After three weeks, there’s only one thing left to decide. We started with 24 beers, one for each of the nations in the 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball. Now, we find out who takes the title in the final of the Basketball World Cup of Beer.
It’s the USA vs France in the decider. Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA vs Admiral Benson. Before we find out who wins, let’s take a look at their paths to the final.
Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA (USA)
Group: Topped Group C
Second round: Beat Volfas Engleman Rinktinis (Lithuania)
Quarter Final: Beat 8 Wired Superconductor (New Zealand)
Semi Final: Beat Little Creatures Pale Ale (Australia)
Mont Salève Admiral Benson IPA (France)
Group: Topped Group A
Second round: Beat Quilmes Cristal (Argentina)
Quarter Final: Beat Ozusjko (Croatia)
Semi-Final: Beat Old Harbor Kofresi Stout (Puerto Rico)
And now, the final battle…
Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA (USA) vs Mont Salève Admiral Benson IPA (France)
These are two beers truly worth of the battle for the trophy that I really must get around to buying. Admiral Benson sets sail with a flavour that is like flint meeting mango and lots of high fruit notes. France, hardly a stronghold of craft beer, has delivered a cracker with this 6 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) IPA. The USA has come to the table with serious ordnance, Torpedo is a beast of an IPA at 7.2 per cent ABV. This beer delivers as much hops as an IPA can handle without dipping into double IPA territory. It’s somehow the far side of bitter and refreshing and light grapefruit notes round it off nicely. Enough salivating, it’s time to crown a champion…
Winner of the 2014 Basketball World Cup of Beer: Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA (USA)
Silver to France but Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA said no Durant, no Love, no worries, and brought an ICBM to a knife fight to bring the title back to the USA.
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