Wandering the Hop Fields for August 24th, 2009

Some mentions that need acknowledgement and a rare treat await you today.

Tomme Arthur makes a stop in Seattle

     Tonight if you missed out on visiting Bottleworks you will have a second chance this Wednesday as he entertains the Capitol Hill neighborhood at Quinn's for a social get together. The event will feature some of Tomme Arthur’s Lost Abbey and Port Brewing creations alongside potentially some well paired dishes.

     If you haven't met Tomme then this is a rare treat since he doesn't visit the area too often. I invite you swing into Quinn's starting around 6 or so and shake the hand of the man who makes one of the most killer beers this side of the catholic school (inside joke). Sinners Rule!

August 26th, 2009

Quinn’s on Capitol Hill
1001 E. Pike Street Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 325-7711

Washington India Pale Ale Festival a success and surprise

     Last Saturday seated at three tables men and women used every inch of their palettes against over 30 India Pales ranging from the strong (Imperial IPA) to the norm’ (India Pale Ale). Throughout the event an assortment of all Washington beers were featured on draft with only a number identifying them in regards to the beer. Voters listed their preferred Washington beer and in the end the beer that no one was expecting to come in anything than first fell from its top spot, and an unlikely beer became Washington’s number one.

“Seattle, WA (8/22/09) – On Saturday, August 22, 16 judges gathered at Beveridge Place Pub, located in Seattle, Washington, for a blind evaluation of 36 IPA and Imperial IPA entries. The Washington IPA Challenge was a chance for some of Washington’s breweries, very few of which distribute beer outside of the Northwest, to compete with select well-regarded IPAs from around the country.

In this inaugural year of the Challenge, Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA, from Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California, was judged the winning IPA out of 19 entries. Marin White Knuckle Double IPA, from Marin Brewing Company in Larkspur, California, was judged the winning Imperial IPA out of 17 entries. Congratulations to both breweries for winning a competition that was packed with outstanding examples of the styles. For the rest of the field, the saying “Everyone is a winner” truly applied to the IPAs in this competition. As this was a competition with a Washington focus, a big congrats goes out to Big Time Brewing for taking second place in the IPA category with their Scarlet Fire IPA!

Beveridge Place Pub also had 12 Washington IPAs on tap for the occasion for public consumption, and customers voted for their favorites. The tap handles were blank, with only numbers to order samples by so that there was no bias in the customers’ voting. Rock Bottom Hop Bomb IPA, from the Rock Bottom in Bellevue, Washington, tallied the most votes (in a serious landslide) to claim the Customer Favorite award from the Challenge. For the Hop Bomb, this award follows up a Gold medal at GABF in 2008 and a Silver medal at GABF in 2007. Cheers to brewer Brian Young for his continued success!

For more complete results of the Challenge, please visit Seattlebeernews.com. This year’s winners will be invited back to defend their crown in 2010.

Participating beers in the IPA category: Northern Lights IPA (WA), Cigar City Jai Alai IPA (FL), Laurelwood Workhorse IPA (OR), Silver City Indianola IPA (WA), Three Floyds Alpha King (IN), Anacortes IPA (WA), Green Flash West Coast IPA (CA), Big Time Scarlet Fire (WA), Rock Bottom (Bellevue) Hop Bomb (WA), Diamond Knot IPA (WA), Pike IPA (WA), Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA (CA), Boundary Bay IPA (WA), Stone IPA (CA), Snoqualmie Wildcat IPA (WA), Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (MI), Victory Hop Devil (PA), Big Al IPA (WA), and Elysian Immortal IPA (WA).

Participating beers in the Imperial IPA category: Russian River Pliny the Elder (CA), Silver City Whoop Pass Double IPA (WA), Three Floyds Dreadnaught (IN), Diamond Knot Industrial IPA (WA), Pike Double IPA (WA), Firestone Walker Double Jack (CA), Boundary Bay Imperial IPA (WA), Stone Ruination IPA (CA), Victory Hop Wallop (PA), Elliott Bay Hoppus Collosum (WA), 7 Seas Ballz Deep Double IPA (WA), Hair of the Dog Blue Dot IPA (OR), Port Brewing Hop 15 (CA), Maritime Imperial IPA (WA), Marin Brewing White Knuckle Double IPA (CA), Elysian Hubris Imperial IPA (WA), and Oskar Blues Gordon (CO).

About Washington Beer: The state of Washington boasts over 80 active breweries, very few of which distribute their beer outside of the state or the Northwest. The majority of the nation’s hops are grown in the state of Washington (63 million lbs out of a total 80 million lbs in 2008), and the state ranks fourth among the top barley-producing states. Craft brewing pioneer Bert Grant (1928 – 2001) established the first modern day brewpub in the United States in Yakima, Washington, and he also led the charge to revive the India Pale Ale style in this country. Bert would be proud to see all of the Washington IPAs that have followed in his footsteps.”

     Congratulations Geoff, Rock Bottom, Marin, Firestone and all of you the consumers for choosing not with who you know of but what it means to you to have a really good IPA.

As previously mentioned ...

     Alan Shapiro in wake of the recent release at Elysian "Capitol Hill" and his tasting at Malt & Vine is at it again with the continued reinforcement that without support from thirsty people like you Reunion cannot be a success in the fight against cancer.

"Please join us at Naked City Taphouse Tuesday, August 25th at 6pm for a very
special event.  We will be welcoming Alan Shapiro from SBS Imports and
showcasing this year's Reunion - A Beer for Hope (www.reunionbeer.com).

When you purchase a pint of Reunion, you will receive a limited edition
Reunion '09 pint glass. (While supplies last).  We have a limited number of
these special glasses so be sure and get there early!

Proceeds for the event will benefit The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer
Research (www.imbcr.org).

Naked City Taphouse
8564 Greenwood Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98103
206-838-6299"

     Show up and continue to demonstrate your support of not only the craft beer movement but also to support the research into fighting cancer.

Naked City Taphouse
8564 Greenwood Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 838-6299

     That’s all for now, but in the coming weeks look for a mention of lighter beers in this pending dark time in craft beer.

Cheers