Vote your choice for Chesapeake's favorite beer
The guys at What's Up publishing group in Annapolis have devised a contest to determine the Chesapeake's favorite beer.
Modeled after the brackets of college basketball's March Madness, the Chesapeake Beer Madness contest features beers from nine breweries near the Chesapeake Bay. The contest runs through October.
Participants log on to the web site and vote for the favored beer in a match up. The play- in round running this week, for instance, pits Fordham's Helles Lager against Czech Pilsner from Gordon Biersch. The winners from each week of voting advance to the next round of competition.
The beers are
St. Michaels Ale from Eastern Shore Brewing.
60 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head.
Exile ESB from Evolution.
Czech Pilsner from Gordon Biersch.
Venom Pale Ale from DuClaw
Snow Goose Ale from Wild Goose.
Old Courthouse Ale from 16 Mile
Helles Lager from Fordham
MarzHon from Clipper City.
Sip and vote, let the madness begin.
What do you think of this type of contest?
Does it measure the quality of a beer or its popularity?
Any harm in that?
Photo of New Point lighthouse: AP
Comments
I think, particularly because it's happening online, that you'll get a fair number of votes that have very little to do with the taste and quality of each beer. While that's certainly unfortunate, I'd say it's also unavoidable unless the competition is done as a blind taste test.
Chances are many of the votes in this competition will be based on the beers' marketing campaigns, names, popularity/exposure, etc.
Still, it's a cool idea and it brings attention to the craft beer industry in the area. I imagine Dogfish will take it home, but honestly, I think Evolution's ESB is a good beer that should do well if voters actually take the time to go find and try each beer.
Posted by: owumd | October 2, 2009 12:23 PM
Well, New Point Comfort Lighthouse IS in the Chesapeake Bay.......... but just barely......
Posted by: Alexander D. Mitchell IV | October 2, 2009 12:55 PM