The BEST OF THE BEST OF THE WEST...

The inaugural Commercial Craft Competition has come and gone... the triple blind tasting of this BJCP Sanctioned event was a combination of seriousness and just good old fun. I mean, who can beat sitting around tasting beer after beer after beer?!?! 

We are truly thankful to all the volunteers who joined us as judges, stewards, cellar masters and of course the competition coordinator Mike Brennan, who's expertise and professionalism are second to none. 

And here are the winners... (see Best of Show here).

Light Lagers to Light Hybrids

1)       101 North Brewing         Golden Naked Al  (Blonde Ale)
2)       River City Brewing           Sactown Gold  (German Pilsner)
3)       Ninkasi Brewing               Lux (Munich Helles)

Pales, Irish/Scottish, American Ale, American Brown

1)       Oak Park Brewing            Broadway Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)
2)       Golden Road Brewing     Get Up Offa That Brown (American Brown Ale)
3)       River City Brewing           Woodenhead (American Amber Ale)

Mild/Porter/Stout

1)      Firestone Walker             Parabola  (Imperial Stout)
2)      Six Rivers Brewery          Macadamia Nut Porter (Robust Porter)
3)      Ninkasi Brewing              Oatis (Oatmeal Stout)

IPA

1)      Heretic Brewing Co         Evil Cousin (Imperial IPA)
2)      Dust Bowl Brewing         Therapist (Imperial IPA)
3)      Out of Bounds                 Two-Headed Rooster (Imperial IPA)

Wheat/Saison/Belgians

1)      Monk’s Cellar                    Biere Blanche  (Witbier)
2)      Golden Road Brewing     Golden Road Hefeweizen (Weizen/Weissbier)
3)      Monk’s Cellar                    Saison  (Saison)

Fruit, Spice/Veg/Herb, Wood, Specialty

1)      Dust Bowl Brewing          Barrel Aged Rye Baltic Porter (Wood-aged Beer)
2)      Dust Bowl Brewing          Coconut Vanilla Scotch Ale (Specialty Beer)
3)      Dragas Brewing Co          Weisse Apple (Fruit Beer)

Session Beers

1)      Firestone Walker             Easy Jack (Session IPA)
2)      Monk’s Cellar                   Hop Shoot (Session American Pale Ale)
3)      Out of Bounds                 La Matadora  (Session Pale Wheat Ale)


AND FINALLY, the CIDERS... The West Coast Invitational is striving to be a Craft festival that promotes the art of the craft for both breweries and cideries. We hope the cider category continues to expand in future competitions.

BEST OF SHOW - CIDER

1)      Two Towns Ciderhouse    Cherried Away  
        (Made with Oregon-grown sour cherries and whole Hibiscus)
2)      Sonoma Cider Company   The Anvil                             
       (Common cider infused with bourbon essence)
3)      Common Cider    Lemon Saison                   
       (Tart sweet apple infused with citric notes)

If you didn't get a chance to try any of these at the West Coast Invitational, make it your mission to find them and try them. That's an order. ;-)