Widmer Brothers Announce “Craft vs Crafty” Challenge Tasting Event 6/14

As part of Portland Beer Week this year, we hosted a “craft vs. crafty” blind tasting at the Widmer Brothers Pub on Saturday. The event was a fun way to try 12 different, and popular beers — without any information about them beyond a brief, and relatively vague description — and guess whether the breweries that the brewed them are considered “craft” or not, according to the Brewers’ Association’s definition. We ended up pouring 8 beers that are considered craft and 4 beers that are non-craft according to the definition, and the task of identifying the difference proved to be difficult. Very few guessed them all correctly. But that doesn’t matter. Good beer is good beer; that’s what matters.

Here’s the list:

1. 10 Barrel Swill

2. Budweiser

3. Boulevard Grainstorm Black Rye

4. Breakside Pilsner

5. Ecliptic Hefe Pils

6. Gigantic Firebird

7. Goose Island Endless IPA

8. Ninkasi Lux

9. Oakshire Amber

10. Ommegang Hennepin

11. Shock Top Lemon Shandy

12. Widmer Brothers Seamus O’Tooles

Prost, to Beer!