Well, the first match of Round 3 has come and gone, and it was certainly a good one. It wasn’t an easy match to call, but in the end it looks like most of you came to the same conclusion as the two of us here. In fact, an impressive 89% of you cast your votes for the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Here’s why we called it like we did:

Brad: In my opinion this match likely should’ve been the championship as both of these beers are simply phenomenal. I can’t imagine a decision being more difficult. I think when it comes to the best IPA against the best hefeweizen I have to cast my vote for the DogFish Head 90 Minute IPA because its just a little bit more complex than its opponent. No doubt a trait of IPAs in general, but like I said in my review, the malted sweetness of this particular IPA gives it a dimension that I think makes it all but unbeatable. A very sincere thank you goes out to the folks at Spoetzl for making what is currently my second favorite beer, and best of luck to the 90 Minute IPA as it advances to the Final 8!

John: I have to vote for the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. The Shiner was good – exceptionally good, in fact – and well deserving to be in Round 3. But, the Dogfish brew is on a rampage, at least in my book.   Of all the IPAs initially in this tournament, I have finally decided that this might just be the best stylistic example yet. Often, I search for and find ways in which a beer is lacking or deficient. But with the 90 Minute, I’m searching for ways to improve it, yet still coming up empty. And ultimately, that’s what earned it my vote in today’s match.

Keep an eye on the Current Matches – we’ve uploaded the first poll for next week.  Vote early, vote often, and we’ll see you tomorrow!