Peaks and Pints Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers April 17

PAPPI THE GREY: Now it’s getting exciting. The grain bags are really starting to fly, and the mouthfeels are getting so thick you could cut them with a knife. OK, so that’s a horrible analogy. Point is: This is serious. Hello, everyone! I’m Pappi the Grey flying solo in the broadcast booth. Today, the Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers officially kicks off its Second Round, meaning 32 Oregon and Washington brewed amber and red ales remain, and the competition is as amber-hot as ever. Who will be crowned champ Saturday, April 27? The path to malty greatness starts today.

Here’s a recap of yesterday’s results and then look at today’s Tournament of Beer: Northwest Ambers Second Round action.

Tuesday, April 16, First Round Northwest Ambers games results

GAME 1, NORTHERN WASHINGTON REGION

Maritime Pacific Brewing Flagship Red (#6 seed) vs Old Stove Brewing Amber Waves (#11 seed)

Besides Old Stove Brewing’s massive growth, flash, and delicious amber, what really sunk Maritime Pacific Brewing’s chances was the public nomination of the Flagship Red they had drank for more than 30 years. A couple years ago, founder George Hancock replaced the Flagship with Racoon Red Ale, an English-style red ale he once brewed for the College Inn Pub some 32 years ago. Tournament voters had laser focus for Old Stove’s Amber Waves, but maybe were confused about which red ale Maritime had in the Tournament. No matter the situation, the voter gave Amber Waves 60 percent of the vote and a trip to the Second Round.

GAME 2, NORTHERN WASHINGTON REGION

Stoup Brewing NW Red (#3 seed) vs Boundary Bay Brewing Railroad Ave. Amber Ale (#14 seed)

These two Washington breweries bounced base malts off each other all day until around 8:30 p.m. when Railroad Ave. Amber Ale began to pull away from Stoup Brewing’s Northwest Red. Rumor has it Boundary Bay Brewing Marketing Director Shanna Sheridan-McInnis threw a train engineer hat on and stood in the middle of Railroad Ave. out front of their building last night yelling, “All aboard the Railroad Ave. Amber train! The next stop is the Second Round!” As the clock hit 11:59 p.m., Boundary Bay Railroad Ave. Amber Ale had 56 percent of the vote, and a spot in the Second Round.

GAME 3, SOUTHERN OREGON REGION

Boneyard Beer Diablo Rojo (#1 seed) vs Oregon Trail Mosaic Red (#16 seed)

The Old World Deli opened 47 years ago one block from the Willamette River in Corvallis. Ten years later, the deli opened Oregon Trail Brewery on site, helping launch the craft beer revolution in the college town. Over the following years, some of the region’s top brewers, fresh from completing the fermentation science program at nearby Oregon State University, would craft some of their earliest beers in the space. Thirty-six years ago, Tony Lawrence was in the kitchen and washing kegs at Deschutes Brewery. Twenty-two years later, he opened Boneyard Beer in what is now Bend’s sixth-oldest brewery. Brewing experience was a wash yesterday. What did matter was the marketing. Oregon Trail Brewery was quiet, enjoying Deli life and brewing beer instead of working the socials. Boneyard pushed the Tournament on Instagram, as well as their 420 party on Saturday. The ’gram most likely helped Boneyard garb 71 percent of the vote and a slot in the Second Round.

GAME 4, SOUTHERN OREGON REGION

Wild Ride Brewing 3 Sisters American Red (#8 seed) vs Bend Brewing Outback Amber (#9 seed)

Despite an early lead from Wild Ride Brewing’s 3 Sisters American Red, Bend Brewing’s Outback Amber and its large, devoted Bend fans proved too powerful in yesterday’s action, catapulting into the Second Round with 60 percent of the vote. Wild Ride and its 3 Sisters will survive. That fancy outdoor beer garden surrounded by food trucks isn’t going anywhere.

