Sip Northwest Magazine Announces the 2018 Best of the Northwest Beer + Cider Winners

The latest beer judging competition has announced the winners of its annual competition. Now in its seventh year, Sip Northwest magazine has released the winners of its annual Best of the Northwest awards that will be published in its Fall/Winter 2018 issue.

Each year the Best of the Northwest issue highlight the winners of its annual grand tasting competition of beer, cider, wine, and spirits. The issue also focuses on many of the trends taking place in the Northwest beverage industry along with places to drink both local and a far and much more.

Sip Northwest takes a lot of effort in conducting this beverage competition. Back in April 2018 the magazines staff recruited 667 entries from wine, 282 beers, 145 from spirits and 145 ciders to take part in this fee to enter competition. Then in the summer a group of 92 premier palates from the greater Pacific Northwest convened to assess and determine the top four medalists, plus Judges’ Picks, in each respective beverage category. Yes, this competition awards four awards per category – a Double Gold, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

“Putting on this competition and resulting print issue is always an endeavor with so many moving parts, but worth it to see who is producing what in Northwest beverage right now,” said Erin James, editor-in-chief of Sip Publishing, publishers of Sip Northwest, in as statement. “At Sip Northwest, we believe it is our responsibility to the reader to share what is out there. The adept palates on our blind panels help us to uncover and share what is the best of the Northwest, purely based on the drink itself, without any prejudices.”

Here is a list of the winners in the beer and cider categories. There are some familiar faces along with some new ones that were awarded medals in this Pacific Northwest competition.

2018 BEST OF THE NORTHWEST: BEER
LAGER
DOUBLE GOLD: Kulshan Brewing Co. Premium Lager || $8/12oz 6-pack
GOLD: Bron Yr Aur Brewing Co. Vienna || $5/16oz
SILVER: Lucky Envelope Brewing Helles || $6/22oz
BRONZE: Reuben’s Brews Lager from Down Under || $5/16oz draft

KÖLSCH
DOUBLE GOLD: Boneyard Beer Camper Van || $5/16oz draft
GOLD: Dru Bru || $5/22oz
SILVER: Buoy Beer Co. Cream Ale || $12/12oz 6-pack
BRONZE: Icicle Brewing Co. Snow Creek || $10/12oz 6-pack

PILSNER
DOUBLE GOLD: Kulshan Brewing Co. || $5/500ml
GOLD: Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. PDX Pils || $10/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Chainline Brewing Co. Polaris || $17/16oz 4-pack
BRONZE (Tie): Jellyfish Brewing Co. Hydra Pils || $6/16oz draft
pFriem Family Brewers || $4/500ml
Airways Brewing Pre Flight || $10/12oz 6-pack 

SAISON
DOUBLE GOLD: pFriem Family Brewers Super Saison || $6/375ml
GOLD: Icicle Brewing Co. Lifeguard Bière de Garde || $7/22oz
SILVER: Aslan Brewing Co. Frances Farmer || $10/500ml
BRONZE: Old Stove Brewing Co. Saison Du Poele || $6/16oz draft

SESSION ALE
DOUBLE GOLD: Reuben’s Brews From the Shadows || $14/16oz 4-pack
GOLD (Tie): Three Creeks Brewing Co. Stonefly || $9/12oz 6-pack
Ninkasi Brewing Co. Yours Truly Easy-Drinking || $9/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: The Pike Brewing Co. Hive Five || $11/12oz 6-pack
BRONZE: Kulshan Brewing Co. Greenwood Summer || $10/12oz 6-pack

AMBER/RED ALE
DOUBLE GOLD: Boneyard Beer Diablo Rojo || $5/16oz draft
GOLD: Icicle Brewing Co. Dirtyface || $6/22oz
SILVER (Tie): Great Northern Brewing Co. Good Med Montana Red Ale || $9/12oz 6-pack
Lowercase Brewing eSB || $6/16oz draft
BRONZE: Kulshan Brewing Co. Red Cap Irish-Style Red || $10/12oz 6-pack

PORTER
DOUBLE GOLD: Reuben’s Brews Robust Porter || $5/22oz
GOLD: Wander Brewing Global Mutt || $6/500ml
SILVER: Kulshan Brewing Co. Transporter || $5/500ml
BRONZE (Tie): Stoup Brewing Robust Porter || $5/16oz draft
Boneyard Beer Black 13 || $5/16oz draft
Jellyfish Brewing Co. Cannonball Oatmeal Porter || $6/16oz draft

