The Bracket is Mightier III: A Game of Beers

7:13 update – We have a victor! The Delirium Tremens is the official champion of the third annual(ish) beer bracket. Congratulations to Zach, who entered the DT!

The Bracket is Mightier II!

5:53 update – The decision has been made! In a 6-5 split, Black Diamond’s Peak XV Imperial Porter has triumphed over New Belgium’s La Folie. Kudos to all the beers entered!

5:28 update – The Championship Round is upon us! It’s New Belgium’s La Folie against Black Diamond Peak XV Imperial Porter. May the best beer win!

4:33 update – We have our elite eight! Still remaining in the bracket are:

• Sculpin IPA
• Alba Scots Pine Ale
• Trois Pistole
• La Folie
• Wesphestanier Korbinian
• Rodenbach Grand Cru
• Flyers Pacemaker Porter
• Peak XV Imperial Porter

4:02 update – First round of the losers bracket is up! Here are the results

3:04 update – The first round of the winners bracket is over! We had a couple upsets, here’s where things stand!

Original Post:

Veteran readers may remember the first beer bracket that we set up and liveblogged here on Rosemary Renaissance. Eric and Quinn both selected eight of their favorite beers and pitted them against one another until one – Firestone Walker’s Wookey Jack – emerged victorious.

It’s been a long time coming, but we are excited to announce our second annual(ish) beer bracket! We’ve made a couple changes this time though. It’s now a double elimination bracket, and we’ve opened it up for fellow competitors to enter beers as well!

Below is the bracket, the winners half at least, with match-ups starting at 2:00 pm Pacific. Be sure to stay tuned here or at the Rosemary Renaissance Facebook Page as we look to settle once and for all (but not really) what is the greatest brew of all time!

The Beers:

1. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
2. Firestone Walker Double Jack
3. New Belgium La Folie
4. Stone Double Bastard Ale
5. Rodenbach Grand Cru
6. Dogfish Head Burton Baton
7. Unibroue Trois Pistole
8. Weihenstephaner Korbinian
9. Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro
10. Schneider Weisse Original
11. Peak XV Bourbon Aged Imperial Porter
12. Iron Horse Irish Death
13. Alba Scots Pine Ale
14. New Beligum El Dorado Fresh Hop Ale
15. Pelican Wee Heavy Ale
16. Flyers Pacemaker Porter
17. Schooner Exact Hoppy Holidays
18. Wells Banana Bread Beer
19. Iron Horse High Five Hefe
20. Kulshan Trans-Porter
21. Big Time 25th Anniversary IPA

The Pint is Mightier: Outlander Brewing

(Beer Connoisseur Eric Peters contributed to this post)

After playing some serious catch up with our previous review of Skagit River Brewery, we’re ready to stay ahead of the game with our latest review! From the Center of the Universe in Seattle, WA….

Outlander Brewing

Although this brewery has only been open for about six months, we would hardly be surprised if it wound up taking off in the near future. With a prime spot in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, a stylish location in a converted old home, and a line up of well-crafted, creative beers, Outlander is one to watch.

The first beer that we tried was Outlander’s Peanut Butter Stout. It was quite dark with mild carbonation and a light scent of peanut butter on the nose. The beer itself had nice, roasted notes in the flavor with just a hint of chocolate. We felt it had a mouthfeel more similar porter, but that’s semantics. The peanut butter flavor was very subtle, but was just enough to add that special something to the brew. It’s just a slight tease, enticing the drinker to go back for more and more until, before they knows it, their glass is empty and it’s time for another beer. Evil geniuses, those Outlander folks are.

Revisited: Eggs St. Patrick

Two years ago I started my own St. Patrick’s Day tradition – Egg’s St. Patrick. Here’s a flashback:

The hollandaise sauce is creamy and rich. The poached eggs are tender with silky, rich yolks. The corned beef is hearty, pleasantly spiced and rich. If you haven’t caught the pattern yet, pretty much everything about this dish is rich except the English muffins, and when you get down to it their sole purpose is sop up all the hollandaise, egg yolk and corned beef juice that you can’t get with a fork.

