Note: Stoutmeister, E-Rock, and Shilling were at Turtle Mountain last week, having a lengthy chat with owner Nico Ortiz about all things beer. One of the subjects that came up was the IPA Challenge, which begins with the first of four tasting events Sunday at noon at Nexus Brewery.

The IPA Challenge that exists today went through some early growing pains, as Nico explained to us. Initially the best IPA was determined not by a fan vote based upon taste but instead upon how many samples of each beer were purchased.

“Blue Corn got the first trophy because their manager brought some friends and just bought and bought and bought,” Nico said. “The next year the final event was at Second Street. I took a bunch of friends up there and was buying the rounds. So we got the trophy under those rules.

“Then we all agreed that’s really sad, it doesn’t determine the best IPA. So in year three we changed it to a blind tasting, three venues.”

The best part about the blind tasting format, Nico said, is in how the beers get mixed up from one venue to the next.

“Each of the three venues has a different lineup, so just because the IPA you liked was (number) five, it’s not going to be five the next time,” he said. “With three venues, I used to go to all three venues. I used to sample, but was not involved in the setup. So I had no idea which beer was which.

“It’s amazing, from venue to venue, even brewers themselves have a hard time telling beers from one venue to the next. Some people were able to tell their beers across all three places, but I was amazed how many could not.”

Now the IPA Challenge has become so popular it has four venues. In addition to Nexus on Sunday, it will be held at Three Rivers Brewery in Farmington on Tuesday at 4 p.m., Blue Corn in Santa Fe on Thursday at 4 p.m., and then the finale at Il Vicino Canteen on Saturday at noon.

“The IPA Challenge back in the day used to be a house IPA, something you served on a regular basis,” Nico said. “Then competition got into it.”

Turtle Mountain’s special batch of IPA was brewing while we were visiting the brewpub.

“It’s double-dry hopped here and then I think we do triple-hopped into the server,” Nico said. “It’s a special batch. I don’t necessarily like having to do that, but the way the IPA Challenge is nowadays, you’ve got to put a big foot forward.”

Then again, every brewery should be making its best effort if it is going to compete.

“If you can’t put your best beer in, don’t put a beer in at all because it does you and everybody else a disservice,” Nico said.

We will have more on our behind-the-scenes visit to Turtle Mountain on Monday. Until then, everyone who is headed to Nexus on Sunday, have fun and may the best IPA win!

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister