quote:
Originally posted by JustRunBabyRun:
This one's got a hell of a bite!
http://www.victorybeer.com/Beers/HopDevil.htm[/URL" target="_blank">
From AleStreetNews.com:
East vs West - The Lupulin Slam!
By Michael VentersWhat do you get when you cross a 6-pack of renowned brewers, 12 weighty brews, and two nights of smack talking confrontation? The Lupulin Slam! Dynamic seminars are not new to RFD Washington, but as Monty Python would say, Dave Alexander has now done something completely different.
Jan. 28 and 29, East met West for a no holds barred, hop showdown. The event was a model for trash talking, hop pitching, and brewed frenzy with enough pre-fight lip service to make Don King proud.
Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery headed the East Coast team, ably assisted by Bill Madden of Capital City Brewing Co. and Jerry Bailey and Kenny Allen of Old Dominion Brewing. Tomme Arthur of San Diego’s Pizza Port led Adam Avery of Avery Brewing and Tom Nickel of Oggi’s for the West coast. The tone was set when Sam picked up a glass of water and commented, “look, they started us out with a West coast IPA.”
If Imperial IPAs are IPAs dialed up a notch, then these guys cranked up the knob. The weakest beer on the hop scale was Capital City’s Pale Ale. Despite great balance and a smooth profile, even it would have your average beer drinker crying “bitter.” The East Coast team jabbed with Dogfish Head’s 90 and 120 Minute IPAs, Old Dominion’s Tuppers Pils and Millennium, and Capital City’s Pale Ale and Imperial IPA.
The West countered with Pizza Port’s Hop 15 and Swamis IPA, Avery’s Dry-Hopped IPA and Hog Heaven Barleywine, and Oggi’s IPA 271 and Ding Ding IPA.
The beers were served two at a time, one from each coast. With each one, the respective brewer would explain the brew and launch into a verbal assault on the other team. There were poems, letters, posters, interviews, and even songs declaring hop superiority. Even better were the adlib jabs volleying back and forth. Politicians would sell their souls to debate so well. The result was a hilarious evening with some of the finest beers anywhere.
The banter was not all adversarial. The brewers were quick to point out their mutual respect and camaraderie. For instance, when Sam noted that all the beers from both teams had been great, Tom Nickel agreed saying, “that was the best blonde he’d ever had…”
The exchanges grew in length and humor with each new pairing. It didn’t take long for the audience to contribute as well. While diplomacy never quite showed up, political correctness made a hasty exit, yet the laughter only grew.
So after two nights of toe-to-toe sparring, who was the victor? Each night the audience ranked their top four selections and the cumulative votes were used to decide the winner. After the first night, Dogfish’s 120 Minute IPA was tied with Capital City’s Imperial IPA, with Oggi’s IPA 271 only two points behind. However on the second night, Dogfish Head emerged the clear winner. Dave Alexander is already planning the next event. I know I’ll be ringside
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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.[/URL" target="_blank">