What a match, what great brews, and what great rationale behind the voting. Our reviewers can spin it however they want but at the end of the day, SweepWater takes home the gold!

John: What a fitting match to wrap up the second tournament!  I can still see reasons why both of these brews deserve to be on top of the podium. At least we can all have comfort knowing that the “loser” today still walks with silver!   I’m voting for the SweetWater IPA. One of the primary deciding factors for me was its well-rounded nature and “anytime” drinkability.  Congrats to both beers today!

Brad: To me, today’s match isn’t voting for a winner because that would be nearly impossible, it’s just putting in order the top two beers in this tournament. And for me, the number one beer is the Sweetwater IPA because of its superior drinkability and broader appeal, combined with a fantastic taste and great overall beer experience. It feels good to have tournament #2 behind us and thanks to you, the fans, we couldn’t have done it without your record fan support!

Fans: You came out in droves and you came out for SweetWater mostly. The guess is that more of you identify with the beer you can snag at the bar with the game on, as you have come out en masse for this brew all tournament. Anyway, with a near 3:1 ratio, the SweetWater IPA takes him the gold with a 74%-26% victory. Thank you for voting early, voting often, and mainly coming back! Your support keeps us going and your voices are certainly being heard by the breweries!

Here we are, in the finals! Let’s jump right in with the SweetWater IPA, a beer that I have enjoyed all along, that a local pub near me just got on tap and basically cemented my business now, and a beer that I feel represented our blue-collar drinkers today. This beer is the ultimate bar beer as far as this tournament is concerned, its going to pair well with your greasy fried food, but it somehow also pairs well with grill food that isn’t overly greasy too. Equally as amazing is that this beer is packed full of flavor, so it stands well on its own. It was obviously the best IPA that we’ve had and that is saying something given the breadth of competition we had, and it has made it farther than any IPA has thus far, giving you an idea of how great this beer is. I don’t know if I would call this beer “classic” because it’s too down-to-earth for that. What SweetWater has done is made a bar beer, a party beer, a daily drinker; basically just a beer that you can enjoy any time any where and love it. This is the beer to have when you’re hanging out with your buddies or shooting pool, an uncommonly common IPA.

Like I said, we can’t get more different for two beers today. Here is a brew with an equally impressive resume, edging out our best Porter and  Bronze Medal Founder’s Porter as well as winning the European-style division and crushing the second-best beer from the same brewery, I must be talking about the Allagash Tripel. Where I wouldn’t call the SweetWater “classic” because it is too blue-collar, rich and classic are perfect words to describe the depth and fantastic flavor that the Allagash brings to the table. It’s a tough beer to call in a tournament like this because the seasoned quaffers will be able to enjoy and love the complexity of this beer, yet some newbies may be intimidated. I always hate to skew this tournament as to whom will like which beer, because I don’t know what everyone thinks, which is why this beer is here and has a shot at winning the whole thing. For newcomers, this is a great beer to step up your flavor sensing to the next level, because the flavors are very organic and easy to handle (versus some of the complex fruits of say, the Founder’s) so you get the richer flavors without the liquor or bitter notes that come with some other strong brews. Who will take home the gold? The down-to-earth and anytime deliciousness of SweetWater or the high-profile stylish Allagash Tripel? Your votes make the call and we can’t wait to see how it plays out!

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

It seems like just yesterday we were anxiously awaiting the results of the first tournament, in order to see who would claim the first Brewlimination Gold medal.  Today, we get to see which beer will be the second to claim the gold.  It has been a long, hard-fought tournament, and has taken us since late December to reach where we are today.  Before I make my comments today, I first want to extend a huge thanks to everyone for your comments and voting efforts.  With the frequent disagreement between Brad and I, there’s not a chance we would have been able to narrow this field of 64 down to the final two beers without your help.

In the previous round, I said that The Allagash Tripel has a amazing taste profile and an easy-drinking nature.  Going all the way back to the first round, I remember saying how the strong nature of this beer is well-masked behind the complex and impressive flavor profile.  This beer does its style justice, and brings a wonderful 3-dimensional character to the table.  I mentioned in the early rounds how almost all of the Division 4 beers (and even styles) were somewhat new to me before this bracket started, and I have a new-found affection for these styles of beer more so now than ever.

The other beer on the table today is the SweetWater IPA, and while I didn’t vote for this beer in the Fermented Four, it’s easy to see why this beer still has a shot at the title.  This IPA packs a citrus punch and is loaded full of hops from start to finish.  A similarly amazing taste profile leads to a similar easy-drinking nature.  The kick of sweetness in the background helps to balance this brew out.  Again, this beer does its style justice, and while I’m only half-way through the glass I can tell this is shaping up to be one difficult match to call – quite fitting for a Championship bout.

