Holy moly what a fun night!  Thanks to Hart for organizing the challenge and to TRASH members Mike Task, Keith Kost, Tom Bosak and Mike Moretti for crafting and donating the beer for our event!  Congratulations to Mike Task for earning top ranking!  It was a big night for him ... he won the 50/50 raffle too!  

Thanks again to Peter for telling us about Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers (aka TRASH).  You can learn more at www.trashhomebrewers.org.

It was Shawn's first time attending a BrewMasters tasting, and he was a good sport in providing the halftime entertainment.

Thanks again to the Sharp Edge for hosting our event and for providing the numerous door prizes!  And a big congratulations to our waitress Shannon who found herself an office job!  Thanks for the great service ... we'll miss you!

Malinda and Amy were THE reason we were able to tabulate the numbers and provide you with immediate results!  And thanks to Charidy for taking awesome pictures!  Hope you enjoyed the concert Betsy! 

Finally, thank you all for your generous and continued support.  Everyone was a winner last night.  We have such an awesome group of people coming to these tastings!  YOU ALL ROCK!  WOOHOO!

Beer Tasting Results:  (Scale  1 = Yick!  What is this crap?; 5 = Yum!  Gimme more!)

Witbier
Wittekerke - 3.20
Mike Task's Homebrew - 3.60

Dunkleweizen
Keith Kost's Homebrew - 2.78
Franziskaner - 3.14

ESB
Bass - 2.55
Tom Bosak's Homebrew - 3.05

IPA
Full Pint Chinookie - 3.31
Mike Moretti's Homebrew - 3.17

Results by Ranking:  

1. Mike Task's Witbier Homebrew - 3.60 - "Delicious!"   "Full bodied without being heavy."  "I'd order this!"  "Lots of citrusy goodness."  "Big mouth feel.  Lite flavor." 
2. Full Pint Chinookie IPA - 3.31 - "Good for the style.  Needs more backbone."  "Good hop flavor.  Lacks body."  "Nice bitter west coast hops."  "Nice and citrusy."
3. Wittekerke Witbier - 3.20 - "Oh, sweet summer, how I missed you!"  "Fizzy."  "Very light ... too light?"   "Starts OK, then 'poof' it's gone."   "Light and refreshing, but no finish."  "Fruity and refreshing." 
4. Mike Moretti's IPA Homebrew - 3.17 - "Traditional IPA.  Lighter body."  "Too much Belgian style."  "Yum!"  
5. Franziskaner Dunkleweizen - 3.14 - "Refreshing."  "Well balanced."  "Slight banana aftertaste." 
6. Tom Bosak's ESB Homebrew - 3.05 - "I'd buy this!"  "A hint of caramel."  "Nice hit."  "Great finish."  "Slightly bitter."  
7. Keith Kost's Dunkleweizen Homebrew - 2.78 - "Nutty."  "A watery head with a nutty finish."  "Cloves, banana."
8. Bass ESB - 2.55 - "Very 'eh'.  Too traditional."  "Smells like vinegar."  "Gross."  "All color, no flavor.  Bland." 

There's always excitement in the air at the Pittsburgh BrewMasters Homebrew Challenge!  Thanks to Hart for organizing the challenge and to Pittsburgh BrewMasters members Dick Smith, Jim Stein, Jon Volkwein and Hart (again) Johnson for crafting the beer for our event!  Congratulations to Jon!  His was the only beer to win its pairing.  But look how close the results were!  Good job gentlemen!  It appears our group preferred the porter style and were not big fans of the Belgian pale ale style.  And it's interesting how the individual pairings ranked too ... #1 American Porter, #2 Pilsner, #3 American Amber Ale, #4 Belgian Pale Ale.

Congratulations to Denny on his retirement last week.  Thanks to his wife Barb for helping us with our surprise roast, and to Dennis and Jon for providing the stories.  Denny, I'll be thinking of you as I'm reading the book Escape from Cubicle Nation.

Thanks to Peter for promoting his group Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers (aka TRASH).  You can learn more at www.trashhomebrewers.org.

Congratulations to Rege for winning the 50/50 raffle!  Thanks to the Sharp Edge for hosting our event and for providing the numerous door prizes!  And thanks to Dick Smith for offering up his ticket to the Penn Brewfest.  I'm sure one of the Jeff's will have a great time.

Thanks to Jess and unknown others for taking the photos in Betsy's absence.  (Hope you feel better Bets!) 

And last, but certainly not least, thanks to all of you for your continued support.  We couldn't do this without you!

Beer Tasting Results:  (Scale  1 = Yick!  What is this crap?; 5 = Yum!  Gimme more!)

Pilsner
Pilsner Urquell - 3.46
Jon Volkwein's Homebrew - 3.66

Belgian Pale Ale
Dick Smith's Homebrew - 2.87
De Koninck - 2.97

American Amber Ale
Jim Stein's Homebrew - 3.15
Coronado Mermaid Red - 3.33

American Porter
Anchor - 3.71
Hart Johnson's Homebrew - 3.69

Results by Ranking:  

1. Anchor American Porter - 3.71 - "Great aftertaste."   "Would be good with ice cream."  "OK, but a little bitter."  "Like a stale espresso!!"  "A porter to the max.  Delicious."  "Nice flavor, but too sweet." 
2. Hart Johnson's American Porter - 3.69 - "Excellent.  Just right bite."  "Nose is great.  Taste is great.  Finish is great."  "Mellow, mellow, nice."  "Best beer of the night!"  "Grrrreat!"  "Excellent porter.  Malty goodness." 
3. Jon Volkwein's Pilsner - 3.66 - "Crisp and refreshing."  "Well balanced with hops and flavor.  Nice finish."  "I could drink two or three of these."   "Good.  A different pilsner flavor."   "Pretty good!"  "Fruity and refreshing." 
4. Pilsner Urquell - 3.46- "Great finish."  "Good start, poor finish."  "Real good!"  "Doesn't smell like anything.  Tastes boring."  "Not bad for a pilsner.  A little bitter in the finish."  
5. Coronado Mermaid Red American Amber Ale - 3.33 - "Best of the night."  "Too hoppy."  "Nice hops."  "Whatever is in this, it's too much!  Not sure what to think yet."  "Best so far!"  "Tastes more like a pale ale.  Nice hoppy, malty balance."    
6. Jim Stein's American Amber Ale - 3.15 - "Wow!  I like this.  Let's get a growler and go home."  "Balance and drinkability!"  "Smooth."  "Nice hoppy, citrus finish."   
7. De Koninck Belgian Pale Ale - 2.97 - "A nice knockoff."  "All wheat all the time."  "Like Elmer's Glue."  "Tastes like colored water."  "A weak finish." 
8. Dick Smith's Belgian Pale Ale - 2.87 - "Lite and fruity."  "Pretty tasty!"  "A spice taste."  "Yum!"  "Too weak for me."