STOUT
DOUBLE GOLD: Fremont Brewing Co. Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal || $11/22oz
GOLD: Boneyard Beer Breakfast Stout || $5/16oz draft
SILVER: Bron Yr Aur Brewing Co. Gentlemen’s Stout || $5/16oz
BRONZE: Mollusk Brewing Bog Monster || $7/500ml

PALE ALE
DOUBLE GOLD: Fremont Brewing Co. Summer Ale || $9/12oz 6-pack
GOLD: Georgetown Brewing Co. The Home Shows || $9/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Icicle Brewing Co. Kickstand || $10/12oz 6-pack
BRONZE: Georgetown Brewing Co. Johnny Utah || $9/12oz 6-pack

JUICY/HAZY IPA
DOUBLE GOLD: Old Schoolhouse Brewing Eddy Hopper  || $6/16oz draft
GOLD: Aslan Brewing Co. Batch 15 || $10/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Airways Brewing Luxury Jet > $15/12oz 6-pack
BRONZE (Tie): Optimism Brewing Co. B.E. Juicy || $7/16oz draft
Hellbent Brewing Co. Status: Unclear || $6/16oz draft

AMERICAN-STYLE IPA
DOUBLE GOLD: Boneyard Beer Eeepa IPA || $5/16oz draft
GOLD: Schooner Brewing 3-Grid || $4/16oz draft
SILVER: Old Schoolhouse Brewery Easy Runaway IPA || $6/16oz draft
BRONZE (Tie): Payette Brewing Co. Recoil IPA || $10/12oz 6-pack
Cloudburst Brewing Please Advise || $6/16oz draft
Kulshan Brewing Co. Heliotrope || $5/16oz draft

IMPERIAL IPA
DOUBLE GOLD: Georgetown Brewing Co. Idawhooo || $12/64oz growler
GOLD: Bale Breaker Brewing Co. Bottomcutter || $12/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Old Schoolhouse Brewery Ruud Awakening || $7/22oz
BRONZE: GoodLife Brewing Comatose || $11/12oz 6-pack

FRUIT
DOUBLE GOLD: Fremont Brewing Co. Raspberry Silence || $15/750ml
GOLD: Lucky Envelope Brewing Raspberry Sour || $$7/22oz
SILVER (Tie): Great Northern Brewing Co. Wild Huckleberry || $9/12oz 6-pack
Alesong Brewing & Blending Terroir Pinot Noir || $16/500ml
BRONZE: Deschutes Brewery Family Tree Peach Sour || $15/20oz

SOUR
DOUBLE GOLD: Urban Family Brewing Co. Perpetuation || $9/500ml
GOLD: Fremont Brewing Co. Gose || $6/22oz
SILVER: Alesong Brewing & Blending Pêche || $16/500ml
BRONZE: Deschutes Brewery Black Raspberry Sour || $6/20oz draft

WILD ALE
DOUBLE GOLD: Reuben’s Brews Brettania || $10/375ml
GOLD: Propolis Brewing Birch || $12/375ml
SILVER: Fremont Brewing Co. Hazy Brett IPA || $6/16oz draft
BRONZE (Tie): GoodLife Brewing Brett Lager || $15/500ml
Alesong Brewing & Blending Touch of Brett Mandarina || $16/500ml

BELGIAN-STYLE
DOUBLE GOLD: pFriem Family Brewers Belgian Strong Dark || $6/375ml
GOLD: Flying Lion Brewing Belgian Strong || $5/12oz draft
SILVER (Tie): Old Stove Brewing Co. Belgian Blonde || $6/16oz draft
Hellbent Brewing Co. Mossback Monk Belgian-Style Tripel || $6/16oz draft
BRONZE: pFriem Family Brewers Belgian Strong Blonde || $6/375ml

BARREL-AGED
DOUBLE GOLD: Fort George Brewery 2018 Matryoshka Russian Imperial Stout || $20/500ml
GOLD: Fremont Brewing Co. B-Bomb || $20/22oz
SILVER: pFriem Family Brewers Rum Barrel Aged Porter || $9/375ml
BRONZE (Tie): Deschutes Brewery Black Butte XXX || $18/22oz
Old Stove Brewing Co. Collusion Russian Imperial Stout || $8/12oz draft

2018 BEST OF THE NORTHWEST: CIDER
HERITAGE
DOUBLE GOLD: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Traditions 2016 Cidre Bouché || $9/375ml
GOLD: Carlton Cyderworks Citizen || $8/500ml
SILVER: Finnriver Farm & Cidery Fire Barrel || $18/750ml
BRONZE: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Traditions 2016 Riverwood || $9/375ml

MODERN
DOUBLE GOLD: Locust Cider Sweet Aged Apple || $8/12oz 4-pack
GOLD: Washington Gold Cider Original || $8/750ml
SILVER (Tie): Meriwether Cider Co. Strong Arm Semi-Sweet || $8/22oz
Portland Cider Co. Sorta Sweet || $5/22oz
BRONZE: Square Mile Cider Co. The Original || $9/12oz 6-pack

PERRY
DOUBLE GOLD: Seattle Cider Co. || $14/22oz
GOLD: Portland Cider Co. Pearfect || $6/22oz
SILVER: Dragon’s Head Cider || $18/750ml
BRONZE: Tieton Cider Works Sparkling || $10/500ml

SINGLE VARIETAL
DOUBLE GOLD: Alpenfire Cider Foxwhelp || $18/750ml
GOLD: Bad Granny Hard Cider In the Flesh || $13/22oz
SILVER (Tie): Seattle Cider Co. Winesap Rosé || $12/22oz
Alpenfire Cider Cinders || $35/750ml
BRONZE: Seattle Cider Co. Gravenstein Rosé || $12/22oz

OAK-AGED
DOUBLE GOLD: Finnriver Farm & Cidery Oak & Apple || $10/500ml
GOLD: Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse Rumrunner (Prohibition) || $19 CAD/750ml
SILVER: Meriwether Cider Co. Hardwood || $18/750ml
BRONZE: 2 Towns Ciderhouse The Bad Apple || $7/500ml

FRUIT
DOUBLE GOLD: Meriwether Cider Co. Cranberry Crosscut || $8/22oz
GOLD (Tie): 2 Towns Ciderhouse Pacific Pineapple || $12/12oz 6-pack
Scenic Road Cider Co. Mama-Beary || $8 CAD/500ml
SILVER: Scenic Road Cider Co. Razz || $8 CAD/500ml
BRONZE: Washington Gold Cider Northwest Raspberry || $11/750ml

STONE FRUIT
DOUBLE GOLD: Meriwether Cider Co. Cherry Thyme Bomb || $8/22oz
GOLD (Tie): Meriwether Cider Co. Apricot Sage || $8/22oz
2 Towns Ciderhouse Cherried Away || $5/500ml
SILVER: Bad Granny Hard Cider Rainier Cherry || $13/750ml
BRONZE: Lonetree Cider Co. Apple Peach || $11 CAD/16oz 4-pack

HOPPED
DOUBLE GOLD: Meriwether Cider Co. Hop Shot || $8/22oz
GOLD: Portland Cider Co. Hop ‘Rageous || $11/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Tieton Cider Works Yakima Valley Dry Hopped || $7/500ml
BRONZE: Rootwood Cider Co. Hop Infused || $15/750ml

SPICE/BOTANICAL
DOUBLE GOLD (TIE): Tieton Cider Works Lavender Honey || $7/500ml
La Familia Hard Cider Jamaica Hibiscus || $6/500ml
GOLD: d’s Wicked Cider Baked Apple || $15/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Square Mile Cider Co. Rosé || $10/12oz 6-pack
BRONZE: Meriwether Cider Co. Grapefruit Rosemary || $8/22oz

SPECIALTY
DOUBLE GOLD (TIE): Locust Cider New England Amber || $8/12oz 4-pack draft
2 Towns Ciderhouse 2015 Pommeau || $25/375ml
GOLD: Lonetree Cider Co. Apple Ginger || $11 CAD/12oz 6-pack
SILVER: Locust Cider Ginger Lemongrass || $7/16oz draft
BRONZE: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Ginja Ninja || $5/500ml

To order your print copy of the Fall/Winter 2018 edition of Sip Northwest visit https://sipnorthwest.com/product/2018-fall-print-issue/.