Although it’s a play on Eggs Benedict – typically a breakfast dish – this is perfectly suited for any time of day. And in true St. Paddy’s day spirit, no matter what time of day it is, it should be accompanied by Guinness.

At the time I couldn’t think of any way it could be better. But with age comes wisdom, and this year’s version was different enough that it merited a new, revised recipe.

Adding Guinness to the sauteed corned beef builds on the stout framework (see what I did there?) of the dish. It imbues it with dark and roasty undertones that add a subtle bite to counteract the natural richness of the hollandaise. Similarly, the caramelized cabbage cuts through the heaviness with notes of sweetness and earthiness.

Seriously, make this next St. Patrick’s Day. Or, you know, this weekend.

The Pint is Mightier: Diamond Knot Brewing Co.

(Beer Connoisseur Eric Peters contributed to this post)

On our way back from Scuttlebutt Brewing we made a pit stop in Mukilteo, WA to cross another brewery off our list. Today we bring you the ales and tales from…

Diamond Knot Brewing Co.

Located on the Mukilteo waterfront no more than a dozen paces from the ferry terminal, the Diamond Knot brewery is something of a local institution, having been around for more than 20 years. When we entered we were greeted by a brewpub full of warmth and character; the brick walls and wooden ceiling beams fit perfectly with the homey aromas wafting out of the kitchen and broken peanut shells on the floor.

Eric’s first beer was Diamond Knot’s Scottish Ale. It was light bodied and possessed a hint of caramel and relatively no aftertaste. The scotch flavor was subtle and included a hint of pleasant smokiness. The carbonation was light, but well suited for the style of beer. Making the most of his supreme rhetorical gifts, Eric described this beer as ‘pretty good,’ deeming it superior to Pike’s Scotch Ale, but not quite as good as Boundary Bay’s or Black Raven’s. If you don’t like Scotch Ales, skip it. If you do, definitely try it out. And if you don’t know? Try it anyway, live a little.

Rarely seeing this style on the taps even at craft breweries, I was compelled to give their ESB a try. I will put this bluntly: do not make the same mistake I did. Rarely are either Eric or I hyper-critical of a beer – brewing is a hobby, art and passion of the people who make it – but sometimes a little tough love is necessary. The ESB arrived looking normal enough, pale brown with no head, and even tasted fine at first sip, malty and slightly sweet. However, when the aftertaste hit I know something was wrong. The flavor turned musty and dirt-like, finally concluding with a vaguely manure-like note. Diamond Knot had many fine beers, this just wasn’t one of them. Do not get the ESB if you go to this brewery.

Eric’s beer was the Brown Ale. It was medium bodied and had a somewhat crisp taste to it. The beer had a nutty malt flavor to it was quite pleasant, with an aftertaste was faint but unequivocally malty. Characteristic of the style, thus brown ale had no bitterness to it. Though not typically the biggest fan of brown’s, Eric thought this one was good, certainly better than the ubiquitous Newcastle. Overall this beer was straightforward and enjoyable; a solid, dependable brown ale good for someone looking to break into the style.

Somewhat wary after my first pint, I decided to go a different direction with the Steamer Glide Stout. When it showed up at our table it was dark and opaque, with a small, but thick, white head.  The profile belied a surprisingly lightness to the beer. It was feathery and dry with a hint of sweetness to it. The beer was akin to an American Guinness, but with more complexity and depth in the flavor profile. The Steamer Glide Stout was a very good example of a lighter, drier stout, as well as a solid Diamond Knot brew.

With local charm and a stellar location, Diamond Knot has more character than perhaps any other brewery we have visited. The walls are adorned with old posters and advertisements for the brewery from back in the 80’s and 90’s and peanut shells line the corners of the floor. The beers, though not exemplary, are, with one exception, very solid brews. If you find yourself nearby or are looking to kill some time waiting for the ferry, this is the place to go.