The winner of Wilbur’s 2019 March IPA Madness winner is:
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*drum-roll please*
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Mountain Standard by Odell Brewing Co!
When Odell Brewing Co. announced last fall that the release of Mountain Standard would be as a new year-round IPA, rather than the seasonally-available Black IPA fans were used to, it left some scratching their heads. Usually released in the fall when clocks in the Mountain Time Zone are set back to standard time, the Black IPA was an absolute favorite among the Colorado Craft Beer scene for its uncompromising and dank darkness, a hoppy tribute to the colder weather and stout season. It was a beer that appealed to hop heads and dark beer lovers alike, and the news that Odell was planning to partially retire it seemed disappointingly fitting for this burgeoning new era of Craft Beer… An era where hazy and fruity IPAs might be preferred over traditional IPAs, and adjunct-heavy pastry and dessert stouts gain strong footing among dark beer drinkers.
Not wanting to follow trends, nor let an excellent name like Mountain Standard go to waste, Odell decided to create an IPA that could serve as a standard for this new era. Thus Mountain Standard IPA was born, out of the footsteps of its widely-appealing Black IPA predecessor, this version features a brand new recipe formulated specifically to bridge the gap between IPA fans of all types.
Fast forward only a few months after its release into markets, and Odell Brewing’s Mountain Standard IPA has won Wilbur’s 2019 March IPA Madness blind taste testing!
Out of a field of 16 of the best IPAs commercially available in our region, Mountain Standard was an obvious favorite from the beginning. Tasted in a blind format, those who sampled at our weekly free beer tastings voted Mountain Standard the best, based on taste alone.
It’s a true testament to Odell Brewing’s ability to appeal to Craft Beer drinkers of all types as they did with the original Mountain Standard Black IPA. It’s clear now more than ever, there’s a new Standard to live up to… The Mountain Standard.
Photos courtesy of Odell Brewing Co.
Written by Paul Dykema for Wilbur’s Total Beverage 2019