The Unofficial SD Craft Beer Fest 2013 (First Round)

Living in one of the best cities for local breweries, I decided to setup a taste test for a few friends. Inviting over two close bar room beer buddies, Million and Natalie, the stage was set for the First Round of the Unofficial SD Craft Beer Fest 2013.

The four contenders

Purchased at the local overpriced liquor store up the street, I picked up four 22 ounce bottles of San Diego favorites: Orange Avenue Wit from the Coronado Brewing Company, Trippel Ale from the Green Flash Brewing Company, a Double IPA from Ballast Point, and a tried-and-true standard IPA from the good folks at Stone.

Million showed up about twenty minutes before Natalie, so I decided to reward his punctuality by cracking open the Orange Avenue Wit. From the beginning, we both noticed a strong citrus aroma that was overwhelming to the palate. The spices that accompanied every sip were greatly appreciated; however, the taste of orange was too much to ignore. Rather than subtle hint of the fruit, like in a bottle of Shock Top, the raw citrus blast insisted upon itself. We polished off the bottle and gladly moved onto the next contender.
Million: 6 out of 10
Chris: 4 out of 10

Natalie finally showed up and we poured out the Trippel Ale. Within the first few sips, it was clear we were no longer on Orange Avenue. The hops were strong from start to finish, leaving a slightly bittersweet aftertaste at the end. Both Million and I loved it, though it took Natalie everything she had to finish off her glass. For a casual drinker like her, the Trippel proved not to be her cup of tea.
Million: 7 out of 10
Natalie: 5 out of 10
Chris: 7 out of 10

Moving onto our third San Diegan beer of the night, I topped off everyone's glass with the Double IPA. Natalie immediately felt a return to normality as she guzzled down her glass, citing that this beer was more of her speed. I must admit that the Double IPA felt familiar; like a stronger Bud Light, but with more flavor. Million did the opposite of what I was expecting and claimed it had a 'weird aftertaste.'
Million: 6 out of 10
Natalie: 7 out of 10
Chris: 7 out of 10

The final drink of the night was a standard Stone IPA. Renowned for its simplistic yet satisfying taste and wide variety of flavors, Stone is the premier San Diego Brewery (in my humble opinion). By the first tasting, however, my cohorts agreed that we had arrived at the king of the competition. The beer was flavorful without being pungent; strong without being overwhelming. We all arrived at the same conclusion by the last drop... Stone had satisfied our thirst!
Million: 8 out of 10
Natalie: 9 out of 10
Chris: 8 out of 10

The final verdict is in...!

By the end of the Unofficial SD Craft Beer Fest 2013, we were ready to reward ourselves with a case of Stella Artois. The night was a success as we all agreed that the winner was the Stone IPA. We ended the night responsibly as everyone fell asleep on the couch. The group vowed for another round in the near future, with the Stone IPA making another appearance and three brand new contenders.