And the Winner is...
Tuesday was the third annual Oregon Beer Awards. The awards honor Oregon’s best brews based on a double blind tasting judged by professional brewers and industry experts. The twenty-two beer categories ignore strict guidelines, but capture the a wide variety of tastes.
The big winner was Breakside Brewing with ten medals. The next brewery in the medal count only had, like, four. Breakside went on to win the Best Large Brewery award. I’m sure it was a great night for brewmaster Ben Edmunds, but also a little awkward. Edmunds organized the competition.
But taste any of Breakside’s winning beers, and you’ll immediately dismiss any suspicion of shenanigans. Lunch Break won bronze in the Sessionable Hoppy category. It’s only 4.7% alcohol but bursting with bright, juicy hop flavors. Big citrus on the nose, lots of juicy hops upfront, a light refreshing middle, and a dry finish. I’m not sure how, but it taste like a juicy Belgian pale ale. It sounds weird, but it’s accurate.
