It’s been four months since the last BrewFC bout which means it’s time for another fight. This time two English breweries step up to the plate with a couple beers made with Citra and Mosaic hops.

Like most boxing matches there will be three judges. I have two guest reviewers that will help me decide which beer is best – my friends, Sabrina and Sean, who helped me with BrewFC #7, are both back for their second bout. Don’t worry, they still know their stuff, as they work in beer-centric restaurants and have almost as many new brews as I do.

As with all BrewFC fights, we will each blindly judge both beers in five categories that total up to 50 points. From there, we’ll add the totals together for a composite score out of 150. The beer with the higher score wins.

The five categories are: Aroma (10 points), Taste (20 points), Presentation 1 (the look of the beer; 10 points), Presentation 2 (the look of the can; 5 points), and Value (5 points).

Those last two categories are impossible to rank blindly, so those have already been scored before the real fight begins.

Now let’s get a look at our competitors.

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First up, from Newcastle upon Tyne, England is Wylam Brewery and their double IPA, Us & Them. Challenging Wylam is a brewery from Ipswich, England – Burnt Mill Brewery and their Green Path IPA.

So, all that’s left to do is LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!

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Beer 1:

Judge 1 (Sabrina):

Aroma: Lots of citrus here. Grapefruit and mango mostly. Some slightly dank hops and pale malts as well. 9/10

Presentation 1: Slight haze to it, very light though...looks like a beer I’ll really enjoy. 10/10

Taste: Wow, that’s tasty! Very citrus-forward with hints of lemon, grapefruit, and mango. Nice malt sweetness with some grassy undertones as well. 18/20

Presentation 2: Can looks really cool. Love the matte style and the color combination. 5/5

Value: Pretty solid deal here. Would totally buy it again. 5/5

Total: 46/50

Judge 2 (Sean):

Aroma: Nice citrus forward beer here. Lots of orange and grapefruit. 6/10

Presentation 1: Nice and hazy yet still looks light and delicious. 8/10

Taste: Very smooth for such a hop-forward beer. Lots of hoppy citrus flavors like expected. Orange, grapefruit and mango lead the way. 15/20

Presentation 2: Really enjoy the can. Love the matte and color scheme. 5/5

Value: Really solid value. If I lived in the UK, I’d be drinking this a lot. 5/5

Total: 39/50

Judge 3 (Dave)

Aroma: Slight hop sting with a nice citrus bite - grapefruit, lemon zest, mango, and pineapple lead the way. 8/10

Presentation 1: Lighter copper color with some nice haze to it. Looks really inviting. 8/10

Taste: Hoppy bite before the biscuity malt calms things down. Resinous grassy notes mix well with the citrus fruit (which includes mango, orange, grapefruit, and lemon). Slight hoppy pine ending with a dash of dryness. 17/20

Presentation 2: Like the others, I love the label too! Colors are cool, it’s simple yet eye-catching and you can’t go wrong with the matte finish. 5/5

Value: Solid value here. Might be a dash on the pricier side (at least when converted to American dollars) but a really good beer worth the extra cash. 4/5

Total: 42/50

Overall: 127/150

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Beer 2:

Judge 1 (Sabrina):

Aroma: Like the last beer, the citrus leads the way. Lemon, grapefruit, and oranges. 8/10

Presentation 1: Slight haze to it, however it’s much darker though...like a burnt copper. 9/10

Taste: Sharp bitterness to start it off. While there is some citrus from the aroma, a really piney and earthy flavor takes the lead midway through the sip. Wish there was more of the tropical fruit from the aroma in the taste. 16/20

Presentation 2: Wow, this can looks really cool too. Matte style + the color combination = 5/5

Value: Both cost the same and tasted similar, would drink/buy it again. 5/5

Total: 43/50

Judge 2 (Sean):

Aroma: This was a very subtle beer for me, aroma wise. Didn’t get too much - some hops, some citrus, but not enough to really see what was coming. 3/10

Presentation 1: Another hazy brew but this one looks a bit darker and harsher. 6/10

Taste: Starts off smooth but quickly the hops smack you in the face with notes of citrus, orange rind, and a dank pine flavor. Ends resinous and sticky with some bitterness. 12/20

Presentation 2: Cool colors and a really nice label. 4/5

Value: Didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as the other, so the value is a dash lower here but not a bad price or anything. 4/5

Total: 29/50

Judge 3 (Dave)

Aroma: Juicy citrus here. Lots of mango, grapefruit, and some guava with a light bready malt backing. 8/10

Presentation 1: Hazy dark copper color. Not much head to it. 7/10

Taste: Not nearly as much citrus in the flavor as in the aroma. An earhty pine flavor sneaks in and minimizes the mango and grapefruit flavors that did come through into the taste. There is a citrus rind bitterness that creates a sticky and dry feeling after the sip. But, as the beer warms up, the sweeter/fruit flavors seem to come out more. 17/20

Presentation 2: Colors are cool; it’s got that matte finish too and it’s very simple yet eye-catching. 5/5

Value: Solid value. Like the other, might be on the higher side of things but still a good beer for the price. 4/5

Total: 41/50

Overall: 113/150

WINNER:

In a 127-113 knockout, Beer #1 takes the BrewFC Belt! But just what beer was the Beer #1??

The winner is...

Wylam Us & Them