True to its motto of “Never Settle. Always Meddle.,” the Meddlesome Brewing Company of Memphis has taken home the title of best hometown brew. Meddlesome’s 201 Hoplar was dubbed King of Memphis beers in the “Memphis Flyer” second annual Beer Bracket Challenge.
Shocking the world
The honor was something of a surprise for Richie EsQuivel and Ben Pugh, owners of Meddlesome Brewing Company. Meddlesome has only been on the Memphis brewery scene for a little over a year, though its owners are no strangers to the Bluff City’s beer revolution. EsQuivel came up with Boscos Brewing Company—Memphis’s first brewpub—while Pugh cut his teeth as a brewer at Rock ‘n Dough Pizza and Brew Company out of Jackson.
“It’s taken us aback, honestly,” said Pugh. “Once we saw we’d made it to the finals, we were pumped we’d even made it that far.”
Meddlesome’s Memphis roots
Meddlesome Brewing calls the Memphis suburb of Cordova home, which is not far from the Shelby Farms dog park. Even though the company has only been around a short time, the 201 Hoplar IPA obviously hit the right note with fans, driving it to the top of the fan-voted honor.
EsQuivel and Pugh cite their hometown as a large influence on what they do, noting that they love to create beers they feel embody Memphis: strong, tenacious and unforgettable.
With the opening of Meddlesome Brewing and the other new kid on the block, Crosstown, there is now a grand total of seven independent brewers on the Memphis craft beer scene. It’s a movement that has been steadily gaining momentum since 2013.
At its heart, Meddlesome Brewing lives by a very simple philosophy when creating its beers: “Never fear meddling with convention in search of something greater,” its website declares. And the knowledgeable beer-drinkers of the Bluff City have spoken in enthusiastic agreement.
Taking home the crown
This year’s King of Beers takes inspiration from the great IPAs of the West Coast. It’s not over-the-top bitter upon the first sip, and its slightly fruity flavor comes in to finish an enjoyable experience. It’s brewed with Chinook and Columbus hops for a combination that delivers a brew bursting with resin, pine, ripe pineapple and grapefruit flavors.
The Flyer’s bracket challenge was a highly scientific poll, breaking beers into four categories in the early rounds. Light beers, dark beers, IPAs and seasonals all competed against their brethren until the final four, at which point 201 Hoplar took down Wiseacre Brewing’s Tiny Bomb before besting another Wiseacre offering, Astronaut Status.
No matter the outcome of the annual competition, there’s a definite sense of family developing in the burgeoning Memphis craft beer scene—one that’s sure to produce a number of deserving champions in King of Beer Brackets to come.
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