Brewper Bowl IV - The Pre-Game Report

A sure sign that another year has come and gone – it’s time once again for the Brewper Bowl!

I’m reporting to you live from overcast Northern Virginia, the site of Brewper Bowl IV. The Seattle beers are back again this year, hoping for a better result of course, and will be opposed by the beers from New England, which have returned to the big stage for the first time since winning Brewper Bowl I many years ago.

But first, let me explain how this whole thing works for those of you who are new. Every year, for the past three years, I have orchestrated what I call the Brewper Bowl. The concept is simple: I acquire a few beers from the two cities (or regions) represented in the Super Bowl and pit them against each other in a head-to-head tasting format, in order to determine which city has the better beers. Aside from the obvious fortune and glory, the winning city gets its name added to the handsome Norm Peterson Trophy… which I don’t have to tell you is kind of a big deal. People have heard of it.

So now, without further ado, I present this year’s participants. We’ll start with the beers from Seattle, WA:

Blogger’s Note - The following beer descriptions are taken from Untappd or from the brewery websites themselves and are not my own.

1.   Fish Tale Vicious Circle Amber Ale from Fish Brewing Company in Olympia, WA - Well balanced and full flavored, Vicious Circle Amber Ale has a rich, malty body with a pleasant caramel character derived from a special blend of six malts. A complex hop aroma, with a hint of floral and citrus, comes from a combination of NW hops. It has a deep copper hue and a rich, creamy head with a fine lace that almost seem to suggest the hints of nutty sweetness and toffee that are about to follow.

2.   Gale Force IPA from Scuttlebutt Brewing Company in Everett, WA - Many people enjoy this IPA because of its bold hop aroma and flavor while it still finishes clean. It’s a great companion with a meal or a bull session with friends. It is unfiltered and dry-hopped to give you the full blast of the Gale Force. Hops: UK East Kent Goldings, Cascade and Columbus.

3.   Fish Tale Organic India Pale Ale (IPA) from Fish Brewing Company in Olympia, WA - Fish Tale Organic India Pale Ale is a medium-bodied beer with a rich golden color. The organic pale and crystal malts lay down a firm malt body. This provides the backbone for an assertive hop profile featuring organic Pacific Gem. The moment the Mighty Fish Brewers sampled this pungent and resinous New Zealand hop, they knew it would be perfect for their Organic I.P.A. The result: A Cascadian treasure.

Now let’s meat the beers from New England:

1.   American Pale Ale from Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, ME - A classic American style Pale Ale bursting with grapefruit citrus flavor.  Dry hopped with American hop varieties for greater aroma and flavor. This beer was originally brewed in the United Kingdom on July 4, 2010 as a collaboration with Marston’s Beer Company.  It was such a hit in the UK, Shipyard decided to brew it back in Maine.

2.   Hoppy Feet Black India Pale Ale from Clown Shoes Beer in Ipswich, MA - Hoppy Feet has been lovingly crafted by combining Premium malt with lots of Amarillo and Columbus Hops.  Grapefruit and Pine are balanced on the nose and on the palate by a nutty, dark chocolate, roasted backbone.

3.   Casco Bay IPA from Casco Bay Brewing Company in Portland, ME – I’m not able to find an official description of this beer anywhere. Apparently, Shipyard bought this brewery in 2008 and turned into a Shipyard brand. Most beer advocate reviews indicate this is going to be an easy-drinking, hop forward IPA that is good, not great. We shall see…

This year's combatants, all lined up on media day

Overall, this is a pretty solid line-up. As always, I am limited to what I can find in my local package store from these far way beer towns, so there might be better beers out there to represent Seattle and New England. Still though, I’m pretty jazzed about these beers. Both cities are leaning pretty heavily on hops – I guess word got out that I am a hop head and may judge accordingly.

I suggest reading through some of the write-ups of the hard-fought grudge matches of years past while you wait for next week’s results. Take a trip down memory lane to Brewper Bowl I (click here and here) when Boston Beer Company’s Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA literally carried New England to a defeat of New York. Then, read on to Brewper Bowl II (click here and here) when Flying Dog’s Gonzo Imperial Porter earned a perfect score and MVB (Most Valuable Beer) honors to lead Baltimore to an overtime thriller victory against San Francisco. Next, cap off your reminiscing by reading about Brewper Bowl III (click here and here) when Oskar Blues’ Deviant Dales Double IPA stole the show with a near perfect performance and a fair bit of trash talking to propel Denver to a nail-biting win over Seattle.

So until next week, may the best beers win!

To be continued…

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!