I’ll start the comments on my reviews today by saying one simple thing: I’m impressed. Both of today’s beers are quality production, and I can immediately see why both the SweetWater IPA and the Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard have rampaged into the Final 16. Now, I only voted for one of these beers in the previous round, but today is a whole new beast.

The aromas in these beers are somewhat similar to one another, yet drastically different at the same time. Both have a solid citrus core, but while the SweetWater has an interesting herbal sweetness, the Bastard brings a subtle smoked oak. Either aroma will captivate and immediately draw you in for a taste. The taste of both of these beers seem to be enhanced versions of the aromas. Similar flavorings and hops are present from start to finish, resulting in a very delicious flavor profile in both beers.

The really interesting thing about this match is what I said above: both beers are somewhat similar (which I already touched on), but yet drastically different at the same time. The SweetWater does wonderful justice to the IPA, with a fantastic level of balance for the style. The folks at Stone, however, have produced a powerful strong ale that does the label justice. It’s difficult to tell which one of these two beers is truly the “better” beer, as they’re both top notch. It’s only a few hours until the end of the match, and I still haven’t made up my mind…

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!