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!

The SweetWater IPA!  We’ll keep the summary short and sweet today, as both of these beers do a fantastic job of speaking for themselves.  If you haven’t had them yet, we strongly recommend both!

Brad: In the battle of more consistent vs. more flavorful, the winner is the SweetWater IPA. This is a personal decision as both of these beers are absolutely phenomenal, but I personally enjoy the little variance in flavor that SweetWater has and I feel it can keep a beer new and exciting longer, as well as give it a unique freshness that makes you feel like this brew was just bottled for you. Congrats to both breweries for making it this far, I hope you both get to take home some hardware but I did have to pick one and it is SweetWater today.

John: Today was a close match for me, as I expected from the two competitors.  I’m voting for the Terrapin Rye Pale Ale. Sure, I actually voted against the Terrapin in the last round, but the latest tasting has renewed my appreciation for this fantastic beer.  The unexpected complexity and balance put it over the top in my book today.

Fans: In what can only be explained as a shocking defeat, the SweetWater Pale Ale hauled in an impressive 85% of the overall vote, more than sealing it’s place in the Brewlimination record book, as well as in the second Championship match.

So that’s it for today folks.  The Terrapin Rye will be heading to the Bronze Medal Match, while the SweetWater IPA tries to take home the gold.  The championship round matches will take place next week, but there’s still one thing left to do – determine their competitors!  The second Fermented Four match will take place on Thursday, so you still have a couple of days to cast your vote on the Current Matches page.  Cheers!

How can you not call this the more laid back of the two matches? Today has a banjo-strummin’ turtle and a day of fishing, the other match has the brewing world’s Mona Lisa and a deep, mysterious forest.

Anyway, what is there left to say about the Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, that I didn’t sum up in the last round? This beer has everything that a daily drinker should have, it has basic flavors that appeal to new drinkers with unique takes that more seasoned quaffers can appreciate. And, perhaps most importantly, this beer is the same beer every time. You don’t have to worry with this one about keeping the temperature exact for fear of freezing or skunking it because it is going to be the same brew every time, which is a big credit to Terrapin for figuring out how to make a beer that isn’t fragile. Finally, something that is often overlooked in these reviews, this beer tastes incredible. It packs a lot of flavor into a tougher rye pale genre while still staying true to the genre. Drink today’s match and you’ll find yourself with a beer that has it all no matter how you decide.

Our inaugural tournament saw a wealth of incredible IPAs, yet a Brown Ale and an “Extraordinary” Ale made the final. What makes the SweetWater IPA more deserving of the first finalist IPA? Well as I pointed out in the last match, this brew is an incredibly flavorful brew, perhaps more flavorful that its opponent today. The problem as we will see today, is that everything in the beer world is a tradeoff, and today is no different. The SweetWater is the more flavorful beer, but at the price of consistency. There are a lot of fruit flavors which make for an incredible drinking experience, but if you were to have 2 or 3 at one time, you could still be picking up new flavors by the end of the third beer. This is the best problem to have in the beer world as the only possible knock I could think of is that this beer was too flavorful. Today is the classic match of consistency vs. explosiveness. Which will win: the tortoise or the fish?

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

Well today I’m simply clueless, the tasting I’m doing right now will have to make up my mind because these are two brews that I am simply in love with. The Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale had been a strong competitor all along, leaving little doubt in our minds that this tournament we have found the beers Bell’s brews best. This orchard beer is one you are simply going to have to experience to truly appreciate, as I can only explain the deep fruit flavors so many times before it just doesn’t register. The deep fruit flavors and rich pine spice make for a fantastic “two-hearts” if you will and really allow for wonderful balance and flavor. As for mouthfeel, this beer is not overly doughy nor is it overly carbonated, just a down the middle yeast that stays out of the way of these truly outstanding flavors.

In the other bottle, a brew that is equally as touted, outstanding, and incredible, the SweetWater IPA. I called this beer flavorful yet tempered, and then prematurely called it a definite contender for the ultimate brew. So much for impartiality haha. Today really is a rough one as all of the positive things about the SweetWater, fruit flavors balanced by an organic hop note and smooth yeast flavors, can be said of the Bell’s. I go back to the distinguishing factor from the last match, that SweetWater knows it is making a beer. That works for an against it as the “beery” flavors do make this more the stronger of the two beers but we have seen how at times that can work against the brews in question. I’m more perplexed than ever as both of these brews certainly deserve to move on but as always only one can.