Let’s weed through the malts. The following are advancing to the Second Round:

Old Stove Brewing Amber Waves (#11 seed)

Boundary Bay Brewing Railroad Ave. Amber Ale (#14 seed)

Boneyard Beer Diablo Rojo (#1 seed)

Bend Brewing Outback Amber (#9 seed)

All right! Let’s dive into the first games of the Second Round. Please vote for one beer per game on Peaks & Pints’ Instagram Stories. Voting for today’s battles ends at midnight. We’ll announce the winners tomorrow morning around 10 a.m., but today’s games are live on Peaks & Pints’ Instagram Stories. Take a deep whiff and get to voting. …

Wednesday, April 17, Second Round Northwest Ambers Games

GAME 1, NORTHERN WASHINGTON REGION

Stemma Brewing First Amber (#16 seed) vs. Hellbent Brewing Red Patina (#8 seed)

Stemma Brewing’s First Amber beat number one seed Mac & Jack’s Brewing African Amber. It’s probably the first First Amber ever to achieve such a feat. But, Hellbent Brewing has rabid fans and die-hard supporters, as well as a worthy malty player, so this amber/red matchup may be the maltiest contested of the competition to date. Stemma’s First Amber is smooth, light bodied, and has crisp malt flavors plus a balanced hop backbone. Hellbent’s Red Patina is well balanced, rich, and malty with a dark auburn color and an airy toffee finish. Mobile your base, Stemma Brewing and Hellbent Brewing, and get out the vote!

VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GAME 2, SOUTHERN WASHINGTON REGION

Triceratops Brewing Collin James Irish Red (#10 seed) vs. Silver City Brewery Ridgetop Red (#2 seed)

Triceratops Brewing‘s Collin James Irish Red is lightly hopped and clocks in at 5-percent so expect Legolas–like quickness from this beer. The sales staff at Silver City Brewery are basically The Fellowship but without archer or ax-wielder skills, big feet, or an in-line to become King of Gondor, but they do know how to sell a thing or two. I don’t know where I’m going with this, so maybe you should just vote.

VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GAME 3, NORTHERN OREGON REGION

Ancestry Irish-Style Red Ale (#12 seed) vs. Pelican Sea’N Red (#4 seed)

Father-son team Jerry and Jeremy Turner fulfilled a life-long dream of starting a family business. Jeremy, a long-time homebrewer, and chemistry graduate from Oregon State University, loved the idea of a brewpub as something they could build together. And they did. The Turners took me on a tour of their impressive Ancestry Brewing facility. Their Irish-Style Red Ale sports caramel notes with a touch of roasted barley on the finish. Pelican Brewing boasts four Oregon Coast locations, including a beachfront property in Pacific City, where pictures don’t do justice. “Drawing its name from Oregon’s coastal waters, Pelican’s Sea’N Red combines the craft of Oregon brewing with the richness of Irish tradition,” says Ralph Beattie, Pelican’s Southern Oregon sales executive for 10 years and who named the beer. Pelican has Tournament of Beer experience as champion of our Tournament of Beer: West Coast Flagships in 2020. Jerry Turner is a Navy veteran. The Red carpet will, no doubt, end up tattered after this brawl.

VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GAME 4, SOUTHERN OREGON REGION

Crux Fermentation Project Mountain Traffic Red (#10 seed) vs. Block 15 Brewing Ridgeback Red (#2 seed)

Cars and dogs have a long history of conflicts. There’s the obvious battle in the street. There’s also the anxiety some dogs have from being trapped inside a giant, moving machine. Game 4 in the Southern Oregon Region plays out the cars versus dogs on a much different level: Crux Fermentation Project’s red ale with a mountain traffic theme versus Block 15 Brewing’s red ale with a Ridgeback dog theme. Both breweries have tons of Tournament of Beer experience with Block 15 taking it all the way as champion of the Tournament of Beer: Northwest Double IPAs in 2021. So, it comes down to cars versus dogs. Which one will win this time?

VOTE ON PEAKS & PINTS’ INSTAGRAM STORIES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thursday April 18 Tournament of Northwest Ambers Second Round action …

Game 1: Bainbridge Brewing Arrow Point Amber (#5 seed) vs Kulshan Brewing Local Amber (#13 seed)

Game 2: Barrel Mountain Brewing Ash Cloud Amber (#11 seed) vs Wet Coast Hi Jack! Red Ale (#3 seed)

Game 3: Living Haus Kenny Hoppy Red Ale (#16 seed) vs Zoiglhaus Ramona Red (#8 seed)

Game 4: Barley Brown’s Point Blank Red (#6 seed) vs Ninkasi Brewing Dawn of the Red (#3 seed)

LINK: Tournament of Beers: Northwest Ambers explained

LINK: Tournament of Beer Headquarters

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