Well thank you for coming out in force to celebrate the beginning of round 2. It was your voice that broke the first of what is undoubtedly many ties: 2-1 (Overall votes, there were many more fan votes) in favor of the Shiner Hefeweizen. Here are the sides our voters took in today’s matchup:

John: If this match is any indication of the competition to come, then we’re in for a difficult time ahead.  I wish I could vote for both of these beers, but ultimately chose to cast my vote in favor of the Stone IPA.  Both beers had a great visual presence and aroma, but the character of the body and taste of the IPA put it over the top for me.  The Stone IPA is deliciously hoppy” indeed, but still maintains a wonderful earthy malt presence in  the background.

Brad: As I said earlier, today’s match was a question of whether the more well-pronounced flavors of the Stone IPA could defeat the well rounded, crisper flavors of the Shiner Hefeweizen. Stone makes a great IPA for sure, one that got it into this round easily. Where Stone falls short is in that it is just a great IPA, it is lacking that one aspect that would make it a great all-around beer. The complex but not overbearing nature of the Shiner Hefeweizen makes it a great beer for anyone, regardless of their affinity for hefeweizens, which to me is what can propel a beer to the Sweet 16 and beyond. Stone, your IPA is great and will definitely be in my fridge, but it simply wasn’t enough today.