Two delicious beers, two vastly different styles, to equally deserving competitors.  I can’t wait to see which one takes home the gold – stay tuned, and make sure to cast your final vote of the match!

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

Wow today was so close, here was the breakdown of the closest Brewlimination Fermented Four we have had yet!

John:  I love both of these two beers, more than many in this – or even the previous – bracket.  I wish I could vote them both on, I honestly do (and I’m not just saying that because I feel bad voting against a fantastic beer either).  I’m voting for the Founder’s Porter today.  When I think of a quality porter, the beer from Founder’s is exactly what I’m looking for.  Congrats to both beers and breweries for certain, today featured two fantastic productions.

Brad: More flavors or richer flavors, which to vote for? To me, the deep fruit flavors of the Allagash Tripel simply overpowered the numerous flavors of the Founder’s Porter. I love the complex fruit flavors of this beer as they are so uniquely Allagash and they are among the smoothest and most flavorful of the tournament. The smoothness cuts the usual power of the strong fruit flavors and makes this excellent beer truly a classic.

Fans: What a close one! Simply put, this was back and forth until the bitter end and a handful of votes from a few very dedicated Allagash Tripel fans gave this astounding brew the last spot in the finals with a very close 51%-49% victory in today’s matchup.

My comments today will be short and sweet.  Like the earlier match in the week, the quality of these two beers speaks for themselves at this point in the competition.  So just how do I see these two beers?

The Allagash Tripel has a superior taste profile and easy-drinking nature.

The Founder’s Porter,on the other hand, is smooth and also highly drinkable, and a fantastic example of a porter.

Both beers are suprisingly comlex from top to bottom, front to back.

Yes, like I said, short and sweet.  Now to find a way to make a decision…

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

It’s matches like these that make me thankful for our ability to link back, because if we took the time to list all of the different flavors and ingredients both of these brews use, my post would be 20 pages long. So please, if you are making your vote based on our reviews, go read the backed articles so you can get the whole feel of these amazing beers.

The Founder’s Porter has had a very difficult road to get here, defeating what could arguably be considered the best beer from the first tournament’s champion beer. If you can, give this beer a minute to open up because it packs a lot of flavor into a bottle, and airing it out helps the flavors separate instead of barrel into you at once. If you can’t do that, you must swirl the beer around in its glass to force some air in. Anyway, I consider this beer to be an intro to the “higher society” of beers for newbies and a very welcome experience for the seasoned tasters out there. The flavors themselves are nothing like what you get from anything outside of a porter/stout, and even then they are quite unique to the Founder’s. Somehow they managed to put incredibly rich and varied flavors in yet attain a consistency and a temperance that doesn’t make it too strong, and doesn’t make it unable to pair with food. We couldn’t have chosen a better beer to represent the “ultimate” porter/stout and it will more than hold its own today.

Where Founder’s has a good resume getting through the stout division, the Allagash Tripel has an equally impressive resume, running through the European-style division and even defeating its brother beer, the Allagash Dubbel, in the process! What I cannot stress enough is that this is the most natural beer in the tournament. Now, what the heck does that mean? You know when you have sugary cereal, the sugar tastes different than, say, the sugar in an apple? You know how you feel much different when you eat the natural food? That’s what Allagash does, and how it has captivated so many of us. While they obviously aren’t dumping raw fruit into their vats, they have painstakingly selected the most choice hops, barley, malt, and yeasts to create this natural feel that is quite impressive. To be able to create a beer with so many deep, rich flavors that doesn’t taste like it was simply made by mixing a bunch of chemicals together is truly a feat to be proud of. And one that has gotten Allagash into the Fermented Four. These beers are simply astounding, and the winner of it all could very well come from this match! Both brewers should be very proud and here’s to you all!

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

This week of third round matches came and went, quicker than we even realized.  Today was a close match for sure, and here’s how it was decided:

Brad: I want to vote for both of these so badly and for legitimate reasons. When it comes down to it, the Dortmunder is incredibly unique and ultimately a truly classic beer. The Allagash Tripel is a sophisticated beer a la the Founder’s Porter, and it is also a very unique brew. Nobody does what Great Lakes does better, but my vote today has to go to the Allagash Tripel, a complex, balanced, drinker-friendly beer that barely edges out the Dortmunder. Congrats to both for sure.

John: At the end of the day, I simply couldn’t find any reason to vote against either of these two beers.  In what was close to a coin flip for me, I ultimately decided in favor of the Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, primarily due to the fact that it simply seems to have a trait about it that makes it stand out from the pack.  It might be worthy of gold in my book (maybe), but I’m wondering what everyone else has to say on the subject…

Fans: Today’s match had a slightly wider gap than yesterday’s, with an almost two-to-one margin in favor of the Allagash Tripel!  65% of you helped seal the deal for a Fermented Four spot for Allagash.

