Judging is open to the public with participants blindly sampling up to eight beers - four from “Brewery A” and four from “Brewery B.” Each blind taste test concludes with the voter choosing a favorite beer from each style and selecting Brewery A or B on their beer ballot.
During four days of competition (February 4-7) against Founders, Stormcloud earned 66% of the total votes and won the majority in all four beer styles. The four styles and eight beers facing off in the quarter-final competition were:
- Pale Ale: Stormcloud Rainmaker Ale vs. Founders Mosaic Promise
- Fruit Beer: Stormcloud Gerald’s Talking Dog vs. Founders Rubaeus
- Imperial Stout: Stormcloud It Was A Dark & Stormcloudy Stout vs. Founders Imperial Stout
- Imperial IPA: Stormcloud Thirty-One Planes Imperial IPA vs. Founders reDANKulous
“We’re ecstatic about the quarter-final results,” says Brian Confer, Head Brewer and Co-Owner of Stormcloud Brewing Company. “We knew going into this round that the competition was going to be fierce. Founders is one of the best breweries in Michigan and one of the top 20 craft breweries in the whole country in terms of sales volume. They’re a massive brewery that makes very popular beer. And they’re a perfect example of why Michigan beer drinkers have it so good. We’re honored that the Civil Beer War voters chose Stormcloud over Founders.”
The 2nd Annual Michigan Civil Beer War is scheduled to continue through April, with Stormcloud Brewing Company going up against Battle Creek’s Arcadia Ales in the first semi-final round happening March 17-20.
Participating Breweries in the 2016 Michigan Civil Beer War
Southern Michigan:
- Arcadia Ales, Battle Creek
- Dark Horse Brewing Co., Marshall
- Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids
- Griffin Claw Brewing Company, Birmingham
- New Holland Brewing, Holland
- Perrin Brewing Company, Comstock Park
Northern Michigan:
- Brewery Terra Firma, Traverse City
- Northport Brewing, Northport
- Petoskey Brewing, Petoskey
- Right Brain Brewery, Traverse City
- Short’s Brewing Company, Bellaire
- Stormcloud Brewing Company, Frankfort
About Stormcloud Brewing Company
Stormcloud Brewing Company opened in June 2013 just two blocks from Lake Michigan in the lakeside town of Frankfort, Michigan. A small brewery specializing in Belgian-style brewing, Stormcloud offers 16 taps in addition to a full menu of flatbread pizzas, small plate appetizers, soups and salads, sandwiches, charcuterie plates, and specialty popcorn. Visit Stormcloud online at http://www.stormcloudbrewing.com.
