Colorado’s March Madness-inspired beer bracket, the Sudsy 16, has reached an exciting milestone, with the top eight beers emerging from intense competition. Among them is Delicious Compliance, a New England/Hazy IPA from the small-batch brewery Mythmaker Brewing, which has become the surprise standout of the competition.
In a stunning upset, Mythmaker’s IPA defeated the top-seeded Odell Brewing Co.’s IPA, a beer that has long been a powerhouse, having won gold medals at both the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup. Odell’s IPA is known for pioneering a hop-forward style that is less bitter and emphasizes hop flavor, but it couldn’t hold its ground against Mythmaker’s rising contender.
The latest round of the beer bracket, dubbed the Sudsy 16, also saw Maxline Brewing’s Irish Red maintain its strength by overcoming Odell Brewing Co.’s 90 Shilling in the ales region. Meanwhile, Zwei Brewing Co.’s pilsner and Odell Brewing Co.’s Easy Street secured victories, eliminating New Belgium’s Old Aggie and La Folie from the competition.
Another notable outcome in the Sudsy 16 was Prost Brewing Co.’s Dunkel, which became the sole survivor of its three nominations after the latest round of voting.
The beer bracket, a collaboration between the Coloradoan and local businesses like Bullfrog Wine and Spirits, Campus West Liquor Depot, and Wilbur’s Total Beverage, has drawn substantial attention, particularly through the distribution of thousands of beer-bracket coasters at Fort Collins breweries. For those unfamiliar with the competition, the bracket allows local beer enthusiasts to vote for their favorites, and the winners of the Top 8 will progress to the next stage: the Frothy 4.
This friendly competition has captured the local brewing community’s spirit and offers a fun and interactive way to engage with some of Colorado’s finest beers. Keep an eye out for more matchups and updates as the bracket continues to unfold.
You Might Be Interested In:
