Bottoms Up

he hoppiest beer in America – in a decision rendered by a group of bleary-eyed judges Friday afternoon in Denver – is Pliny the Elder, Russian River Brewing, Santa Rosa, CA.

Yes, my favorite beer: Pliny the Elder won the annual Alpha King competition Friday at Falling Rock Tap House during the Great America Beer Festival. I’ve posted a column I wrote about this most excellent double IPA, 8 pecent, 100 IBUs just below this post.

My reporting’s a bit flawed this morning, not because I had too much too drink (although I no doubt did). It’s because I lost my notebook. It’s true. I’ve NEVER lost a notebook before in my life, but somewhere between the cellar of Falling Rock where the Alpha King contest was held and my hotel room, I lost it. I have a note on the front: Please Return, Cash Reward! and my phone number 510-915-1180. So I have hope.

Anyway, I cannot remember the runner-ups or the name of the brewer from Russian River who accepted the award. Although I took his photo. It’s here.

The other photo is of the Alpha King with . I did get to sample last year’s winner: Bennett’s Imperial IPA from Ed Bennett of Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro in Bellingham, WA. It was 9 percent, 100-plus IBU, a fantastic beer.

This contest, sponsored and created, naturally, by Hop Union, Yakima, WA, a major supplier of hops to craft brewers, by Brewing News, the national brewspaper, and White Labs, San Diego, a supplier of yeast to craft brewers. (Full disclosure: I write articles for Northwest Brewing News.)

For the record, the 2005 winner was Alpha King IPA from Three Floyds, Munster, IN.