03 Mar Indiana Takes Three of the Top Ten Places at Beer Army Beer Wars, 25 Medals Overall
by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap
The Tap Brewery from Bloomington led the winning ways for Indiana in the recently contested Beer Army Beer Wars. The results, announced on March 2nd, show that Indiana won 25 of the 240 medals awarded (10.4% of all medals), and with points awarded for gold (5 points), silver, (3 points) and bronze (1 point) beers, Indiana breweries garnered 3rd, 5th, and 8th places overall.
Four Indiana breweries were responsible for this medal haul and further glorification of Indiana beer. The Tap Brewery in Bloomington won seven medals and third place overall, Flix Brewhouse-Carmel earned eight medals and fifth place in the grand champion competition, Four Day Ray from Fishers garnered seven medals and 8th place in the final round, and Backstep Brewing from Crawfordsville won three medals.
image credit: Beer Army Beers Wars
The medals are a good indicator of success in this contest, but when you consider that these four breweries only entered 35 beers in total, then their performance is all the more impressive. That’s a 71.5% medaling rate; dang near incomprehensible. Dedication to the details is what makes it believable. Jarrod May of The Tap Brewery said, “This year we medaled with three house beers. It’s always an honor to place with beer that a brewery brews on a regular basis. It really shows that you have a quality and consistent product for the guest.”
In the recent Best of Craft Beer Awards (article here), I called Indiana “Belgium West” because eight of the 17 medals won by this state came in the Belgian beer categories. Well, this was reiterated at Beer Army Beer Wars. Indiana breweries took 10 medals in the Belgian beer groups, including gold and silver in the Belgian Dubbel group, silver and bronze in the Belgian Tripel class, and gold and silver in the Belgian Dark Strong group. Ten medals from one state when only 19 were awarded in Belgians – that’s a stronger showing than even the overall medals number.
That’s two stellar results from Indiana – overall medals and Belgians; but wait, there’s more. Indiana breweries also won six medals in the lager groups, a full 18% of all the medals awarded. So, should we call Indiana Belgium West, Germany West, or just Europe West? What is it about Indiana breweries that make them successful at European style beers? It’s the solid training in the art and science of brewing that the brewers have under their belts and the quality of their palates. And it’s their love for what they do.
Here are the Indiana medals:
image credit: The Tap Brewery
The Tap Brewery:
Gold – Brickyard, a Vienna Lager
Gold – Tapenator, a doppelbock
Gold – Delta Quadrant, a Belgian Dark Strong
Silver – Hearth & Home, a British Strong Ale
Silver – Social, an American Lager
Silver – 12th man, a Munich Helles Lager
Bronze – Nefarious Nectar, a Belgian Golden Strong
image credit: Flix Brewhouse-Carmel
Flix Brewhouse-Carmel:
Gold – Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dunkeldore, a Munich Dunkel
Gold – Super Power Potion, a Biere de Garde
Gold – Won’t You Bee My Neighbor, a Belgian Blonde
Silver – Marvelous Maibock, a Helles Bock
Silver – Rye’d Together, Die Together, a Rye IPA
Bronze – Luna Rosa, a witbier
Bronze – Tripel Carmelite, a Belgian Tripel
Bronze – Light Side Lager, a German Pils
Four Day Ray Brewing:
image credit: Four Day Ray Brewing
Gold – Monk’s Blood, a Belgian Dubbel
Silver – My Pleasure, a weissbier
Silver – Air Raid, an ordinary bitter
Silver – Monk’s Sweat, a Belgian Tripel
Silver – Monk’s Tears, a Belgian Dark Strong
Silver – Afterburner, a Piwo Grodziskie
Bronze – Warring Factions, and English Brown
Backstep Brewing:
Silver – Three Vows, a Belgian Dubbel
Bronze – Black Hat, an oatmeal stout
Bronze – Prickly Pear Gose, a Gose
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