Make your voice as loud as you can, bring your friends because I want us to hit the threshold where reviewer votes are nullified and we go solely on fan support. You can get there!

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

We’ll get right to it today.  Here’s what we all thought:

Brad: Frankly, I still don’t know who I want to win. The SweetWater embodies everything that I feel a beer should be but the Stone is everything an alcoholic beverage should be. I guess I’m voting for the SweetWater IPA because it has better overall drinkability for newcomers and lighter beer lovers and it is a great beer and this is a tournament to find the ultimate beer. Kudos to both but I had to pick, and I did.

John: This match was a tough one to call for me, as I loved both of these beers.  The main deciding factor for me was the answer to the “which one would I continually return to” question.  And that’s why the SweetWater IPA is getting my vote today.

Fans: A huge pile of votes came in during the last few hours today, turning a small lead into a huge gap.  SweetWater IPA took the final victory by a margin of 70%-30%, sealing it’s place in Round 4.

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!

Just from looking at the bottles one can tell these beers are going to be quite different stylistically. We’ll start with the “tamer” of the two, though there is little tame about it, the SweetWater IPA. As we recall, SweetWater managed to pull of a huge sweep of a DogFish Head Timed IPA and it is looking to ride that momentum to the Fermented Four and beyond. I don’t know how to describe this beer but I can tell you I am a fan. I may not know words but I know beer, and I love beer. The SweetWater is flavorful yet tempered, like a fruit but not as sharp as an actual fruit would be. I said that before but I’m trying to elaborate on it here because it is the key to this IPA’s excellence. The SweetWater IPA and the folks at SW remember that they are first and foremost making a beer, not flavor jambalaya, so through all of these flavors this beer still tastes like a beer. That is so critical because, after all, this is the quest for the ultimate BEER. The flavors accentuate the beer itself and make it better but the incredibly strong base that the flavors build on makes this beer truly a classic. I say “go SweetWater, keep on rollin!”

Of course I say that without yet trying the behemoth, the Stone Arrogant Bastard Oaked Ale. I’d better like this beer, my vote combined with the fans’ put it here. Where SweetWater remembers it is a beer first, the Arrogant Bastard is a tour de force of some of the best flavors in all of the alcohol world, compacted into a brew so that if you can’t do shots or wine gives you a headache, its only a sample in a beer. The deep fruits remind me of a nice merlot, the wooden flavors a well-aged scotch, with an overall crisp and clean body that rivals the finest lagers. This brew simply has everything and I am struggling to find a better or more in-depth way to describe it but this beer has everything in the world of alcohol rolled into one. It does pack a punch though, so I guess it may not win in the broad appeal category. And the flavors are a hidden underneath the surface a little so the novice taster may not enjoy the flavors as much but my goodness, once you unlock the potential of this masterful oaked ale… I don’t know which to pick today. It is such a difficult call with two stylistically different beers that each may be the best in the bracket at what they do.

Tune in at 4:30 to see how the votes come down!

UPDATE: Click Here for Match Results!

Well, in what can only be termed an upset SweetWater has cemented its place as one of the elite beers in the tournament if not the overall favorite. It seems to have captivated our judges and rallied all of you in record numbers, here’s how today’s votes went:

John:  Balance and an unexpected complexity.  Those were the two deciding factors today in determining which beer gets my vote.  That beer?  The SweetWater IPA.  My reviews earlier said what I think they needed to: the SweetWater had the balance of sweetness to rival the hops overload, and the pleasant and surprising complexity of hop characters.  It goes down smooth, and that’s why it earns my vote today.

Brad: Like I said in my review, if I don’t vote for a beer in a round, it absolutely must blow me away in order to change my mind. The DogFish Head could not satisfy the test. Not only that but I am incredibly high on the SweetWater IPA today as its flavors are fruity enough to be a summer beer but rich enough to be a winter beer. I’m endorsing the SweetWater as much as I can, it is just that good.

Fans: What can I say other than SweetWater IPA: The beer more than 2/3rds of our audience approves! In all seriousness, High praise indeed to the SweetWater IPA that managed to roll up DogFish, 67%-33%