Since today was the final fourth round match, the second of the Fermented Four pairing has now been determined – Founder’s Porter vs. Allagash Tripel!  This match will take place one week from today, on 3/24/2011!  Voting will open shortly after this post goes live, so make sure to jump on over to the Current Matches page to make your voice heard!  Vote early, vote often, and enjoy the long weekend!  I’m sure we’ll be back to recap the fourth round and to preview the upcoming Fermented Four!

Starting with the beer I didn’t vote for in the last round, as well as stating it’s full name for the first time, the Allagash Tripel Reserve is a great beer despite my record. As I taste today I realize that this beer is like the Founder’s in terms of sophistication. Last round I voted for the blue-collar option but that wasn’t to say that this beer isn’t amazing with its organic sugar flavors blended with earthy hops to create an overall impression of a very natural beverage that doesn’t feel trumped up with synthetic sugars or flavorings. There is something truly special about a beer that has this unique earthy quality all the way through to the smooth mouthfeel that just lets you know that Allagash methodically selected the hops and barley and yeast specifically to create this particular natural beer experience, and they have hit a home run with this one.

And we have the final beer with a chance to make the Fermented Four, the Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold. You all have had a large hand in getting the Dortmunder to this level as it hasn’t swept every round, but there’s a reason you love this brew. Like I said in the last round, you have to have a passion for this particular style of brew to make it, as Wikipedia shows that this beer is one of the only Dortmunders crafted in the United States. Speaking to its weakness, I basically retract what I said about its inability to pair with food. Allow me to clarify by saying that it doesn’t fight food, but it doesn’t do anything special to bring out the flavors of food beyond what your typical beer would, which makes it ok not “bad” as I had previously said. The passion exhibited by the brewers today is very apparent and I consider us here at Brewlimination privileged that we had the opportunity to see this match as we have really the only big name Dortmunder crafter putting their brew against a very well-crafted Tripel from Allagash. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will win but you will certainly have a huge hand in the decision today.

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

But you were expecting that, weren’t you. We’ll keep this brief and keep you all in suspense as we reveal what our judges and ultimately you, the fans, thought.

John: The bitterness on the trailing end of the Dubbel is somewhat off-putting, at least by the end of the glass anyway.  While I love the flavor profile and could easily drink another, my mind keeps turning to the competitor.  The Allagash Tripel receives my vote today, thanks to the superior taste profile and easy-drinking nature.  These were my first two experiences with Allagash, and if they are indicative of the remainder of their catalogue, I look forward to trying anything else I can get my hands on.

Brad: Maybe I’m just strange but I enjoy the Allagash Dubbel moreso than the Tripel. The Tripel has a certain sophistication to it that makes it a love it or leave it beer, whereas the Dubbel is simply fantastic. Good ingredients, a wealth of malted flavors, a smokiness that I absolutely love. I just have to give it to the Dubbel today as it is one of my favorites in the tournament but both beers are outstanding.

Fans: We’ll see if you can follow along, the Tripel doubled the Dubbel, well almost. But it did win pretty convincingly. I don’t know what to say other than you all clearly like the Tripel more than the Dubbel, it isn’t reflective of the brewery, just personal choice. Anyway, the Allagash Tripel wins this one, 64%-36%

What a way to start the week. A Dubbel vs. a Tripel in what will surely be a battle of pure personal preference. Let’s get this going with the Allagash Dubbel, a beer that I voted for which could prove to be a critical link to this crazy conundrum we find ourselves in today. I’ve had a couple friends ask me about this beer because of how much I raved about the smoky flavors and 7 distinct malts. How can this beer be balanced? They want to know. The only way I can describe it is, have you ever had a really good hamburger, one with the works? The ratio of meat to fixins’ is not overly good as chances are the burger is loaded up with everything else, yet you can still taste the meat enough for it to be a great burger. Same goes for this brew. There are a lot of malt flavors, sure, but the citrus spice comes through clear as day enough to put the meat in this proverbial sandwich and not just leave it as a salad.

Now then, in the other fridge, another Allagash, the Allagash Tripel, a beer I voted against, only because I felt that it had run into a personal favorite of mine. Earthy, yet crisp, the Allagash Tripel really surprises you into thinking that this beer will be very sweet and strong with hints of alcohol and scotch notes in the finish but you would be wrong. This beer has the organic sugars of a Tripel but it manages to hold a certain hop note throughout that keeps it from running away into a scotch. Combine this with the doughy smoothness throughout that is that earthy sweetness I was talking about and you have yourself a finely crafted beer. It is worth noting how much attention to detail must be paid when you are working with such potent flavors as the slightest imbalance could easily turn this brew into a malted or hoppy mess with too little hints of balance. Kudos to Allagash for getting 2 beers here, you are in very distinguished company and a truly great brewery! Thank you!

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!