A small but enthusiastic crew turned out in Pleasant Hill for the Sudzers/Slow Hand BBQ Beer Competition today – 10 attendees had the opportunity to enjoy delicious bbq meats, and sides while judging the six beers brewed with malt co-smoked with BBQ meats back in January. Many thanks to Dan Frengs and the Slow Hand crew for their hospitality, event logistics, and great food!

Nine judges ranked the brews in seven categories, including appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, smokiness, degree to which beer pairs well with BBQ, and overall impression. In addition, one well-known judge by the name of “Tasty” did not complete the full scoring, but did offer his 1-2-3 rankings of the brews served.

In the “Smokiness” category, the top three scorers were:
1. Tyler’s Smoke and Mirrors Porter
2. Marcus’s Lunch Meat Altbier
3. Chris’s Angry Leprechaun Irish Red Ale

In the “BBQ Pairing” category, the top three scorers were:
1. Chris’s Angry Leprechaun Irish Red Ale
2. Tyler’s Smoke and Mirrors Porter
3. Derek’s McSwinerson’s Scotch Ale

In the overall score, the top three were:
1. Tyler’s Smoke and Mirrors Porter
2. Chris’s Angry Leprechaun Irish Red Ale
3. Derek’s McSwinerson’s Scotch Ale

And in the “Tasty” rankings, the top three were:
1. Santiago’s Smokin’ Wheat American Wheat
2. Chris’s Angry Leprechaun Irish Red Ale
3. Tyler’s Smoke and Mirrors Porter

Cheers to all for a successful and delicious event!