Santa Monica Brew Works hosted the winners of this year’s Maltose Falcons Mayfaire Competition by brewing the top 3 beers. Which are as follows:
- Best in Show: “The Bird” Rauchbier by Trevor McGuire – A masterfully crafted smoked-malt beer celebrated for its rich, roasty flavor and complexity.
- 2nd Place: “Halfcolt” American Pale Ale by Jack McQueen – A perfectly balanced pale ale with refreshing hop character highlighted by a blend of Simcoe and Amarillo.
- 3rd Place: “Ikasu” Matcha-infused Gose by Masahiro Katano – A distinctive gose brewed with Matcha, offering a unique blend of tangy sour notes and earthy green tea essence.
So I had to taste them. The Bird is my winner because it fulfilled its task. Bring some smoke and some malt. It did that and made you hungry for BBQ. Ikasu was my second choice. I did not get Matcha notes but I did get a quite nice mix of cantaloupe and lime that I liked. Last was the pale ale. It was kind of dank but not super hoppy. Has a bit of stone fruit to it. But stood out less than the other two winners.
Thanks to Santa Monica Brew Works for providing a platform to taste what homebrewers are doing.