128 beers competed in the IPA category of the Brewing News National IPA Championship, while another 64 competed in the Imperial IPA category. This fun “March Madness” style competition pit IPAs from all over the country against each other in head-to-head matchups, with the winner moving on to the next round.

Oregon breweries came out on top in both categories, with Barley Brown’s Pallet Jack IPA, from Baker City, OR, beating out Community Beer Works The IPA, from Buffalo, NY, in the regular IPA category. Laurelwood Brewing’s Megafauna Imperial IPA, from Portland, OR, bested the popular Firestone Walker Double Jack, from Paso Robles, CA.

It is quite impressive for two breweries from the same state to reign as champions in this event, considering they beat out 190 other entries. Cheers to both breweries for the wins, and I hope to have the chance to try them both sometime soon!

Here is a press release from Laurelwood on their win:

Portland, OR – Laurelwood Brewing Co. is proud to announce its victory in the 6^th annual Brewing News National Imperial IPA Championship, with Megafauna Imperial IPA. Championship round was Saturday, March 9^th. Laurelwood had some tough competition throughout the four round bracket system showdown. In the end Megafauna prevailed. Brewmaster Vasili Gletsos was inspired to brew this imperial IPA by the availability of new hop varietals and keeping that big West Coast IIPA in mind. When asked about where the name came from, Gletsos’ said it is his affinity to dinosaur documentaries, “one scene in particular in which a great ground sloth clobbers two saber toothed cats at the same time.”

This beer was produced in conjunction with everything else the brewery has under its umbrella. Whether it’s supplying the Laurelwood pubs, producing beer for numerous bars & restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, or keeping bottles on the shelves of your local grocer, the Laurelwood brewing team is in overdrive. When asked how does the Laurelwood brew team maintain this rigorous schedule and maintain its creativity, Gletsos said “the answer is the passion and discipline we put into our work here, and the dedication to the integrity of the work that comes out of this brewery.” Cheers to the brewers of Laurelwood Brewing Co. on their championship win!

Competition Rounds:

Round 1: February 16, 2013 – Buffalo, NY

Laurelwood vs. CB’s Brewing Co. (Old Toad 20^th Anniversary Double IPA)

Round 2: February 23, 2013 – Grand Rapids, MI

Laurelwood vs. Starr Hill Brewery (Double Platinum)

Round 3: March 3, 2013 – Syracuse, NY

Laurelwood vs. Pizza Port Solana Beach (The Kook)

Round 4: March 9, 2013 – Saratoga Springs, NY

Laurelwood vs. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (Double Jack Imperial IPA)

For the official bracket go to the Brewing News’ NIIPAC website http://brackets.brewingnews.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=440093&tclass=National%20Imperial%20IPA%20Championship%202013.

About Laurelwood Brewing Company

Laurelwood is a family owned brewery that creates one of the most recognized regional craft beers. Owners Mike De Kalb & Cathy Woo-De Kalb are dedicated to sustainable and organic practices, and first began producing certified organic beer in 2001. Laurelwood’s product line is known for its creativity and quality therefore winning many national and international beer awards. Laurelwood’s handcrafted beers can be found on draft and in bottles throughout Oregon and Washington. To find out more about Laurelwood Brewing Company go online at www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com.