match-up came down to fans, and Walking Man has a top-notch fan base. The other Washington state IPAs need to sharpen their IBUs because Walking Man IPA is the real deal. With 74 percent of the vote, the Stevenson brewery and its beloved IPA move closer to the title.
Let’s check the fermenter. The following are advancing to the Sweet Wort 16:
Rainy Daze Pourhouse IPA
North Jetty Lights Out Double IPA
Fremont Brewing Lush IPA
Walking Man IPA
Monday, April 24 Tournament of Washington IPAs Second Round action …
Game 1: Cedar Dust IPA, Boundary Bay Brewery (1107 Railroad Ave., Bellingham) vs. Goat Boater IPA, Rainy Daze Brewing (650 NW Bovela Lane, Poulsbo)
Game 2: Moving Day IPA, Wet Coast Brewing Company (6820 Kimball Dr., Gig Harbor) vs. Ace IPA, Wingman Brewers (509 ½ Puyallup Ave., Tacoma)
Game 3: Hopruption Double IPA, Sumerian Brewing Co. (11510 Woodinville-Redmond Road NE, Woodinville) vs. Wonderland Trail IPA, Two Beers Brewing Co. (4700 Ohio Ave. S., Seattle)
Game 4: Topcutter IPA, Bale Breaker Brewing Company (1801 Birchfield Road, Yakima) vs. Double Cutt IIPA, Backwoods Brewing Company (1162 Wind River Hwy., Carson)
LINK: Tournament of Beers: Washington State IPAs explanation
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LINK: Explore Washington state breweries
